The 1,000-Pound Car Challenge

Propelled by a compressed air system that allows the car to drive 1,000 miles between fill-ups, the Cadillac Aera (Aero + Era) is built on a frame that mimics the polyhedral structure of many natural objects, like a group of bubbles - get it? The car is full of hot air. (Cadillac)

Coming in under the target weight at just 800 pounds, the Honda Air is intended to be a "coastal crusier for the aggressive lifestyle", which sounds like a contradiction in terms. Inspired by a roller coaster, like the Cadillac Aera the Honda Air runs on compressed air, and can refill its tank via turbo vacuums and the flow of air over the car on the move.   (Honda)

Maybach is known today for making some largest, most luxurious vehicles in the world, but if the DRS (Den-Riki-Sha, or electric powered rickshaw) is any indication, in the future, things will be very different. Described as a “Naturally Manufactured Vehicle”, each car is created in a coded DNA-cocoon – whatever exactly that is. Along with electric drive that taps in to an infrastructure envisioned for the cities of tomorrow, passengers can contribute to the flow by pedaling in their glamorous surroundings. (Maybach)

Mazda describes being in the MX-0 as more like flying than driving, and that it could sell half a million of them in 2020. Start saving now. (Mazda)

Mercedes-Benz says the Biome would be grown in a nursery from seeds, and use symbiosis to collect solar energy, which stored in a fluid called BioNectar4534 and the BioFibres that make up the structure of the vehicle. (Mercedes-Benz)

Like the Biome, the parts from the 2035 Nissan iV are cultivated from an ivy-like material. The battery-powered four-seat vehicle features hubless wheels and a suspension system that employs magnetic levitation. (Nissan)

Smart currently makes the lightest car in the United States, its Fortwo tipping the scales at just 1800 pounds. But, unlike that tiny little two-seater, the 454 WWT (Weight Watch Technologies) is created by Smart Granny Robots that knit the car out of carbon fiber. Socks and sweaters are not included. (Smart)

Forget about using seaweed to create biofuels, the combined body and chassis of the Toyota “Nori” – Japanese for “seaweed” for those of you who’ve never been to a sushi restaurant – is grown in the ocean and has integrated solar cells that power four electric motors. (Toyota)

A relatively down to earth design compared to some of its competitors, the Volvo Air Motion uses compressed air that’s produced from electricity generated by air turbines positioned 1,000 feet in the air. (Volvo)