Resembling something out of Tron, the e-QBO power cube looks to make access to energy for people residing in major cities, that much easier. The concept is the creation of Italian-based design firm T°RED and research institution Ricerca Sistema Energetico, along with a select group of strategic partners, offering unique design and technology integrations for the e-QBO.

The appearance of the e-QBO can essentially be described as a cube covered in solar panels. It’s designed to offer people living in major cities with a renewable energy source. RSE has fitted the e-QBO with a host of different ports and connections to ensure users can power everything from a smartphone to an electric car, as well as have access to Wi-Fi. The e-QBO’s size is also fully customisable, which means it can be catered to fit in virtually any urban space, with future plans as a fully functional home.

The Future?

The solar panelled power cube collects and stores energy from sunlight throughout the day and powers multiple devices at night, functioning as a “sustainable off-site architecture” according to its developer. The first prototype e-QBO made its public debut this year at WFES 2014. Developers, T°RED, then began setting up multiple power cubes in urban spaces and monuments across Italy to showcase the real-world potential of the e-QBO.

It certainly is an interesting prospect, but at an estimated $150 000 (R 1.5 million) for the standard 5m x 5m model, it is definitely for those with deep pockets. We would be intrigued to find out how much one would eventually save in the long run from the e-QBO, and whether or not general users would actually make anything back on their investment.