Motors The Aptera 300MPG car

this is cool

 

Yes, that is rather cool but how much of the efficiency is down to the bodywork (aerodynamics and such) and how much is down to the engine? No-one is going to want to drive in something that looks like that, s the technology needs to be transferable to things we have today.

 

I don't know Ramble, tbh I have a feeling that's the sort of thing we will be driving around in, in 20 years or so (maybe less the way things are in the Middle East).

Look at some of the cars on the road today, and think back 15 years, I bet they would have looked pretty weird then too.

 

wow 300mpg is insane, I could go and see my grandma for $4 instead of $35

 

I would drive something like that......

 

People in the 50s thought we'd all be driving our flying cars to the moon or something. Cars will look different, but not that much different methinks.

 

Sorry, when I said think back 15 years I didn't realise you were only 2 at the time.
Seriously some of the cars today look futuristic from a 1990 ish perspective.

 

From a 1990 ish perspective most of todays cars look girly.

 

True.

 

Yup so would I.

 

It's not going to pass the crash safety standards for many nations. Neither will almost every other unique electric vehicle conceived so far.

 

Thats crazy. Its powered on sunlight right? My dad gets 70 MPG in his Citroen van but that thing is immense, i dont think people are gonna be willing to drive around in it yet though, but it certainly knocks the crappy Toyota Prius into a top hat, which is good.

 

The solar panel was for the climate control, th car is battery powered and the option of a hybrid.

The shape and look are a glance at things to come, mainly as the shape will be determined by necessity not style (aerodynamics).

 

Yeah, i wasnt saying that it was objectionable to me, just to probably a few drivers, the future for cars looks good though, especially from the environmental perspective, which, considering the threat of Global Warming has to be a good thing.

 

the electric version has a 120 mile range? thats horrible. and it takes a couple hours to charge. i couldnt even go to best buy and back. wtf??

yes i know there is a hybrid version which is better.

either way its too fugly to be on the road.

 

I actually think it looks alright.

To be fair, if htey ditched some of the useless electronics (rear camera? who cares :S) they'd increase the range a bit

Now someone just needs to work out a good way to store hydrogen, then the hybrid version of that aptera would be the dogs bollox!

 

and they say it is made for safety, it has crumble zones, and it looks safer than a normal SUV Americans use...... and 120 miles for your average guys is more than enough...... coupled with this: http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2007/12/20/nanowires_enhance_battery_life/1 then you get 1200 miles.... and i think that is more than enough even for people that drive around a lot....

 

Not many people do more than 120 miles in one day, especially in and around a city, which is where this would really be useful.

 

Yep 120 miles is a huge range for an electric car, it looks awful, but I imagine it's mainly to look futuristic and cool, aerodynamics does play a large part I imagine, but not that large.

EDIT: After watching the vid with the sound on I retract the aerodynamics statement. It grew on me though, kind of looks like, damn I've forgotten the name, but it's a "bike", two wheels on the front and one fat-off one on the rear. They're apparently almost as nimble as a bike but with the stability of a car.

As an all purpose car it won't work like it is designed right now, but for commuting and stuff like that, I'd consider it. Seeing as commuting puts a huge number of cars on the road, it's a great thing.

 

Almost 3!

I won't claim that cars today look more futuristic than 15 years ago, but it's not that big of a leap. I just can't see Joe Average driving one of those, and if the extra milage is due to the bodywork then the car is jsut a concept and we haven't really solved anything.