Comments on: No More Gas

By: Pol x

Pol x — Tue, 13 May 2008 12:03:22 +0000

@Hmmm

“this type of business will be dead. U.S. Government will probably shut this down.”

What are you on about?

Why would the US Gubmint Shut it down?

And by what legal precedent>

By: hhype

hhype — Mon, 12 May 2008 14:02:52 +0000

I could use this car because my round trip commute is only 12 miles, but $36,000 is $10,000 more than the Prius that I already purchased. What are the makers of this vehicle thinking?

I would rather get an electric Vespa.

By: Hmmm

Hmmm — Mon, 12 May 2008 03:57:12 +0000

Lol, this type of business will be dead. U.S. Government will probably shut this down.

By: Pego

Pego — Sun, 11 May 2008 16:02:19 +0000

Most commuters are going less than 30 miles round-trip, with only themselves to carry and a briefcase or some groceries. If that hatchback is also sufficient to carry at least one child-seat, then it will do for the majority and can be parked anywhere a desk would fit. Owing to the plain fact that a ‘burb house requires all who live there over 18 to own and operate a car to maintain a ‘burb household, this seems pretty practical. If it catches on, the relative price will go down. The cost of a full charge should be well under that of similar amounts of gas and, again parking would be cheaper, since you can share a parking space or stick it on a porch.

Looks cute to me and I could see a crazy paint job being fun on that vertical space.

By: Ryan Cousineau

Ryan Cousineau — Sun, 11 May 2008 08:07:20 +0000

I knew that looked familiar…it’s a revival of the old Corbin Sparrow design.

The Sparrow was such a great car it bankrupted its manufacturer.

By: Pol x

Pol x — Sat, 10 May 2008 22:48:07 +0000

are none of you familiar with the notion of ECONOMIES OF SCALE.

If you hand built any car, be it a Pacer to Mr Bean’s Mini, it’d probably cost oh about $36,000.

But no, it can’t just be as simple as that, it’s the Greens out to stiff you working Joes.

But it is as ugly as sin.

By: Skipweasel

Skipweasel — Sat, 10 May 2008 20:54:03 +0000

Wow! I’ve got a Blackjack Avion! It’s not finished and technically it belong to an ex boss, but since I’ve been paying for the garaging for the last seven years and haven’t seen him for nearly all of that I might dig it out and finish it. There’s few bits we didn’t buy, but I can either make them or see whether Richard Oakley’s still got any.

By: ted

ted — Sat, 10 May 2008 16:21:01 +0000

Only room for one person.
Overpriced. Hideously ugly.
Too bad people who design concept cars don’t actually design for the real world.
Oil companies must pay them to design ludicrous crap.

By: kristo

kristo — Sat, 10 May 2008 15:10:35 +0000

this reminds me of the Leyland Mini 1000 in ‘Mr Bean’, or even more the Messerschmitt KR200 Kabinroller oddity in ‘Brazil’ — in fact Brazil won’t seem so out there, in 10-15 yrs from now, after every hummer and urban assault vehicle is decomposing on the side of an interstate without oil — there will be plenty of space for tiny (overpriced) green-energy vehicles, whatever the top speed is.
right now, an electric scooter would be about a tenth of the price, but probably not as zippy or comfortable as (Myers jaundiced excretion).

By: SoLo

SoLo — Sat, 10 May 2008 12:27:04 +0000

Uhh…no. Next contestant please.

By: Mokuwai

Mokuwai — Sat, 10 May 2008 06:37:56 +0000

Looks like a car from whooville.

By: Hil

Hil — Sat, 10 May 2008 02:14:50 +0000

This seems like the updated version of the Peel P50!

By: Jimbo

Jimbo — Sat, 10 May 2008 01:25:24 +0000

What a load of BS. If you have ever watched a train go by, you are seeing ELECTRIC motors in action. That’s right, every train in the US has an electric motor at each wheel. Diesel generators just idle to keep more than enough power going to the motors.

They don’t have to make electric cars the size of coffins that are 800% over priced.

The savings in gas shouldn’t be added to the price of this turd. It is just a turd, nothing more.

By: Vako

Vako — Fri, 09 May 2008 23:12:34 +0000

For 36 clams I hope it comes in other colours than just yellow. It looks like a banana. I do like the body design, however. Rather avant garde.

By: HeartlessMachine

HeartlessMachine — Fri, 09 May 2008 22:57:02 +0000

I lived in Washington DC for a while. I also lived just outside the district and commuted. While the speed limit going in and out of DC might be 65, top speed during rush hour was about 12 miles per hour. And my commute both times was less than 15 miles each way. This would be a perfect car for those living in the district, except for the price tag.

This would NOT suit me now that I live in Austin, and drive 75 MPH all the way to and from work. 27 miles each way. And no, my boss would not let me charge my car at work.

By: Tempscire

Tempscire — Fri, 09 May 2008 22:45:18 +0000

Well, since all the analysis involving the numeric data about this car have been done, I’ll just say: do they deliberately try to make cars like these look ridiculous? This one in particular strikes me as a “clown shoe.”

By: SenorMysterioso

SenorMysterioso — Fri, 09 May 2008 22:29:13 +0000

I thought interstate highway speed limits were more like 55- 65 within city limits(the intended route for these) and 65 - 75 outside city limits. If youre able to drive 70-75 on your daily commute congratulations, but Ive yet to experience those speeds during rush hour in any major city.

Good point about the max speed not being the cruising speed. It cant be good to red line this thing to keep up on the highway

By: bean

bean — Fri, 09 May 2008 21:55:59 +0000

Miss Cellania -
1) The TOP SPEED is 75mph in this automotive abortion. That means that its highest cruising speed is probably closer to 60mph, which is below interstate speed limits. As for most people in America living more than 30 miles from their place of work, go mingle amongst the population a little. You’ll learn.

SenorMysterioso -

Most interstate highways have a speed limit around 65-70, with an average speed of traffic around 70-75. In this thing, even if you max out the top gear, you have no way to accelerate out of danger. You’re screwed.

By: seekshelter

seekshelter — Fri, 09 May 2008 21:23:31 +0000

this looks like the car from Pushing Daisies

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Fri, 09 May 2008 20:19:45 +0000

So, build a practical electric vehicle that gets great mileage is small and easy to park. Then price it so only upper middle class and above can really afford it. Smart.

By: SenorMysterioso

SenorMysterioso — Fri, 09 May 2008 20:10:46 +0000

I dont think there are any highways in the US that even have a speed limit over 75

30miles/charge is still too little, the average daily round trip has to be too close to 30 to risk running out of juice on the way home. I guess it could work if you carry a spare battery with you

$36,000!?? can you not just buy a real electric car for that price? Or if you live somewhere warm get a scooter for a grand and get about 80mpg

By: artbot

artbot — Fri, 09 May 2008 20:04:00 +0000

Has no one noticed the $36,000(!) price tag? Another blog that featured this pointed out that this is merely the new incarnation of an 80s EV whose parent company failed. Apparently that car was only $8,000. Just another example of Green-Gouging?

By: Miss Cellania

Miss Cellania — Fri, 09 May 2008 19:43:16 +0000

Can’t use the highway? At 75 miles an hour? I do it all the time! And where did you get that most people live more than 30 miles from their jobs?

But really, you’d have to live within 15 miles of your job to use this, since your employer wouldn’t want you to charge off the company system.

By: bean

bean — Fri, 09 May 2008 18:48:48 +0000

That may work in a tightly packed area where people have the luxury of living within thirty miles of their jobs, but most Americans don’t have that luxury. And a top speed of 75 means you can’t use a highway.

By: Snorbalp

Snorbalp — Fri, 09 May 2008 18:19:54 +0000

it’s the Goldmember Mobile!

By: SenorMysterioso

SenorMysterioso — Fri, 09 May 2008 18:12:13 +0000

neat but 30 miles/charge is just not enough