Aptera!

[BH]

http://www.aptera.com/details.php

Holy crap check this thing out.   This is not a "one off" pipe dream, this is a reality, available in California in less than a year and elsewhere soon after they can get a support infrastructure built.

Two adult passengers, one child, plus 15 bags of grocery's or two golf bags.

300 mpg.  You heard right.  300 mpg or if you only travel 50 miles round trip, 1000 mpg!!!  With a 600 mile range!  85 mph top speed.  0-60 in ten seconds (Very respectable.)

OK, it's going to cost about $30,000 which is a bit steep, but check this out:

If you drive a car that gets 30 mpg (pretty good right?) over it's life of lets say 100,000 miles to be conservative, at $4 a gallon, it will cost you about $13,500 in gas.

The Aptera, over the same 100,000 miles will only cost about $1,350 in gas.   That is over a $12,000 savings!   If gas keeps going up, it might even pay for itself!

Is it safe you ask?  Well, the shell is made of a composite "monocoque" that is used to protect the driver in 200 mph Formula One racing crashes.  See youtube link below.  He walked away with a sprained ankle.  75 g impact.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGIb2Gz82S8&feature=related

Wow, I should get a commishion.

[pawpaw]

 :o

I totally geeked out on that  ::) I hadn't heard of it, thanks for posting BH!

[BH]

:o

I totally geeked out on that  ::) I hadn't heard of it, thanks for posting BH!

I knew I'd get something out of you. :) ;)

[fitzcarraldo]

The Hype!  Where do I sign up?  :)  

[BH]

The Hype!  Where do I sign up?  :)  

;D  I can drive that bad boy up to RCMH on about $15!

Apparently they are taking $500 deposits, and have 1100 orders already.  Unfortunately, only in California for now.  

[pawpaw]

:o

I totally geeked out on that  ::) I hadn't heard of it, thanks for posting BH!

I knew I'd get something out of you. :) ;)

Geeez, am I THAT predictable? Some of that stuff was written by engineers, for the benefit of engineers though. I mean, who else cares (or even knows) about Carnot cycle efficiencies??? In fact, I'm sorry for bringing that up, everyone... :)

[Hawkeye]

Very interesting.  I almost wish I lived in Cali for this.  I bet it wouldn't get around too well in the Iowa winters though!  I'm thinking about buying a small diesel or turbodiesel car and doing the veggie oil thing, either WVO or SVO.  The only problem, once again, is the Iowa winters.  Diesels don't start too well in the cold from what I hear.  Maybe I'll just buy a motorcycle...

Here's a few links to companies who do the veggie oil thing:

http://www.saeenergy.com/products.htm

This guy uses turbos and other fuel sources such as propane, natural gas, etc to achieve up to 100 mpg from a turbodiesel...he's doing a 1964 Lincoln Continental for Neil Young right now  ;D

http://www.greasecar.com/

Pretty cheap veggie oil setup

[BH]

Hey seamus, I think you can get most diesels these days with engine block heaters for winter starting.  Of course that only works at home, but you they actually start much better than they used to, I think only really extreme cold causes issues.

[Angry Ewok]

I would be very cautious about putting down deposits on a "future car"...

...I almost got fucked out of $800 of my hard earned money when I put a deposit down on my De Lorean DMC-12.

[Hawkeye]

Hey seamus, I think you can get most diesels these days with engine block heaters for winter starting.  Of course that only works at home, but you they actually start much better than they used to, I think only really extreme cold causes issues.

Yeah, that's the problem...what do you do when you can't plug it in (not at home)?  It gets pretty cold here, I think we were at like -20 for 2 or 3 weeks straight this year...I'll have to look into it further, but with gas at $3.60 a gallon something's gotta change.  Both of my vehicles are V8's.  I have a 1998 Lincoln Continental...great car...but it only gets around 19 mpg.  Then there's my 1969 Firebird, it maybe gets 8 mpg...yikes!

[BH]

Hey seamus, I think you can get most diesels these days with engine block heaters for winter starting.  Of course that only works at home, but you they actually start much better than they used to, I think only really extreme cold causes issues.

Yeah, that's the problem...what do you do when you can't plug it in (not at home)?  It gets pretty cold here, I think we were at like -20 for 2 or 3 weeks straight this year...I'll have to look into it further, but with gas at $3.60 a gallon something's gotta change.  Both of my vehicles are V8's.  I have a 1998 Lincoln Continental...great car...but it only gets around 19 mpg.  Then there's my 1969 Firebird, it maybe gets 8 mpg...yikes!

8 mpg!  Just think about that, if I was driving down the highway in the Aptera at 60 mph, I could throw a quarter out the window every 30 seconds and we would be spending about the same amount of money. ;D

[pawpaw]

Hey seamus, I think you can get most diesels these days with engine block heaters for winter starting.  Of course that only works at home, but you they actually start much better than they used to, I think only really extreme cold causes issues.

Yeah, that's the problem...what do you do when you can't plug it in (not at home)?  It gets pretty cold here, I think we were at like -20 for 2 or 3 weeks straight this year...I'll have to look into it further, but with gas at $3.60 a gallon something's gotta change.  Both of my vehicles are V8's.  I have a 1998 Lincoln Continental...great car...but it only gets around 19 mpg.  Then there's my 1969 Firebird, it maybe gets 8 mpg...yikes!

8 mpg!  Just think about that, if I was driving down the highway in the Aptera at 60 mph, I could throw a quarter out the window every 30 seconds and we would be spending about the same amount of money. ;D

;D True, but cars don't get much hotter than '69 Firebirds! Do you have any pictures you can throw up seamus?

DAMN, '69 was a great year for cars, and for Pontiac. A late 60s GTO is my dream, 8 mpg, muscle car.

[Hawkeye]

Here she is:






It is a very fun car, fast with a 455 cu engine (7.7L) with many upgrades.  It probably has about 350 hp and 490 lb/ft of torque.  Let's just say it gets off the line in a hurry.  With a cylinder head upgrade I could easily have over 500 hp.  I've never actually calculated the mileage, I just know it's not good!

[BH]

Check out this '69 Firebird.  For about 5 seconds it gets 0 mpg.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjhNC-vxUTg

[BH]

Here she is:






It is a very fun car, fast with a 455 cu engine (7.7L) with many upgrades.  It probably has about 350 hp and 490 lb/ft of torque.  Let's just say it gets off the line in a hurry.  With a cylinder head upgrade I could easily have over 500 hp.  I've never actually calculated the mileage, I just know it's not good!

That is sweet.

[pawpaw]

Here she is:






It is a very fun car, fast with a 455 cu engine (7.7L) with many upgrades.  It probably has about 350 hp and 490 lb/ft of torque.  Let's just say it gets off the line in a hurry.  With a cylinder head upgrade I could easily have over 500 hp.  I've never actually calculated the mileage, I just know it's not good!

That is sweet.

Damn right brother. That's one mean looking car you've got there seamus - I'm sure it's fun. Thanks for throwing up the pics.

[Hawkeye]

Check out this '69 Firebird.  For about 5 seconds it gets 0 mpg.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjhNC-vxUTg

Noice!!  That's the worst part about driving one of these...trying to keep your foot off the gas!  Bad mileage becomes even worse mileage.  People are ALWAYS wanting you to do a burnout, and if you don't you get called all kinds of shit for it.  I was actually thinking about starting a "Our rides" thread, just been too lazy.

[fitzcarraldo]

I would be very cautious about putting down deposits on a "future car"...

...I almost got fucked out of $800 of my hard earned money when I put a deposit down on my De Lorean DMC-12.

I was really hoping that this VW Microbus would come out when it was announced a few years back. It got scrapped. At least for now. I wouldn't even think about it buying/leasing now because of the gas prices.  :(  


 

[BH]

I would be very cautious about putting down deposits on a "future car"...

...I almost got fucked out of $800 of my hard earned money when I put a deposit down on my De Lorean DMC-12.

I was really hoping that this VW Microbus would come out when it was announced a few years back. It got scrapped. At least for now. I wouldn't even think about it buying/leasing now because of the gas prices.  :(  


 

Yeah, I was excited about that too.  Seems like they talked about it forever and then gave up on it.  So then what do they do?  Buy a Dodge Caravan Minivan from Chrysler and slap a VW badge on it.  Weak.

[pawpaw]

King of the Road...



(it's not mine)