A Gas/Electric Hybrid car that gets 230MPG for $20,000

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » March 20, 2007, 10:33 pm

This looks promising. Something that's reasonably priced, goes 0-60 in under 10 seconds and gets 230 MPG (if you go 55MPH, it can go faster)

http://www.engadget.com/2007/03/14/apte ... otype-car/

It always comes down to whether they can manufacture enough of them for demand.

150 miles on a charge also limits it to commuter type trips.

http://apteramotors.com/index.html

cadalano · Post by **cadalano** » March 21, 2007, 10:22 am

thats gotta be about as safe as a motorcycle. no thanks

plus theres about an inch of clearance on the wheels. what the hell

Al · Post by Al » March 21, 2007, 11:30 am

I wouldn't be able to drive anything even remotely like that around here. It would be stranded in any snow, and the little bit of ground clearance would leave me driving mostly in parking lots and driveways. Not a bad idea, but clearly not a solution for the masses.

miir · Post by **miir** » March 21, 2007, 11:42 am

Haha, that's basically a hybrid motorcycle with a 2 seat passenger compartment. There's no way that this thing will meet crash test standards in any country in the world... so technically, it can't even be sold as a 'car'.

It's got a 12 horsepower diesel engine and a 25 horsepower electric motor.

This looks promising. Something that's reasonably priced, goes 0-60 in under 10 seconds and gets 230 MPG (if you go 55MPH, it can go faster)

So I'm guessing those ratings were obtained on a perfectly flat test track with no traffic or turns (do they even have a prototype?)... meaning the only time they used any fuel at all was to get from 0-55 at which point the DC motor kicked in and the vehicle was getting pretty much infinate mpg.

This concept has no use aside from a commuter vehicle... but why would anyone spend 20k on something like this when you can drop a fraction of that on a small displacement motorcycle and get close to 100 mpg in realworld use.

Aslanna · Post by **Aslanna** » March 21, 2007, 12:32 pm

miir wrote:This concept has no use aside from a commuter vehicle... but why would anyone spend 20k on something like this when you can drop a fraction of that on a small displacement motorcycle and get close to 100 mpg in realworld use.

Because some people don't like motorcycles? You know.. Seating position.. Exposure to the elements.. Low visibility by other drivers.. And a host of other reasons.

miir · Post by **miir** » March 21, 2007, 12:57 pm

Aslanna wrote:
miir wrote:This concept has no use aside from a commuter vehicle... but why would anyone spend 20k on something like this when you can drop a fraction of that on a small displacement motorcycle and get close to 100 mpg in realworld use.
Because some people don't like motorcycles? You know.. Seating position.. Exposure to the elements.. Low visibility by other drivers.. And a host of other reasons.

The other option is a Smart.
It's cheaper, has awesome fuel economy, low emmision ratings, meets crash test standards and you can go out and buy one today.

Micro cars are a far more viable option for commuters than high-tech psuedo-car hybrids.

This Aptera is nothing more than an engineering design experiment.
If this thing ever hit the market in the next 5-10 years, in a form even remotely resembling the picture above I will eat my hat.

Wulfran · Post by **Wulfran** » March 21, 2007, 1:11 pm

Aslanna wrote:
miir wrote:This concept has no use aside from a commuter vehicle... but why would anyone spend 20k on something like this when you can drop a fraction of that on a small displacement motorcycle and get close to 100 mpg in realworld use.
Because some people don't like motorcycles? You know.. Seating position.. Exposure to the elements.. Low visibility by other drivers.. And a host of other reasons.

OK, it gets you out of the wind and rain. It appears to give you a "traditional" seat. Its more visible to traffic. But public transit does all that... and no city in the world has a yearly transit pass for anything close to $4K US a year (assuming you pay cash for this and keep it 5 years... cost climbs with insurance, financing interest, fuel, and parking fees). Thats a lot of extra cash for a bit more private cargo space. I'm not a fan of some of the super-micro-compacts for the same reason.

Aslanna · Post by **Aslanna** » March 21, 2007, 1:55 pm

You asked for reasons I gave you reasons. Whether there are alternatives or not isn't really relevant.

Boogahz · Post by **Boogahz** » March 21, 2007, 1:55 pm

http://www.veeshanvault.org/forums/view ... hp?t=17098
Link to the original article in the thread linked above.

Lower MPG, more visible, cheaper (for the super low-powered version)...and in the Cars forum!

Loremo AG set to debut 2+2 coupe that gets over 150 MPG

I'm happy when my little hatchback gets 31 MPG on the highway, but German-based Loremo AG is set to debut a 2+2 coupe at the Geneva Auto Show that gets a whopping 157 MPG.

The $13,000 Loremo LS weighs just 992 lbs and features a two cylinder turbo-diesel engine pumping out a hardly earth shattering 20HP. The mid-engine, RWD coupe gets roughly 157 miles per gallon and has a cruising range of 807 miles. It goes 0-60 in 20 seconds and has a top speed of 99 MPH.

A more powerful $17,800 Leromo GT will also be available. It weighs in slightly more at 1,036 lbs and features a 3 cylinder turbo-diesel with 50 HP. It gets 87 miles per gallon, has a cruising range of 497 miles, goes 0-60 in 9 seconds and tops out at 137 MPH.

Both will come standard with airbags, radio and particle filter. Options will include a dashboard computer, A/C, MP3 player, navigation system, and leather.

miir · Post by **miir** » March 21, 2007, 2:11 pm

Boogahz wrote:http://www.veeshanvault.org/forums/view ... hp?t=17098
Link to the original article in the thread linked above.

Lower MPG, more visible, cheaper (for the super low-powered version)...and in the Cars forum!

That's actually a much more realistic vehicle than this Aptera.
From the description, it's pretty much better in every way... and cheaper too!

Funkmasterr · Post by **Funkmasterr** » March 21, 2007, 2:33 pm

Yeah, someone may as well move this post to the cars forum.

I will buy a hybrid/alternate car when I can buy one that is around 250+ HP for the same price as a gas car at the same level, and not have to wait on any kind of list to get one.

Oh, and it can't look like an abortion out of The Jetson's either.

miir · Post by **miir** » March 21, 2007, 2:54 pm

I will buy a hybrid/alternate car when I can buy one that is around 250+ HP for the same price as a gas car at the same level, and not have to wait on any kind of list to get one.

I agree for the most part but why the hell do you need 250+ horsepower?

Funkmasterr · Post by **Funkmasterr** » March 21, 2007, 2:56 pm

miir wrote:
I will buy a hybrid/alternate car when I can buy one that is around 250+ HP for the same price as a gas car at the same level, and not have to wait on any kind of list to get one.
I agree for the most part but why the hell do you need 250+ horsepower?

Well, just because it's about on par with what I will be buying for my next car. I think 250 HP is a good spot, anymore would just get me in trouble - but I don't want to downgrade what I have to buy a hybrid.

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » March 21, 2007, 4:46 pm

Al wrote:I wouldn't be able to drive anything even remotely like that around here. It would be stranded in any snow, and the little bit of ground clearance would leave me driving mostly in parking lots and driveways. Not a bad idea, but clearly not a solution for the masses.

See thread: "Why I like the desert"

Pherr the Dorf · Post by **Pherr the Dorf** » March 22, 2007, 3:50 am

Funkmasterr wrote:
miir wrote:
I will buy a hybrid/alternate car when I can buy one that is around 250+ HP for the same price as a gas car at the same level, and not have to wait on any kind of list to get one.
I agree for the most part but why the hell do you need 250+ horsepower?
Well, just because it's about on par with what I will be buying for my next car. I think 250 HP is a good spot, anymore would just get me in trouble - but I don't want to downgrade what I have to buy a hybrid.

That would be the Accord Hybrid... 6 cyl power with 4 cyl mileage

Al · Post by Al » March 22, 2007, 10:58 am

Winnow wrote:
Al wrote:I wouldn't be able to drive anything even remotely like that around here. It would be stranded in any snow, and the little bit of ground clearance would leave me driving mostly in parking lots and driveways. Not a bad idea, but clearly not a solution for the masses.
See thread: "Why I like the desert"

So that would run well in sand? I prefer my vehicles to be able to go where I want them to. This cannot. Even my Jag could run on a dirt road, though I wouldn't go faster than 30(ish) because I was afraid to injure the poor thing in a pot hole. That "car" would be difficult to take over a speed bump. Are you saying there are no dirt roads or speed bumps in Arizona? (or NM or NV or where ever the thread was refering to, I'm not going to go back and read it again)

Aslanna · Post by **Aslanna** » March 22, 2007, 1:40 pm

I think the point of the other thread was that there was no snow there. Not that people go driving out over the sand. Stop being crazy!

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » March 22, 2007, 1:44 pm

There are very few potholes in Arizona (no ice to screw up the roads) and the few potholes that we have quickly fill with sand to make for an extremely smooth ride.

Our freeways in the Phoenix metro area have that rubberized stuff on them for a quiet ride as well.