Check out Accelerated Concepts Aptera. It's a car, not a spaceship.
Looking more like a spaceship or an imaginary vehicle out of the Jetsons than anything else currently on the road, the Accelerated Composites Aptera uses a diesel\electric hybrid drivetrain which they claim is good for over 200 mpg at a constant 55 mph, using nickel-zinc batteries. The performance appears quite livable, with zero to sixty times coming in at 10 seconds. Using some sort of advanced carbon fiber technology for production hopes, the three-wheeled vehicle is expected to be available for less than $20 thousand.It would be appropriate to mention that with three wheels, here in the U.S. at least it would be considered a motorcycle. This means that wearing a helmet and a motorcycle endorsement would be required in states where they are necessary for three-wheeled motorcycles. The normal motorcycle benefits would be included as well, such as being able to use carpool and high occupancy lanes and the like. As more information becomes available, we will keep you informed.
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[Source: Aptera via Wired via Hugg.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Howard Lee Harkness 3:49PM (3/13/2007)
ABG ran a story about this car several months ago, and I managed to contact a person at the company. I was a bit puzzled at the responses I got to my questions ("the investors want to keep things secretive"). Generally, investors want lots of buzz about new stuff in order to support sales and a high IPO share price, so I have to wonder if this company is for real, or if it is pushing vaporware. The article that I saw in Popular Science was also long on hype and generalities, and short on actual specs, which didn't give me any warm fuzzies.
The original announcement for the car said it was supposed to get 300mpg on a diesel-electric hybrid system built around an ultracapacitor. Now they are substituting NiMh (and claiming 200mpg), which is also a bit strange, because newer LiON battery tech will outperform NiMh or ultra-cap in power/weight. Maybe it's a cost thing, since they want to sell this car for under $20K.
I see they have re-vamped their website, and taken down all of the junky-looking photos of the carbon-fiber layup of the body.
I'd definitely be interested in this car -- if it's real. Even if I have to go back and get my MC license again.
BTW, many states (including TX, where I reside) no longer require helmets for MC riders. I suppose it doesn't make sense to force MC riders to go to a lot of trouble and expense to protest something they aren't using anyway...
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Howard Lee Harkness 3:50PM (3/13/2007)
Typo: 'protect', not 'protest'
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HanyE 12:30PM (3/14/2007)
Howard, you need to read a bit more carefully. They are using "nickel-zinc batteries" not NiMh batteries. Nickel-Zinc is a newer technology than LiON or if it's been around it hasn't been widely used because the process for manufacturing them wasn't refined enough until now. They supposedly have a better power/weight ratio than LiON. I don't have all the details but I remember reading about them and wondering why more companies aren't using them.
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Doug 8:00PM (10/02/2007)
Maybe they'd do even better to check out the MagneFyre Engine.... no fuel at all. I saw the designs and original prototype, and was blown away! They're going to be posting video of their current stage two prototype on their site soon, and i can't wait to get one in my car!
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