More on Steve Titus' new Solar Bug - price revealed, along with high-res photos
As promised, we got in touch with Steve Titus, the maker of the Solar Bug. We had a question about the price of the updated version of this all-electric modified ATV with a solar boost. Titus wrote back and said:
We did increase the price to $15,000, but along with that comes a 10 fold increase in solar panel performance and a range that should be about doubled from the prototype. The price increase is due in part because we are hand crafting them in Bozeman, Montana and we are not getting volume discounts yet.
Titus also sent in some high-resolution images for our readers, for which we are grateful. You can kind of see it in the picture above, but if you click on the photo and enlarge it, you can easily spot that the Solar Bug Version 1 includes a sticker of Version 2 on the side. Nice. There is more information at the links below and on the Solar Bug website.
Gallery: Updated Solar Bug
Related:
[Source: Steve Titus / Solar Bug]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Mike Korman 3:13PM (8/22/2008)
If one really wants to avoid the grid (and all the problems it causes-like charging cost, overloading blackouts, etc):
This car needs a REMOVABLE battery pack (with a wheeled dolly, if necessary.)
That way, the depleted pack can be wheeled into a HOME photovoltaic panel, which is large enough to charge the pack in a day's worth of sunlight.
Then, a previously charged pack from the day before, can be wheeled into the car- allowing the car to be driven a respecable range.
The limited panel area on the car can not compete with the amount of solar charging energy available at HOME!!
mike korman misterfact@yahoo.com
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Joyce Maile 12:53PM (11/09/2007)
Ahh, the power of solar...$15000 is not a bad price for such a nifty little auto!
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ug 1:06PM (11/09/2007)
Auto is kind of a generous term for that thing. It's dead on arrival.
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steven 4:45PM (11/09/2007)
Nifty little auto!?!?!? Get a grip! Looks like a $15,000 bicycle with 4 wheels and a yellow box over the top! Better take 1 wheel off or I'd hate to see what the crash tests look like!
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Arnold Schneider 12:40AM (11/10/2007)
... I would love to have one. Exactly what I need (full weather protection, fully electric, little footprint, enough space to accomodate groceries/stuff). Hopefully it gets soon into production.
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Aitor 10:55AM (11/12/2007)
It is very expensive & uses expensive batteries.
I would not dare to conmute in that car near huge suvs... not that the suvs are usefull or necesary, but they are on the roads!!
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