SEMA 2009: eVARO plug-in hybrid three-wheeler debuts, returns
eVaro - Click above for high-res image gallery
If the eVaro from Future Vehicles Technologies pictured above looks familiar, then perhaps you've been following the development of the Alé. A reddish orange Alé, developed by FVT when it still stood for FuelVapor Technologies, was on display at SEMA in 2006. The more things change...
Making its "debut" at SEMA this year, the eVaro was decked out as a golden squid. Then, as now, the car is one of the contenders for the Progressive Automotive X Prize on display at SEMA this year. Over the years, FVT has increased the car's estimated MPG rating from 92 mpg using a pure gasoline engine to 275 mpg (at certain speeds) by shifting the focus from performance to efficiency. FVT added a plug-in hybrid powertrain to the car, which can now go up to 90 miles on battery power alone. The eVaro is still plenty fast, with a 0-60 time under 5 seconds. Even with all of these great numbers, we're still not sure there is a market for 10,000 of these a year, something the Automotive X-Prize is looking for. Nonetheless, we've got to hand it to FVT for their stick-to-itiveness and name-changing ability. Why did they choose eVARO? Because it means "electric vehicle with advanced regenerative braking onboard," of course.
Photos copyright ©2009 Frank Filipponio / Weblogs, Inc.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Nick From Montreal 10:53AM (11/09/2009)
Gasoline last year and hybrid this year eh? At this rate, they should be fully electric by 2010. That's what I call progress. then, they'll have to make this a 4-wheeler and they'll have a hit. Sorry, I'm not loving three-wheelers.
This X-prize thing is really working. People are trying anything to win.
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Tim 1:31PM (11/09/2009)
Get you FREE electric car NOW. Offer expires 12/341/09 because that's when Congress says it does....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzrf7sMGsgw&feature=pyv&ad=3266793116&kw=electric%20car&gclid=CJ674I7E_p0CFc5L5QodTVB1pg
(No gaming the progressive redistribution system.)
gorr 11:37AM (11/09/2009)
Im interrested to buy, serial hybrid with low cost battery and semi-conventionnal gasoline generator with fuel vapors and low weight for all the package at low cost for the performance and amenuities ( 40 000$ ). Please check that the underbody of the car will not destroy itself in potholes, cracks and bumps and winter in canada. Made in canada, where i live, nice.
Im interrested to buy too this enclosed british big motorcycle but i fear winters.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbdkZB9-Sd4
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nrb 12:06PM (11/09/2009)
Except for the made in CA part, you seem to have described the Volt.
RAN 12:23PM (11/09/2009)
The eVARO has very impressive range for a serial hybrid, and impressive mpg figures in charge-sustaining mode too. Also, unlike the Volt, eVARO gives you the option of charging the battery pack with the onboard generator.
It's looks haven't exactly grown on me yet, though I've been trying. Aerodynamics aside, I still prefer side by side seating for two over tandem any day.
Despite the great performance numbers, the biggest factor on whether they sell anywhere near 10,000 eVAROs/year will be the price. If they price this thing up into Porsche territory, they're going to have a hard row to hoe (and lots of eVAROs sitting on the lot).
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Chris M 9:57PM (11/09/2009)
Unlike the Volt? Sorry, but in both cases, the "range extender" engine is designed to take over most of the electrical load when the battery gets low, and it isn't designed to fully recharge the battery, but it partial recharges only when there is electrical power to spare.
Tandem seating could lead to lower aerodynamic drag thus better fuel economy at high speeds, though I doubt their design is aerodynamically optimized. The Aptera has better aerodynamics, and personally, I think the Aptera is better looking.
RAN 6:39PM (11/10/2009)
"Unlike the Volt? Sorry, but in both cases, the "range extender" engine is designed to take over most of the electrical load when the battery gets low, and it isn't designed to fully recharge the battery"
Sorry, but that's not true of the eVARO. It's fully capable of recharging the battery pack. While the Volt's genset *should* be capable of charging the pack as well, GM has said that it won't be doing that.
gl1800turbotech 12:02PM (11/10/2009)
I did my research
A few things I want to clear up,
First of all the eVaro gets over 330 mpg, it gets an average of 275 mpg at city speeds and 165 mpg at highway speeds and this was verified by the University of the Fraser Valley earlier this year.
Secondly the eVaro has a range of 120 miles on batteries alone
Thirdly the twenty kilowatt on board generator (designed by FVT) will totally charge the batteries and shut off again while maintaining 70 to 80 mph, The Volt can't charge its batteries with there generator
Fourth if you wander if FVT can sell 10,000 cars a year Globally, just take a moment to consider how many Smart cars have sold
The eVaro has room enough for two large people, two full sets of golf clubs and three grocery buggies worth of goods, try to put all that in a new T-bird with out using the back seat, or in a smart car,
The three wheeled design is more then 80% of the reason for the supper high mileage and tandem seating is catching on by many other companies because it is the only way to get the best miles per gallon.
Don't hold you breath if you think FVT will ever go backwards by building a side by side car to accommodate people who can't see or don't care about the advantages of the three wheeled tandem concept.
Tandem seating never hurt the motorcycle industry nor did it affect the high performance air plane industry so for people who don't get it, keep your backwards thinking to your self, if we really care and want to make a real difference in this world we need to grow up and look outside the box, if your not part of the solution, then you are the problem.
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RAN 6:33PM (11/10/2009)
sheeeeeeeeeesh your buttons are easy to push.
I'm impressed with the performance of the eVARO, and with it's genset. Used strictly as a commuter vehicle, 2 people going to-from work, the tandem seating doesn't bother me. However, I work at home and don't have to commute. I *do* go on dates, however, and I can't think of a more sterile, off-putting environment than having my date sitting in a seat directly behind me with no eye contact and no physical contact, as there is on a motorcycle. Most 2 seat aircraft are side by side as well, unless you're talking about fighter jets, and that analogy isn't going to fly here either.
Hey... side by side seating is MY PERSONAL PREFERENCE. I won't call you "part of the problem" if you want tandem seats, and you can stuff your attitude about what I want.
imwatchingyou 9:58AM (11/10/2009)
I like to have my cake and eat it too, I want performance and I want high mileage, you say you think the Aptera is more efficient then the eVaro but they get about the same miles per gallon, I highly doubt the Aptera will keep up to the eVaro in performance and I know it sure as heck wont corner any were as good as the eVaro, the Apteras 0 to 60 time is way to slow for my liking and the Aptera has no on board generator, and the top seed is ... well what can I say my money is on the eVaro
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RAN 6:36PM (11/10/2009)
"Money" is the key with the eVARO. They have never estimated a price for it, but even when it was the Alé, they hinted that it wouldn't be cheap. Sure, it will out perform an Aptera, but at what price?
imwatchingyou 12:33AM (11/11/2009)
I believe it will be some were around $43,000.00 including the 20 kilowatt generator and the full 2000 ft lbs of torque at 0 rpm :)
RAN 6:30PM (11/11/2009)
That's alot less than I was expecting... nice! :-)
Nateb123 1:41PM (11/10/2009)
Saw this car at the PNE. The guys presenting it were absolute morons. Bushy-tailed optimism will do that to people though.
You guys do realize the mileage this car claims to do is a result of starting with a fully charged battery right? This is the Volt's 230 mpg due to a bizarre EPA standard only worse. They're just doctoring the MPG numbers with useless methodologies that have no real world application. Plus this is with tandem seating and serious attention to aero. Way to suck eVaro
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imwatchingyou 12:42AM (11/11/2009)
your absolutely wrong buddy, the claimed mpg is real on road driving while supervised by the University of Fraser Valley using the same calculations the Automotive X prize is using to determine MPGe
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imwatchingyou 12:51AM (11/12/2009)
your absolutely wrong buddy, the claimed mpg is real on road driving while supervised by the University of Fraser Valley using the same calculations the Automotive X prize is using to determine MPGe
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Nateb123 8:01PM (11/19/2009)
"Over the years, FVT has increased the car's estimated MPG rating from 92 mpg using a pure gasoline engine to 275 mpg (at certain speeds) by shifting the focus from performance to efficiency."
The words "at certain speeds" are transparent. It means one thing: they couldn't get an answer out of the eVaro team and eVaro has the sense to know that no one wants to drive in an unsafe fiberglass tub at 10 mph for hours until they've reached a significantly long distance to come up with a number like 275mpg. I know this for two other reasons as well:
1) TRU is a community college which the BC government just magically upped in status to "university". To say it's low brow would be an understatement as it literally has no researchers employed there. Plus I live in BC and know it's an institution we all laugh at. It's just a teaching institution. If they were serious they would be testing and working in cooperation with an institution that actually does relevant work or has the tools. A dyno or other moving road would be a start.
2) I've talked to them myself! I've spent time talking to the folks at eVaro and they're not that bright. They have very little plans, very little ideas, hell they don't even know that much about the car. I asked how they got the mpg figure and got the runaround. I doubt they even understand why their mpg figure is crap. Plus they have made almost zero considerations for what they've even going to do with this car. Is it crash worthy? Is there any luggage space? It's a kit car that boasts a big mpg number. It lacks real world significance. This is work a couple engineers at an auto company could do in a weekend. It's not a model for the future because they expect that winning the X Prize in the end of the road. All it is in funding money and publicity. These guys don't have a clue about where to go. Even if they did win, they'd have no idea how to use it.
imwatchingyou 11:49PM (11/19/2009)
You are unbelievable, were do you come up with such lies and why do you post them here,
FVT has not nor will they ever sacrifice performance for mileage, the new eVaro will most likely be one of if not the fastest ev on the market, how could it not be with 2000 lbs torque and twin custom made motors wound for 135 mph
The terminology (cretin speeds) was a medias' wording and has never been part of the FVT vocabulary, you need to do some real home work.
your explanation of mph = mpg are so far from reality you may as well give up cause your not even on the same planet.
Who is TRU, the testing FVT is talking about was done by the University of Fraser Valley, you might want to take a deeper look at this facility cause again it sounds like you just making up crap.
You also seem to be lying about talking to the Folks at FVT as I have talked to them and there are fast becoming the go to people referred to by NRC for electric car design, and engineering,
Its clear that Nateb123 knows absolutely nothing about what he is talking about, in fact he makes up this crap to sound intelligent but he's not, if you want the real answers contact FVT your self and ask to take to the designers of the eVaro, he's always easy to talk to and will fill you in on what's real and what's not
imwatchingyou 11:38AM (11/11/2009)
Nateb123
1:41PM (11/10/2009)
You guys do realize the mileage this car claims to do is a result of starting with a fully charged battery right? This is the Volt's 230 mpg due to a bizarre EPA standard only worse. They're just doctoring the MPG numbers with useless methodologies that have no real world application. Plus this is with tandem seating and serious attention to aero. Way to suck eVaro
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Come on ,,, I mean seriously were do you come up with this crap?? it's clear you don't have a clue what your talking about and on that note tell us about the car YOU built that gets over a hundred miles per gallon LOL
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