[Graeme]

A 330 MPG Car for Everyone

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'A')ccelerated Composites, LLC, has designed a two-seat passenger car that will achieve up to 330 MPG and sell for under $20,000. The lightweight composite, hybrid car will post this fuel efficiency in normal city and highway driving and demonstrate acceleration and handling similar to that of a Honda Insight. Dubbed the Aptera(C), the vehicle achieves these remarkable numbers through the use of cutting-edge materials, manufacturing methods, and a maverick design mantra.

[emersonbiggins]

The headline is a bit obfuscating; this hybrid car does not achieve 330 MPG without the aid of a battery discharge system, which was curiously left unmentioned in the article.

Beyond this rather obvious omission, the article sounds like a slick sales pitch, loaded with fluff and not much else. If the 3D images mean anything, it's that they haven't even built a working prototype yet. *yawn*

Also, what's up with those circular doors? Decreasing drag is one thing, but ignoring common sense about function is something else.

[Colorado-Valley]

Amory Lovins will be so proud ...

[Graeme]

Here's another site describing same car, perhaps with more info but with readers comments:

greencarcongress

[DigitalCubano]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('emersonbiggins', 'A')lso, what's up with those circular doors? Decreasing drag is one thing, but ignoring common sense about function is something else.

[emersonbiggins]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('DigitalCubano', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('emersonbiggins', 'A')lso, what's up with those circular doors? Decreasing drag is one thing, but ignoring common sense about function is something else.

[Aedo]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('emersonbiggins', 'T')he headline is a bit obfuscating; this hybrid car does not achieve 330 MPG without the aid of a battery discharge system, which was curiously left unmentioned in the article.

[coyote]

Hey, those guys are right down the road from me! Sign me up, I'll order the first one...

[emersonbiggins]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Aedo', '
')Thanks to Toyota and Honda "hybrid" is now well understood by the general population - the headline is therefore not misleading as hybrid is mentioned in the first paragraph.

Would like to see it work but knowing how Amory's Hypercar Revolution got on I'm not holding my breath for mass prduction just yet.

[coyote]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('emersonbiggins', 'T')he issue is not whether the general populace understand what 'hybrid' means, but rather that the car physically can't achieve 330 MPG without an external power source, namely the battery. If it was fully charged off of regenerative braking, that would be one thing. If it requires any external power lead, then obviously the meaning of '330 MPG' goes out the window.

[emersonbiggins]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('coyote', '
')I agree that 330 mpg without a secondary electrical power source is quite a claim. I guess we'll see...

[seldom_seen]

does that mean we can build suburbs even farther out now?

[Aedo]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('emersonbiggins', 'A')t least Amory's car exists.

[backstop]

First, I don't see the point of having one of these for everyone, at $20,000 each, when they've got two seats in them.
Surely we only need 3,000,000,000 of them, not 6,000,000,000 ?

Second, as mentioned in an earlier post, the claimed mpg is nowhere near as good as some vehicles built in recent years.
Therefore, to improve that fuel efficiency, I'd like to see a tertiary traction system incorporated,
namely a simple harness attachment for flying pigs (plus, of course, uprated windscreen wipers . . . . )..

Would anyone with any faith in the desireability or relevance of improving vehicles' fuel efficiency PLEASE reconsider the threads on Jevon's Paradox ?

http://www.peakoil.com/fortopic50-0.html

regards,

Backstop

[The_Toecutter]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'W')ould anyone with any faith in the desireability or relevance of improving vehicles' fuel efficiency PLEASE reconsider the threads on Jevon's Paradox ?

[DigitalCubano]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('The_Toecutter', '
')In relation to cars, there is only so much driving a typical person is capable of doing...
For some things, Yevon's paradox has its limits, and even in this wasteful society, we have approached the limits of per capita auto usage.

[backstop]

DC -

with equal respect - on reflection I realize my unwontedly flippant and brief input above
was easily misread as a dismissal of the relevance of energy efficiency per se.

In reality, there is no escaping the fact of IIIW development and (media-driven) aspiration to car-dependence -
meaning that estimates of US vehicle-market saturation have no bearing on the Jevon dynamic
of efficiency gains continuing to accelerate global vehicle numbers' growth, and the accompanying suppression of public transport.

Given that Peak Oil is not simply the end of cheap oil, it presages the end of affordable oil, the fact that billions still aspire to owning vehicles
indicates that efficiency gains may actually advance the date of the oil's unnaffordability for the majority of would-be drivers,
both within America and elsewhere.

That said, I'm wholeheartedly in favour of gains in energy-conversion efficiency where non-fossil fuels are utilized,
as they urgently need the advantage of the Jevon dynamic.

I'm equally supportive of such efficiency gains in the use of fossil fuels, but, only under the influence of negotiated national caps on fossil fuel consumption.
Capping actual consumption by negotiation means Jevon no longer encourages increased fuel usage -
and allows the efficiency gains to improve, rather than overall degrade, the position of the user.

Leaving that cap to be applied by geology x efficiency gains x 'free' market manipulation is asking for a very sorry outcome indeed,
and hoping it may be otherwise seems to me like hoping, against all past experience, that a horse may yet be persuaded to climb a tree.

In sum, I suggest that efficiency gains, conservation via conduct, and sustainable energies' development,
are all centrally dependent for any serious relevance on the achievement of global agreement
on capping and declining national fossil fuel usage entitlements.

Those who would dismiss the possibility of such negotiation out of hand would do well to consider just where we would now be in this regard,
had just a small fraction of those US voters too apathetic to vote instead turned out and elected Gore, not Cheyney.

In terms of the empire's electorate seeing its responsibility and its own best interest, it may be instructive to observe that British voters
knowingly elected the Govt that gave India back its independence,
thus acknowledging and formally initiating the end of the British Empire.

And if the Brits can do it, so (after a little while to think about it ?) can the Americans !

regards,

Backstop

[Mesuge]

Well, the Jevon's paradox is not sacrosanct in the same way as Einstein could be extended or even possibly refuted in certain aspects..

However, just apply common sense open your eyes and look around you..
People started with two lane highways, than added 1,2,3,5,6.. lanes..
You get the picture. Jevon's and peak highway at work if you will..

There is an insane amount of material and financial resources channeled to feed and keep this highway system beast happy both in the US nad EU or elswhere for that matter.

This must stop! Be it rail, waterways or heavy tax on individual motoring..

[The_Virginian]

that is 300mpg for two passengers.

if we count a 4-5 person sedan as a "Standard" then two of these will be neded to tow a family...let alone groceries.

that makes it a 150 MPG car...not impossible considering vehicles in EU use like the Lupo etc.

It will ease things for a while...if it ever get to production...(WHICH I DOUBT!)

[Dan998]

Remember, Volkswagon built a car that gets 282 mpg.
Its a light weight car that weighs alittle less then 700 pounds.
It runs on Diesel.
Here's pics of the car. It looks like something from the Jetsons.

http://www.canadiandriver.com/articles/gw/vw1litre.htm