More on the Aptera [h/t Instapundit]:
Aptera Motors has rolled out the first pre-production model of the 2e, an all-electric three-wheeled two-seater that gets the equivalent of 200 mpg and goes 100 miles on a charge.
Wow, an entire 100 miles. That gives you an operational radius of 50 miles. I live in Texas. Even on a one-way trip, you couldn’t move between any two of most of the cities in the state. Most people outside of the dense urban enclaves on the coasts need more range than that.
It’s still a stupid unidimensional design. That still doesn’t stop me from wishing I could afford to waste some money on one.
That’s the problem with these designs, whta good is it to go 100 miles on a charge! That’s a disgrace and should be laughed at. Let’s focus on creating useful alternatives, not gimmicks that use up funding that could go elsewhere.
My H3 will stomp that thing into the ground when it snows up here. And it snows up here A LOT.
Dan: one of the little undiscussed problems with electric cars is that cold weather kills batteries. The odds are that when the weather in Wisconsin gets really wintry, your H3 won’t be able to find any electric cars to stomp on.
Good point Robert Schwartz.
I found this video
Get a load of that rear wheel drive mechanism later in the video. I lol’d at that thing. One tiny drive tire and you thing you are going to get around in any northern type climate in the winter? Not a chance – you wouldn’t even be able to get out of your driveway. I guess they are only going after the southern climes, or super rich people who would have one of these exclusively in the summer in the northern climes, and put it away in a shed from November through April.
One version of the Aptera is supposed to have a gasoline generator to extend its range. (It apparently is quite efficient and will still be a gas saver.)
Of course, Honda and other hybrid manufacturers are trying/have done the same thing in an almost normal-sized car…