Prototype electric car!

[m_holdahl]

http://www.commutercars.com/images/gallery/parking/index/indexfiles/IMG_0168.JPG.html

the home site is www.commutercars.com

All Electric. the sporty ones projected cost is 108g...

0-60 in 4 sec
60-80 mile range.
12 sec 1/4


also prototype hydrogen bike
100 mile range on $4 of hydrogen
up to 50 mph

http://www.fuelcelltoday.com/FuelCellToday/FCTFiles/FCTImageFiles/Image_416_Intelligent-Energy-ENV60045.jpg

[oxbrain]

Wow, that is one expensive car.

Cool design, but I'd rather they chuck in a 20hp motercycle engine in there and slash $80k from the price.


edit: On closer look, I really like that car. Everything except the whole electric thing. A-arm suspension, coilovers, race compound yokohamas, tandem race seats. It's like my dream car, only not because it's 3000 lbs and electric.

[25Horseplay]

Here's another one, built about 15 mis from where I live.

http://www.myersmotors.com/

[Guest]

I'd be waiting to roll over...

http://www.commutercars.com/images/theater/marinaAutocross/marina_mov.html

[oxbrain]

They have a really low CG because of all the batteries. I still can't comprehend how, even without all the batteries, this thing ends up 300 lbs heavier than a festiva.

I'm going through their site and I really do like the car. There are just some things that I really don't understand about it. They aren't using many custom components. The batteries are just car batteries. I don't see how the price is so high unless they are trying to recoup all of their development time in the first year.

oh, and did I mention, 3000 lbs!! :shock:

[getnhi1]

Anything that isn't mass produced is going to be expensive.

[m_holdahl]

found this doing research in spare time when i was finishing up high school. just curious, why don't you like the fact that it's electric?

[oxbrain]

I don't like electric because I think it's too soon for the technology. The batteries are too heavy, and the range is too short. A small diesel engine could deliver the same results at a fraction of the weight.

[mechanicaldj]

hey someone put a cap on a glorified GOLF cart!!!!!

i would roll golf carts for fun when i was 16

[todd00]

that first one reminded me of a thinner bmw isetta from the front.

[jeffdjeffd]

I don't like electric because I think it's too soon for the technology. The batteries are too heavy, and the range is too short. A small diesel engine could deliver the same results at a fraction of the weight.

Same results?? Infinite MPG? Zero fuel consumption? Never seen a diesel like that

Electrics are improving by leaps daily. Battery technology is good enough now to make a high speed, long range, low weight car - they're just too danged expensive.

Don't judge electrics by their history. There are a BUNCH of 6, 8, and 10 second electric drag cars. Saw one run an 8 sec. quarter mile on ONLY capacitors! There are also EVs that can run 300 miles on a charge or more. Unfortunately, at this point, it's still very expensive to build an EV, and *mostly* you have to decide on speed OR range.

I'm seriously thinking about building an electric Festiva. I drive about 10 miles per day commuting, and rarely get over 40 MPH in the daily grind. I could build something to those specs pretty easily at only 156V or a little more. Unfortunately, it will still cost about $5K. It will take a long time to pay for itself figuring about 35MPG, even with gas at $3 or $4.

jeff

[oxbrain]

You still have to dactor in the cost of electricity and the times you can't drive it because of the limited range.

High end electric components are getting to be very good, but they just aren't ready for mainstream use yet. As you say, they are still way too expensive.

[todd00]

an interesting link i found

http://www.speedace.info/electric_cars.htm