800HP Pickuptruck to get estimated 100 mpg?

[jjk1224]

Things are kicking off here in the Motor City with the 2013 Detroit Auto Show, but what is this? A hybrid pickup truck that claims it can achieve 100mpg with its V8, electric generator and dual electric motors, both capable of generating up to 400 horse? Seems like our little Festivas might have some serious "cool factor" competition in the economy car class.

http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1081698_via-motors-shows-its-800-horsepower-100-mpge-x-truck-pickup

[Flw Sock]

Sweet looking truck too.

[Movin]

Plug in vehicles are pretty cool for people who live in cities.

[bravekozak]

If it ever gets to market, it will probably cost $35K.
Put it up against a Festiva, same amount of gas, fully charged battery and see who wins the distance drive. The battery will only last 35 miles. Gas? watch how fast it'll swallow ten gallons.

[jjk1224]

Sweet looking truck too.

Too bad its a Chevy...

If it ever gets to market, it will probably cost $35K.
Put it up against a Festiva, same amount of gas, fully charged battery and see who wins the distance drive. The battery will only last 35 miles. Gas? watch how fast it'll swallow ten gallons.

I would expect it to cost more than 35K, the Volt is like MSRP $43k or something.


Movin, I live in the city and I still wouldn't own a plug in vehicle. Haha

[Flw Sock]

Plug in vehicles are stupid, it costs just the same amount of money on your electric bill as gas would.

Not only that but it probably only has a range of like 10miles

[Lannis]

A couple years ago, the Miracle of the Century buzz was all about "compressed air cars".

Pump up the tank for $1.50 at any air compressor, and drive 100 miles on the charge.

That goes on the scrap heap of history along with the Miracle Segway (the most highly promoted and overrated bust of the century), the Miracle of Cold Fusion, 100 mpg V8 trucks, and the something-for-nothing free lunch ...

Lannis

[jjk1224]

Still waiting for the 48v system to bust through the doors too...

[blkfordsedan]

Ehhhh.....just another modded Chevy truck. Bob Lutz....I believe he was the CEO of GM that Obama fired, wasn't he?

[bhazard]

Re: 800HP Pickuptruck to get estimated 100 mpg?

Plug in vehicles are stupid, it costs just the same amount of money on your electric bill as gas would.

Not only that but it probably only has a range of like 10miles

You know that for a fact or are you just saying that as a hater?

Personally I fully enjoyed the 50 MPG I averaged from my diesel VW on a 330 mile round trip the other say. In the comfort and safety of a newer car at that. Though I almost got run off the road by a moron in a newer insight. A plug in would be awesome if I lived in a big city but 99% of my driving is on 55 MPH 2 lane highways where the diesel excels.

[Movin]

Those diesels can be "tuned" for more HP and better mileage as well but all is lost in the VW cars sold here..sooo the only option is to figure out how to put the drive train in a Festiva, arguably the strongest shell that is light and easy - cheap to find. I have two rust free shells nearby at a place called Pelican. I need to rid myself of several other projects before I start something like this, The mods necessary will be considerable.

Seemed like Bob was at Chrysler , but to google him would probably
have a long list of what he has done.

[Advancedynamix]

A TDI in a much lighter car wont get drastically better mileage. I've done a couple MK1 tdi swaps, and when done they got slightly better mileage than an OBD2 ABA (2.0 8v 4cyl) but the fuel cost of diesel and expense of the swap made them just a novelty. To get huge mileage increases with a lightweight car and a diesel swap you need to dramatically change the final drive gearing. Unfortunately, most lightweight cars have tiny little wheel wells, so increasing the tire diameter over the donor cars diameter is usually a difficult project and often makes the car much heavier. Double edge sword. What we need is to pay a lobbyist to lobby a bill that pressures auto manufacturers into bringing small efficient diesel cars into this country. The new VW polo diesel (high efficiency) is an awesome car, but we can't get it here in the land of opportunity

[Bathtub Tom]

What's the life expectancy of the batteries and what's it cost to replace them?

I recall something about the Prius having the minerals required for its batteries mined in the northern hemisphere, shipped to Japan, only to have the whole damned thing shipped North again for the 'eco-friendly' to ponce around in (and somewhere in between, I think, they went to Scandinavia before heading back to Asia) . Until the batteries die and require replacing!

[Larry Hampton]

My God that's ugly. Mad Max?

[bhazard]

Re: 800HP Pickuptruck to get estimated 100 mpg?

A TDI in a much lighter car wont get drastically better mileage. I've done a couple MK1 tdi swaps, and when done they got slightly better mileage than an OBD2 ABA (2.0 8v 4cyl) but the fuel cost of diesel and expense of the swap made them just a novelty. To get huge mileage increases with a lightweight car and a diesel swap you need to dramatically change the final drive gearing. Unfortunately, most lightweight cars have tiny little wheel wells, so increasing the tire diameter over the donor cars diameter is usually a difficult project and often makes the car much heavier. Double edge sword. What we need is to pay a lobbyist to lobby a bill that pressures auto manufacturers into bringing small efficient diesel cars into this country. The new VW polo diesel (high efficiency) is an awesome car, but we can't get it here in the land of opportunity

The newer common rail tdi is a whole new animal and I doubt a swap into a festy would even be possible with the whole fuel and emissions systems. Much less the size and weight with a 6 speed. It runs right around 1500 rpm at 55 and 1800 at 65. My golf weighed 3340 lbs with me and maybe 11 gallons of fuel. A thousand pounds lighter would make it a riot to drive even with 140hp/236tq stock.