

Laugh at High Gas Prices With a 282-MPG VW - edw519
http://blog.wired.com/cars/2008/07/laugh-at-high-g.html

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electromagnetic
I'm actually relieved no one has commented on the weight being unsafe, like in
the wired comment thread.

I'd just like to point out that some titanium alloys have the same strength at
only one-eighth the weight of the strongest steel alloys. However the titanium
alloy only carries one-eighth the kinetic energy and would greatly increase
road safety if used extensively in cars.

I mean if a pickup weighs 4,000 lbs, and it can carry 2,000 lbs of materials
before it doesn't have enough torque, reducing the trucks weight by 50% and
not even changing the engine would mean it could carry 4,000 lbs of materials
before it doesn't have enough torque.

That's a highly simplified explination, but the general principal is there.
Any weight not wasted on the chassis, means the vehicle can tow/carry more at
the same fuel consumption rate. What's even better is, like the 1L, if you
make your car lighter you increase fuel efficiency greatly.

I mean I wonder how many Ford F-150's are out there that spend half their time
wasting fuel as they're pulling around 2,000lbs of chassis they could do
without, and could do with another 2,000lbs of extra carrying capacity when
they are working.

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hugh
It doesn't matter how strong it is, if it weighs sod-all then you're going to
come off pretty poorly in a collision with something much larger.

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iamdave
It's great if you want to spend 40k on it. And if you're spending 40k on a 1
seater car, why are you complaining about gas prices?

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jfornear
It seats 2, but the passenger sits directly behind the driver bobsled style,
which is kind of cool perhaps.

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jfornear
This is the direction the automobile industry needs to take. Instead of trying
to make the same old cars run on different energy sources like ethanol,
electricity, etc., design new cars that will run on existing sources of energy
more efficiently.

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pchristensen
You'll laugh until people see what you're car looks like.

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noonespecial
It's got a cool look to it. Like a little rocket.

At only 660 pounds though sitting a 350lb American in it is going to seriously
degrade that mileage figure. There is a point coming in the near future (with
these ultralight cars) where being a bit on the tubby side is going to
directly impact your commuting costs!

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wheels
They must know how to eat right in them parts where you live if 350 lbs is "a
little on the tubby side".

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jrockway
I'm laughing at high gas prices from my bicycle.

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orib
Hm, with an 8.x horepower engine, how well can the thing handle?

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radu_floricica
With the carbon fiber chassis it'll weight pretty much like a motorcycle,
meaning around 250 kg with the driver. A standard car is easy 5 times as much,
so it has the equivalent of a 40 hp engine on a normal car. Not much, but
enough. And if they upgrade the engine before going into production it could
go to the equivalent of 60hp - or about as much as my Fiat Punto.

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mynameishere
Doubles as a coffin.

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rokhayakebe
Until then make use of your bicycle and work more often from home.

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initself
235 MPG.

