Over at a forum (where I’m trying to pull some traffic to this site), the tagline in my sig is “Cars will be very different in the future”. And I think it is beginning to show already. Ok, this beginning to show is not actually true. There are many concept vehicles (weird looking, some are even more weird sounding) by car makers, designers etc who envision something different from the standard 4 wheels, internal combustion engine and drive train. Sure, in the 60s and 70s, there are those who predicted we will be in flying cars by now, but it didn’t happen yet. Cars today still don’t fly, there are still dirty, and under the hood, is still an IC engine.
But times are different now. Acceptance level plus the fact that gas cost so much and greenies making a their presence felt, not to mention global warming is a reality is making people look at alternatives. Enter the Super-MPG Electric Typ-1 e. Sorry for the mouthful, but that’s what it is called.
I’ve always believed that someday, somehow the way cars look in the years to come will be very different. Being an engineer, today’s car just don’t make sense anymore. For example, why make a car carry 5 people when most of the time, it is only a single driver and sometimes 2 person. Why use 4 wheels when 3 is good enough (for most purposes anyway).
Look at the Tesla Roadster built by some geek in Silicon Valley. Car companies says there nobody’s going to buy it or it can be built. Well last I heard, the Tesla Roadster just passed crash worthiness testing. So the question here is not whether it CAN be built, but who is going to take the first step and build it cheap enough.
Back to the Aptera. As good as the Tesla Roadster is, it will cost $100k. So this puts it out of most people except those with deep pockets. But not so the Aptera. The designer must have got inspired by a Cessna that got its wings ripped out. But one thing a Cessna has going for it is, one it is light, two it is cheap (among planes), three it has good aerodynamic.
With these same criteria, (my words, not the designers), the Aptera Super-MPG Electric Typ-1 e! capable of 300 mpg is birth. On the way. Yes, that is no typo error. What the catch? Is it going to cost a $100k? Nope. According the the website, it will cost about $30,000 for the plug in model. A bit less for the gas hybrid.
Speed is greater 85 than mph. The interior is nothing like a normal car. If you head over to the companies website, the Aptera is classified as a vehicle not a car! I knew it was a strip down Cessna the moment I saw it. Now, I’m proven right. (sorry for ranting. I got high from the fumes in the garage). By the way Aptera is Greek for “wingless flight”. Check out other 3 wheel vehicles here and here
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