Thursday, September 16, 2010
Aptera Electric Car
To start out with, y'all should take a minute to look at the Aptera electric car, if you don't already know what it is. Moving on, the Aptera is a really good idea for an electric alternative to the normal cars, trucks, SUVs, and other various modes of transportation. It plugs into a normal outlet, allowing easily accessible charging stations. It also has the power to accelerate from 0-60 MPH in ten seconds which is relatively good for an electric car let alone a normal car! Yes, the design is still pretty spacey looking, and yes, you'd probably get a lot of stares while driving to HEB, but hey, at least you know you're saving not only the environment, but also some money on gasoline! The only problem with these electric cars is that it's going to take a while to phase gasoline/diesel vehicles out of everyday life, and phase the new electric cars in. Then there's the problem of using more electricity, and then we'd have to compensate for that by generating more energy, and then the renewable energy sources would come in, and now I'm just rambling. Sorry!
Anyways, thoughts on this car or even electric cars in general?
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This car looks really cool, where could i get one? Seems like the perfect car, but one thing you said is very true, it will take a while for people to intergrate this vehicle into their daily lives. the same is true all other alternative power sources. people would much rather stick with something they know and are familiar with than to go with some new techology they have never used before.
ReplyDeleteI think the first steps into replacing all the cars on the road with this vehicle is to get society to back it up and like it. the same is true for any other idea we might have to help with this energy problem.
When I saw this car for the first time on the video, I thought it looked completely ridiculous and that there was no way they could market the thing. However, I looked into it a little more, and it doesn't really seem like that bad of a car. It's said to get up to the equivalent of 300mpg, which is astounding. It also has a lot of power for an "alternative" car. An acceleration from 0-60 in ten seconds is pretty good for a battery-powered car. I drive a Honda Civic, and it probably takes me 6-7 seconds to get up to 60.
ReplyDeleteAlso, that solar-powered cooling system is an amazing idea. I always dread getting into a car that has been sitting in a parking lot for more than an hour in Texas. With this car, you wouldn't have to wait outside your car with the AC running waiting for it to cool off before driving somewhere. The car sells for about $26,000, which really isn't a bad price for an electric. It will be interesting to see how the public takes to this idea.
The Aptera Type 1 is very interesting. There are many qualities it has that are extremely appealing, such as its ability to accelerate from 0-60 in 10 seconds, it’s aerodynamic design, it’s safety features, and of course it’s lack of exhaust.
ReplyDeleteThe overall idea of an electrical car is also appealing. First, we would no longer have to rely on foreign oil. Secondly, using electricity to run our vehicles would dramatically reduce the amount of exhaust put into the atmosphere. In addition, electrical cars are not moving explosives like gasoline-powered vehicles can be.
Looking realistically at the situation though, it’s hard to see a future of electric cars dominating the freeways. If the majority of the public were to purchase electric cars, that would dramatically increase the amount of electricity used in homes. Therefore, MUCH more coal would be needed to supply this electricity, which might require even more power plants to be built. The energy infrastructure would really have to step up to the demands of the market. In order for the pubic to really buy into the whole electric car movement, the manufacturers would need to expand the product line, in order to successfully meet the standards of what people want and expect in they’re cars.
There may be a future in electric cars, but it doesn’t come without plenty of kinks that must first be worked out. Plus, people will see no need for electric cars while they still have the option of the stylish, timeless, speedy, and trustworthy vehicles they have come accustomed to.
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ReplyDeleteI think that for an electric car to be taken seriously it at least needs to make an attempt at being marketable and therefore not look ridiculous. With the current state of technology, the only people who can afford these types of vehicles are pretty well off. For now this is not necessarily a bad thing, society is often influenced by those whom it has treated well. Many celebrities drive green cars to improve their public image and if this trend continues then the market for such vehicles will expand as the demand grows. The more people that want electric cars, the more that funding will be available to research methods of reducing costs. But as a rich celebrity it will be hard to drive around something that looks so ludicrous when they could just as easily purchase a Ferrari. The current niche for electric cars must be the high end of the market and that area demands that a car not only perform well but look good too. I understand the desire to improve efficiency, but at some point a line has to be drawn. No one will want to invest in a car that the public does not view in a positive fashion. As for ultimately being powered by coal, this is a valid argument for now, but at least the electric car provides a future path for using green energy towards transportation. A car that seems to have a better understanding of it's customer base is the Tesla Roadster, targeting the midrange of sports cars. Check it out at http://www.teslamotors.com/
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