The car originally announced in 2008 was actually the Project 001, a car that will be powered by a regular 4-cylinder combustion engine, hence the exhausts. This is about the P1-E, the electric version, although the Reg doesn't stray far enough from regurgitating the press release to include this important difference.
It shouldn't have been too much of struggle to work out that the visuals were from the original.
Exhaust pipes might be some sort of heat gas system still useful for electric battery sytems. However, more likely is that this is a rehash of a car http://www.themotorreport.com.au/3815/ex-mclaren-designer-to-build-mid-engined-exige-challenger/ (same photo, note) he was building last year which was petrol powered and 35k
All other issues aside, that's got to be the slickest _looking_ goddamn' thing I've seen so far. Still, am I the only one here who sees a vague resemblance to the cars in 'THX 1138' (ie. the only decent picture Lucas ever made)?
So where's the interior shots? Is the instrument panel more of a plain, elegant form following function, or is it 'Tokyo By Night' (as some German engineers nicknamed the Nissan 300ZX instruments when it came out).
Re: tail exhaust pipes, I think that might just be due to tradition more than anything. It probably didn't "look right" without them. Or, perhaps they could actually be oil-slick dispensers for the James Bond Limited Edition.
Surely the following statement indicates it will have lecky and petrol ?
"We decided it was time to create an affordable electric sports car that combined the advantages of conventionally-engined machines with those of electric ones
...the exhausts might be left on purely for show? This won't be the first time a vehicle has a component that looks like it should be there and yet serves no purpose...
...make a bit of noise! 130MPH without a roaring engine to alert people sounds extremely dangerous to pedestrians and cyclists alike. No doubt the Clarkesons of the word will relish the bloodbath but pity the rest of us in London who'll have to dodge with the city boys who end up driving these things. Maybe we should bring back the 4mph / fella with a flag rule?
It's disappointing to read such a load of old guff. The original concept - which was being bandied about 12 months ago I think - was about 200Kg lighter and the projected price was lower by about £20,000 as well.
Styling was done by - Alejandro Loya Iturralde. Even for a very so-so stylist this is not something to be proud of; a one-trick pony with the clumsy, Bugatti homage, massing of the bodywork around the rear wheels (a common theme in his uninspired work) and a lumpy, contrived effort all round. Seeing as Dowle has decided to - conveniently - embrace the electric idea he could also take the opportunity to ditch the now completely irrelevant styling and come up with something better. And a lot more original.
Dowle worked under the legendary Gordon Murray. Sadly it would appear he didn't appear to actually learn anything.
No worries. Airco pump with built in 'leccy motor works just fine. As used in the Prius and other such where the IC engine doesn't run all the time and also in installations where fitting a pump into the engine bay and driving it off the engine is impractical (many mid-engined vehicles).
Likewise, power steering combined motor/pump units were quite common in mid / rear engine configurations. These have been generally superseded by "pure" electrically assisted racks in recent years though.
Clearly all you need to get something published on this site is a guy with some drafting skills to produce a pretty image of a sexy car, put together some half-credible technical data on some piece of automotive vapourware and you get a write-up where you can almost see the saliva dripping off the text.
Only if the claims are so unbeleivable as to be a gross embarrasment to the laws of physics is there any attempt at any real analysis.
How has the wight been kept so low if Lotus partnered Tesla cant do it with 389 bhp and 230 mile range. This seems to perform miricles in comparison... on paper at least.
"OK, it isn't cheap, but £/mph-wise its good value"
£55,000 for 130mph good value? Eh? There are plenty of cars on the market that will do 130mph for one hell of a lot less than fifty-five grand. It's a step in the right direction for sure, but it isn't good value. Better value than a Tesla, yes, but then there is very little on the road today that isn't better value than a Tesla.
And as for the whole emissions issue. The green electricity brigade have bandied about a figure of 860g of CO2 per unit of sparks, apply that to a full charge at claimed ranged for the Tesla and you get about 250g of CO2 per mile. Not particularly low emissions is it? Will this one be better.
...doubt it will be as cheap as 55k if it ever gets made; which is still a lot more money than a Mazda MX5, which I'd take as the benchmark of an "affordable sportster" .
I've seen that car somewhere . . . oh, yeah, Tron.
On the lighter side, if you spent the dosh on a reasonable (gasp!) gas-drinker rig, the remainder from £55k would pay for somewhere between 60k and 100k miles worth of petrol.
I'm reminded of people who spend £10k upgrading the windows in their homes to "save money" on heating and cooling. Las time I worked the maths, the "savings" takes about ten years to realize.
"Here, buy this car! Over the life of the car, you'll almost save enough on petrol to have afforded it!"
Funny you should mention Gordon Murray. The T25 is sounding an awful lot more important in the real world than this thing. Looks like an old (i.e. REAL) Mini, apparently handles that well, too.
Pioneer AVH-P3100DVD In-Dash DVD Player (MP3/WMA, 5.8" LCD, Bluetooth/Satellite)
Pioneer AVH-P4100DVD In-Dash DVD Player (MP3/WMA, 7" LCD, Bluetooth Ready)
Pioneer AVIC-F500BT In-Dash 5.8" Navigation System
Kenwood DNX-6140 DVD Navigation Receiver
Pioneer AVIC-Z110BT In-Dash GPS Navigatino System (MP3/WMA/AAC, 7" LCD, Bluetooth)
Veteran F1 designer readies 'affordable' sportster
Lionel Baden
if its electric #
Posted Monday 26th January 2009 16:39 GMT
Why did the dumbass Designer/artist put a exhaust on it ???
and why did nobody notice
Arnold Lieberman
If it is electrically powered #
Posted Monday 26th January 2009 16:39 GMT
Why does it have what appear to be two elongated exhaust pipes under the rear bumper?
amanfromMars
Lovely Jubbly #
Posted Monday 26th January 2009 17:29 GMT
Lovely Jubbly
By amanfromMars
Posted Monday 26th January 2009 16:31 GMT
Where's the dotted line?
Wow .... Short and Sweet and Standard IC Key. Real Sticky.
Andy
in case .... #
Posted Monday 26th January 2009 17:29 GMT
they dump the batteries and go hydrogen fuel cell... ?
Drew
Front end overbite :( #
Posted Monday 26th January 2009 17:29 GMT
...looks like the pumpkin my kids cut out for Halloween last year.
Ian Davies
Re. dumb-ass comments about exhausts #
Posted Monday 26th January 2009 17:30 GMT
The car originally announced in 2008 was actually the Project 001, a car that will be powered by a regular 4-cylinder combustion engine, hence the exhausts. This is about the P1-E, the electric version, although the Reg doesn't stray far enough from regurgitating the press release to include this important difference.
It shouldn't have been too much of struggle to work out that the visuals were from the original.
Buck Futter
Mousey? #
Posted Monday 26th January 2009 17:30 GMT
The side shot kinda reminds me of those gray mice Dell ships with their boring dull gray boxes...
Tony
Exhausts... #
Posted Monday 26th January 2009 17:30 GMT
Do electric motors get hot...?
Anonymous Coward
rehash #
Posted Monday 26th January 2009 21:18 GMT
Exhaust pipes might be some sort of heat gas system still useful for electric battery sytems. However, more likely is that this is a rehash of a car http://www.themotorreport.com.au/3815/ex-mclaren-designer-to-build-mid-engined-exige-challenger/ (same photo, note) he was building last year which was petrol powered and 35k
Mike Flugennock
Whee-hah. Suh-weet. #
Posted Monday 26th January 2009 21:18 GMT
All other issues aside, that's got to be the slickest _looking_ goddamn' thing I've seen so far. Still, am I the only one here who sees a vague resemblance to the cars in 'THX 1138' (ie. the only decent picture Lucas ever made)?
So where's the interior shots? Is the instrument panel more of a plain, elegant form following function, or is it 'Tokyo By Night' (as some German engineers nicknamed the Nissan 300ZX instruments when it came out).
Re: tail exhaust pipes, I think that might just be due to tradition more than anything. It probably didn't "look right" without them. Or, perhaps they could actually be oil-slick dispensers for the James Bond Limited Edition.
Geoff May
What do electric cars dream of? #
Posted Monday 26th January 2009 21:18 GMT
Inquiring minds and all ...
Mine's the one with the solar-powered battery charger
The BigYin
Eh? #
Posted Monday 26th January 2009 21:18 GMT
Affordable my Aunt Tilda! Get that price down to £10k and then we'll talk.
Other than that - ugly than an ugly thing from planet ugly that has been soundly beaten with a very heavy ugly stick.
Bad Beaver
Exhausts #
Posted Monday 26th January 2009 21:18 GMT
- look nice
- could also be handy when it comes to implementing some fake engine sound contraption
Paul Dewey
To all exhaust posters...... #
Posted Monday 26th January 2009 21:18 GMT
Surely the following statement indicates it will have lecky and petrol ?
"We decided it was time to create an affordable electric sports car that combined the advantages of conventionally-engined machines with those of electric ones
Anonymous Coward
Did anyone think that... #
Posted Monday 26th January 2009 21:18 GMT
...the exhausts might be left on purely for show? This won't be the first time a vehicle has a component that looks like it should be there and yet serves no purpose...
P. Lee
Its about time... #
Posted Tuesday 27th January 2009 06:40 GMT
... that someone produced a cheap electric car.
OK, it isn't cheap, but £/mph-wise its good value.
I really want one... but without air-conditioning it would be no use here in Oz. :(
I fear electric cars with aircon are a no-go.
Anonymous Coward
Fugly #
Posted Tuesday 27th January 2009 06:40 GMT
Most cars don't turn out looking like the concept vehicle that spawned them. I do hope that trend continues in this case.
Greg
@Geoff #
Posted Tuesday 27th January 2009 06:40 GMT
Running over electric sheep?
JonB
Paper. #
Posted Tuesday 27th January 2009 10:09 GMT
It's just a piece of frigging paper.
Here's my super mega car:-
_/o--o/-
It'll do 0-60 in 0.5 secs and over 2000mph travelling well over 3000miles if you just talk to it nicely.
At a mind bogglingly good price tag of only 23pence.
>Time... that someone produced a cheap electric car.
G-Whiz? Looks like a POS drives like a POS because it's got real electric bits in and it's cheap.
Roger Heathcote
I hope these things... #
Posted Tuesday 27th January 2009 10:09 GMT
...make a bit of noise! 130MPH without a roaring engine to alert people sounds extremely dangerous to pedestrians and cyclists alike. No doubt the Clarkesons of the word will relish the bloodbath but pity the rest of us in London who'll have to dodge with the city boys who end up driving these things. Maybe we should bring back the 4mph / fella with a flag rule?
Pete James
Another dreamer #
Posted Tuesday 27th January 2009 10:09 GMT
It's disappointing to read such a load of old guff. The original concept - which was being bandied about 12 months ago I think - was about 200Kg lighter and the projected price was lower by about £20,000 as well.
Styling was done by - Alejandro Loya Iturralde. Even for a very so-so stylist this is not something to be proud of; a one-trick pony with the clumsy, Bugatti homage, massing of the bodywork around the rear wheels (a common theme in his uninspired work) and a lumpy, contrived effort all round. Seeing as Dowle has decided to - conveniently - embrace the electric idea he could also take the opportunity to ditch the now completely irrelevant styling and come up with something better. And a lot more original.
Dowle worked under the legendary Gordon Murray. Sadly it would appear he didn't appear to actually learn anything.
TeeCee
@P. Lee #
Posted Tuesday 27th January 2009 10:09 GMT
No worries. Airco pump with built in 'leccy motor works just fine. As used in the Prius and other such where the IC engine doesn't run all the time and also in installations where fitting a pump into the engine bay and driving it off the engine is impractical (many mid-engined vehicles).
Likewise, power steering combined motor/pump units were quite common in mid / rear engine configurations. These have been generally superseded by "pure" electrically assisted racks in recent years though.
Steven Jones
Justg another one for the virtual toybox #
Posted Tuesday 27th January 2009 10:09 GMT
Clearly all you need to get something published on this site is a guy with some drafting skills to produce a pretty image of a sexy car, put together some half-credible technical data on some piece of automotive vapourware and you get a write-up where you can almost see the saliva dripping off the text.
Only if the claims are so unbeleivable as to be a gross embarrasment to the laws of physics is there any attempt at any real analysis.
Scott Mckenzie
£50 says... #
Posted Tuesday 27th January 2009 10:09 GMT
... it looks nothing like that when produced.
Robin
@Roger Heathcote re. noise #
Posted Tuesday 27th January 2009 13:42 GMT
Yes, otherwise the Top Gear of the future would be somewhat less shouty.
Clarkson: "Just listen to that r... errr ... I mean...."
p.s. Where do you go cycling where cars are driving at 130mph?
david
what I want to know is #
Posted Tuesday 27th January 2009 13:42 GMT
How has the wight been kept so low if Lotus partnered Tesla cant do it with 389 bhp and 230 mile range. This seems to perform miricles in comparison... on paper at least.
Anonymous Coward
@P. Lee #
Posted Tuesday 27th January 2009 13:42 GMT
"OK, it isn't cheap, but £/mph-wise its good value"
£55,000 for 130mph good value? Eh? There are plenty of cars on the market that will do 130mph for one hell of a lot less than fifty-five grand. It's a step in the right direction for sure, but it isn't good value. Better value than a Tesla, yes, but then there is very little on the road today that isn't better value than a Tesla.
And as for the whole emissions issue. The green electricity brigade have bandied about a figure of 860g of CO2 per unit of sparks, apply that to a full charge at claimed ranged for the Tesla and you get about 250g of CO2 per mile. Not particularly low emissions is it? Will this one be better.
David Foster
130mph #
Posted Tuesday 27th January 2009 13:42 GMT
Is that it?
Arclight
They aren't exhausts #
Posted Tuesday 27th January 2009 13:42 GMT
They're USB ports for recharging it.
The elephant in the room
Looks fantastic but... #
Posted Tuesday 27th January 2009 14:12 GMT
...doubt it will be as cheap as 55k if it ever gets made; which is still a lot more money than a Mazda MX5, which I'd take as the benchmark of an "affordable sportster" .
TeeCee
@Arclight. #
Posted Tuesday 27th January 2009 15:47 GMT
Magic! All I need now is a PC that has a power supply capable of chucking out a few thousand amps on the 5V rail and I'm in business.
Danny
hmm #
Posted Tuesday 27th January 2009 15:47 GMT
More vapourware to laugh at when it doesnt come out. Or comes out with a quadrupled price tag, lower specs and worthless drive.
ArfinGreebly
Tron Car? #
Posted Tuesday 27th January 2009 21:37 GMT
I've seen that car somewhere . . . oh, yeah, Tron.
On the lighter side, if you spent the dosh on a reasonable (gasp!) gas-drinker rig, the remainder from £55k would pay for somewhere between 60k and 100k miles worth of petrol.
I'm reminded of people who spend £10k upgrading the windows in their homes to "save money" on heating and cooling. Las time I worked the maths, the "savings" takes about ten years to realize.
"Here, buy this car! Over the life of the car, you'll almost save enough on petrol to have afforded it!"
Iain
@Pete James #
Posted Thursday 29th January 2009 15:43 GMT
Funny you should mention Gordon Murray. The T25 is sounding an awful lot more important in the real world than this thing. Looks like an old (i.e. REAL) Mini, apparently handles that well, too.