Next Generation Vehicle?

[SubGod22]

The VLC apparently gets 129 MPG or 350 in the electric form. If it can pass safety regulations it is said to be available for 20k. It's an odd looking vehicle though but does seat four. At least they say it seats four.

I will say I'd like to see more private investment in things like this to increase the fuel economy of our vehicles moving forward.

[Kung Wu]

Problem is that 350mpg rating is good for 140 miles ... and then you get to plug it in overnight (or longer). Until battery technology makes a huge leap, this is a wasted effort and you won't see private money pouring into it (other than for R&D on battery technology). There IS tremendous private research going into battery technology though -- so in a way it's already being researched heavily.

[SubGod22]

Problem is that 350mpg rating is good for 140 miles ... and then you get to plug it in overnight (or longer). Until battery technology makes a huge leap, this is a wasted effort and you won't see private money pouring into it (other than for R&D on battery technology). There IS tremendous private research going into battery technology though -- so in a way it's already being researched heavily.

See, I have no idea about any of this. I just like that there's work out there that could lead to something positive down the road. And I did think that the 350 was worded funny but didn't look into it.

I'm not a big fan of electric cars for that reason. But better fuel efficiency and the competition to one up the next guy could have some very positive results down the road.

[60Shock]

Natural gas cars, instead, just might be the way to go in the future. We have huge deposits, it is relatively cheap, and Federal, State, and County agencies are already using smaller vehicles powered by NG to get their work done.

[Kung Wu]

Natural gas cars, instead, just might be the way to go in the future. We have huge deposits, it is relatively cheap, and Federal, State, and County agencies are already using smaller vehicles powered by NG to get their work done.

Yes that is definitely worth exploring too.

[kcshocker11]

This the future

[pogo]

You say its only good for 140 miles before you have to plug it in? Not a road car but for in town it sounds great/

[Kung Wu]

Well to get the 140 mph you cannot stop/start very often, which drains the battery by about 30% -- meaning you'll get 98 milesish, depending if you use air conditioning or how cold it is outside. But in communities like Wichita and smaller, it might be usable. I did see where it charges in 6 hours because it uses a much, much smaller and lighter battery -- so that's also a big improvement over other cars.

It's actually on the edge of useful -- but would make one hell of a golf cart, wink wink nudge nudge!!

Ironically, it's not "greener" than combustion engines using today's power plants, when you take the full life cycle of energy production into account. If all cars had this electric cars specifications there is a net loss in energy, when you go from mining/refining --> all the way to driving down the highway. Nuclear power plants solve that problem nicely, but the people pushing for electric/alternate energy tend to be the same people against nuclear power. So there ya go.