Here comes $4 a gallon

cosmodog · Since 06 Oct 2005 204 Posts Stoked

$100K just a bit out my range, but pocket change for the owner - one of the Google founders.

forrest · Wed Jul 30, 08 7:55 am

Yea, I've spent a bunch of time in the UK now (I have 3 trips planned in the next 8 months, anyone need anything taken over?) and the trains and buses do suck ass. The trains are never reliable... The tube is somewhat decent. The gas is outrageous.

The tax situation over there is retarded. Seems like nothing has changed since 1773. My guess is that England will become the 51st state in the next 50 years.

kyle.vh · Since 11 Jul 2007 713 Posts city of angels Addicted

https://aptera.com/
this is about 30,000 and available in 2009. its a hybrid.
but since it gets 300+mpg, you'll start working off that price tag pretty quick.

cosmodog · Since 06 Oct 2005 204 Posts Stoked

Did a bit of math:

Compare the Aptera to a car that costs $20K and gets 25 mpg.
At 15000 miles per year at $4/gallon it would take around 5 years to make up the difference (not counting electricity or interest).
But I doubt gas will stay at $4 so its a decent investment.

genek · Since 21 Jul 2006 2165 Posts East Po KGB

How's the Aptera gonna handle snow, downwinders on the Ft. Stevens beach, and general highway driving? Not to mention fitting your gear and buddies in the car. Might be good for city cruising, but probably not as useful on weekends (at least for me). On the other hand, if you're only driving around the city you probably won't rake up 15,000 miles/year.

mschulz · Since 29 May 2007 530 Posts Reno, NV Addicted

After speaking to one of the engineers on the Aptera here is what I found out.

The Aptera is out to 2009 and will only be available to those individuals living in southern California. It will hall two people and all of your kite gear including 2 surf boards just fine. Don’t plan on venturing off the pavement though for those beach pick ups. Snow, they are saying it is not a snow car and is not made for that. Have one rear wheel as the drive train; I think we can sum it up as “Sucking Ass” in the snow. Cool concept for those who just want to head to Stevenson, HR or somewhere you can park and kite. It will easily hit 70 miles per hour and you definitely want the one with the gas generator to extend your range.

The numbers on a car with 25 – 30 MPG always pencil if you pay less than $15K for the car and the Hybrid is over $30K. Anything less MPG or cost more, you are just lying to your self.

Ok, this is probably enough for you guys to shred me on this.

pkh · Since 27 Feb 2005 6549 Posts Couve / Hood Honored Founder

I would think most of us could probably find justification for an AWD/4WD vehicle be it for snow, ice, beach trips, etc..

But what's retarded is all the sparkling clean Hummers buzzing around SoCal, whose owners would never imagine soiling their perfectly Armor-All'd tires on 26" rims. Big is cool, or at least it was.

Nicole and I have two cars, I'd imagine we could go to one high mileage car and one AWD car. I would hope at some point we could get a high mileage diesel AWD car, that would be cool. Or a hybrid of some sorts. I think its becoming cool to get what you need without forking over tons of cash to pay for gas. Nobody wants to say "hey look at how much I am getting ass raped by gas prices."

The more gas prices go up the more cars like the Aptera will make more sense. Oil having a monopoly on energy is rearing its downsides, and the end of oil is visible, so its getting expensive. I guess everything works itself out.

I am just stoked that some American companies are taking strides to be ahead in the electric car market... Chevy Volt, Aptera, Tesla... it'd be great if America could once again be leading the automobile industry.

Moto · Since 03 Sep 2006 2698 Posts Still a gojo pimp! Moto Mouth

Kodiak · Since 01 Aug 2005 1114 Posts Slidey

These should be on sale in august and get 50 ish MPG highway. AWD and plenty of room for your gear.

http://www.popularmechanics.com/blogs/automotive_news/4235586.html

pjc · Since 06 Mar 2005 649 Posts Addicted

What about just buying an ordinary high mileage two wheel drive diesel (maybe a used Jetta hatch) and then slapping some Q Tires on it for winter snow?

http://www.qtires.com/index.php

We'll see how those QTires really work soon, but if you can really extrude/retract the studs from the interior like they say it would seem to reduce much of the need for AWD.

brass · Since 15 Jul 2006 152 Posts Stoked

Can you imagine where we would be if all of the money we have dumped into the Iraq War went into re-tooling our economy and infrastructure to accomodate 'alternative energy' sources?

kyle.vh · Since 11 Jul 2007 713 Posts city of angels Addicted

kss · Since 24 Apr 2006 614 Posts pdx Addicted

the TDI sportswagon looks pretty schweet! gonna have to go check one out.

tautologies · Since 24 Aug 2006 602 Posts Oahu Addicted

http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/content/jan2008/bw20080115_145106.htm

I know it is old...but still...'

a

KingE · Since 27 Apr 2006 58 Posts Lake Wenatchee

The dollar has lost 40% of its value in the last 5 years. Any commodity that is traded world wide (fungible), has gotten more expensive for us because of that (and of course other reasons).

Jeb

Slipin Lizard · Since 23 Sep 2005 88 Posts Hood River, Oregon

Just so you all know, you don't need 4wd or AWD to manage snow covered roads. I drove a smaller, front wheel drive car in heavy Prairie snow for over a decade, I just used studded tires on all four tires. Worked great. Always remember, 4WD and AWD are only useful to you when your applying pressure to the gas pedal. If your foots on the brake, then you're breaking with all four wheels, regardless of wether you're driving a 2wd or 4wd. If you've got the room in your garage, you can put your studded tires on separate rims, and switch them when you need to. Its not that hard.

tautologies · Since 24 Aug 2006 602 Posts Oahu Addicted