LEAF is all over internet!

[Stunt Driver]

I see numerious ads all over internet, and even signed up for newsletter. They are collecting feedback, and just had a tour in December, which I have missed....
If in a year from now Aptera is still where it's been - what the heck! Leaf can also take kids, not just me and my wife.

http://www.nissanusa.com/leaf-electric-car/opt-in/en/index.jsp?dcn=1&dcp=omd.NaN.&dcc=NaN.NaN

[SlowSRT4]

I just wonder if the LEAF will live up to the hype, because there are a lot of question marks about its technology and battery scheme. Take this article for example:

http://green.autoblog.com/2010/01/25/is-the-nissan-leaf-battery-pack-under-engineered/

Right now, it seems that the Volt might be the most practical and robust. However, for a strict EV the Focus EV could well leverage its global platform and solid underpinnings.

[speculawyer]

Yeah, I'm skeptical on normal car sized EVs for now. The batteries are just still pretty expensive, they have short range, they take a long time to charge, and there is not much charging infrastructure.

And by charging infrastructure, I don't necessarily mean charging stations set up all over . . . I mean just having a good 220V charging system in a person's garage. I know it isn't that big of a deal . . . but as BMW found out with the Mini-E, it can be an annoying hassle.

So for now, I think vehicles like the Aptera and the Volt that can be charged overnight on a 110V outlet stand a much better chance.

I'd still like that Think Open though. :)

[aptera1213]

Yeah, the Th!nk is a better pure commuter car...and the open is cute as a button...a cute button...

I've really grown fonder and fonder of the Th!nk...if Aptera falters I will happily jump on a Th!nk...and a Th!nk Open could be it's replacement.

Gavin

[SEGsby]

I could probably transport a "monty" sized cello in the cargo area of a Th!nk OX?

[SlowSRT4]

Yeah, the Th!nk is a better pure commuter car...and the open is cute as a button...a cute button...

I've really grown fonder and fonder of the Th!nk...if Aptera falters I will happily jump on a Th!nk...and a Th!nk Open could be it's replacement.

Gavin
The Th!nk doesn't look that good to me. Fiat 500 looks better imo, and at half the price.

http://cleaninvest.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/thnk-city-michigan-usa_imagelarge1.jpg

http://themotorreport.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/fiat-500-lounge-tmr-2.JPG

[aptera1213]

The fiat is a sexy car, but I don't think a fiat 500 ev is half the price of the think... If so I will be first in line to buy it!!!

the fiat 500 ev is likely years away...but I hope I'm wrong

the think city will start selling in the states this year. And that will make it the first affordable mass-produced ev on the market (telsa roadster is not "affordable" and myers nmg and soon to be duo are not mass-produced).

I had hoped aptera would be the first affordable mass-produced ev in the US, but it doesn't look like the 2e will make it this year.

Gavin

[aptera1213]

http://electricaid.ning.com/photo/thnk-open?context=top


Think open image


I was sold on the think not by it's looks, but partly by a cool video of it in action (will find and post it) but also by the fact that it has real world miles on it.

Gavin

http://electricaid.ning.com/video/hd-testreview-of-the-think

[SlowSRT4]

The fiat is a sexy car, but I don't think a fiat 500 ev is half the price of the think... If so I will be first in line to buy it!!!

the fiat 500 ev is likely years away...but I hope I'm wrong

the think city will start selling in the states this year. And that will make it the first affordable mass-produced ev on the market (telsa roadster is not "affordable" and myers nmg and soon to be duo are not mass-produced).

I had hoped aptera would be the first affordable mass-produced ev in the US, but it doesn't look like the 2e will make it this year.

Gavin
The Th!nk still looks like Fisher-Price to me, even the Open version. :sign0007:

I meant the gas version of the Fiat 500 would be half the price. The EV will probably be about the same. The Fiat 500 EV is real and it is at the Detroit auto show right now, I went and saw it. They are looking to sell it next year if there is demand.

Not sure what was so impressive about that "review" video. Seemed like a few guys just tooling around.

If you want to see impressive, watch the Volt videos. Here are just a couple, there are a ton on the chevrolet youtube channel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRm6xH91fok

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMGZca0PpG4

[aptera1213]

yeah, the th!nk ain't pretty...but i've grown fond of it as a functional machine that will do city driving just about perfectly.

as for the city video...i liked that the city was running in cold, in snow and up mountains...how great is that for an EV?

The fiat is 10 times the sexy that the city is. That said, I don't know that the 500 will come to the US anytime soon. I don't think they are nearly ready to have an EV for production sale in the states. If I'm wrong and the city and 500 are both here early next year...WOW...that will be great for EVs...and buyers....i love the 500 as a regular gas car, but i've decided to wait for an EV only...that beautiful car being an EV will be sweet...but i wonder about price and time and function...i just haven't heard much about the 500 that i believe just yet...it is easy to say we will have the 500 in EV next year, but without battery deals and production sites and all that, it is just whispers and smoke...

So I think the City will be here at least a year or more before the 500...and I wonder if the 500 EV will make it even then...Fiat isn't a huge presence here in the states.

Gavin

[SlowSRT4]

as for the city video...i liked that the city was running in cold, in snow and up mountains...how great is that for an EV?
Nothing out of the ordinary.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhGCLnAPG88

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Rt-qW1uQPM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zE1eqpXTyw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aA0ZoOCybbc

Fiat isn't a huge presence here in the states.
They are now. Chrysler has a huge presence here, Fiat is now Chrysler. Fiat 500's will be sold at all Chrysler dealerships for example. Chrysler will be adopting all Fiat technology. Chrysler already has a partnership with A123 battery.

[aptera1213]

I hope your right about the 500...it is a piece of art on wheels.

That said the info coming out is conflicting right now...perhaps in a couple of month Chrysler will get finalized info out:

Nick Cappa, Manager advanced technology communications was the one to shine a light on the mysterious EV: “You’ll have to see this car as an exercise for Chrysler. It will not go into production, that hasn’t even been considered.”

Since Chrysler unveiled several concepts for an electric vehicle, they implemented the system into the small Fiat to show that the group is able to build an emission free city car.

Within the alliance, is has been decided that Fiat is responsible for engines up to 1.8 litre. Chrysler will be concentrating on engines
with a larger cylinder capacity than that, and will also focus on electric drive trains.

“This means that the electric 500 has been built by Chrysler, says Cappa. “On the other hand, Chrysler models, such as the Jeep Compass
, will get the 2.4-liter motor that has Fiat’s new Multiair technology.”

Anyway it is clear that the little 500 is just a try-out of which no details are published. Cappa though, could tell us that the car accelerates from 0-60 mph in 5.6 seconds and that the lithium-ion batteries are placed in a sandwich construction underneath the floor.

“This EV has a weight of 2750 lbs which is much too much for such a small car. Fiat might rather consider electric models for its light commercial vehicles,” Cappa said.

Gavin

[Stunt Driver]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Rt-qW1uQPM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zE1eqpXTyw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aA0ZoOCybbc



Those good videos make me want to reserve volt.....

[evmavin]

Those good videos make me want to reserve volt.....


This is why you don't go from prototype to production in a couple months. This is the difference between a large auto maker and a small budget startup and why there is value in testing like this.