Hot off the press on CNN webpage...

[Japhy]

Here's a link from the CNN webpage highlighting the Aptera! Woo-hoo!

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/tech/2008/06/05/washburn.230.mpg.car.kfmb

[Dubito]

Steve and Chris better be careful, it's starting to sound as if they're gloating re: high gas prices. What they're saying is true, but nobody likes to be on the wrong end of schadenfreude.

The video was shot in 4:3, but is playing back at 16:9, people look short and fat and the aptera shape looks weird(er.)~

[KarenRei]

Not working...

*grumble grumble grumble*

[Japhy]

I thought the exact same thing when the topic of how gas prices are through the roof right now came up. Steve snickered for a second and while people who know him better may not think anything of it, the average person who is really hurting right now is certainly not going to be laughing. He may come off as "elitest" or hedging that gas is not going to be cheap ever again. We all know that there is truth in this belief, it's another to wag it in front of H@ and Suburban owners. The the vehicle and future owners handle that one. Better to have launched straight into his comments after this little hiccup about change, the government, etc.

[Japhy]

Try this Karen...

http://www.cnn.com/video/?/video/tech/2008/06/05/washburn.230.mpg.car.kfmb

[garygid]

Both links worked OK for me - on WinXP and using MS Internet Explorer.

[KarenRei]

Japhy: That's the same thing, but with a ? in place of the #. Exact same thing comes up either way. The only control I can work is the volume slider. And this is in Firefox with Flash 9 installed. From "About:plugins":

Shockwave Flash

File name: libflashplayer.so
Shockwave Flash 9.0 r124

MIME Type Description Suffixes Enabled
application/x-shockwave-flash Shockwave Flash swf Yes
application/futuresplash FutureSplash Player spl Yes

I hate how each news site feels the need to have their own proprietary media playing system :P

[Matthijs]

What really looked good to me was the way the Aptera (not) kicks up the dust from the road. I think if a boxed car would drive that speed there your would not be able to read the licenceplate. :D

[KarenRei]

Could anyone get this to YouTube or something? :(

[Matthijs]

Could anyone get this to YouTube or something? :(
Link (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1vQGPYBBn4) :happy0025: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrAfYR49l8I)

[KarenRei]

Oooh, ooh, thank'y!

:love0030:

[KarenRei]

Erm... it was only one second long :(

[Matthijs]

lol that was really weird, I will up a new one. :rolleye0003:

[Matthijs]

Ok it goes now! :aptera:

[Japhy]

The topic of fuel efficiency is going to be an interesting one as more of these news agencies do stories on the hybrid version. What is the fuel economy? Well if you drive a total of 30 miles to and from work it's one number and if you attempt to drive 1/2 across the country it's another number. Non-technical people are going to have their hands full trying to wrap their heads around this while news folks are going to want hard numbers as talking points in their stories.

:aptera:

[butter]

Steve and Chris better be careful, it's starting to sound as if they're gloating re: high gas prices. What they're saying is true, but nobody likes to be on the wrong end of schadenfreude.

After your warning, I braced myself for some unkind commentary by Fambro and Anthony regarding high gas prices -- but saw nothing of the sort. Yes, Fambro chuckled, but that was before he said anything at all, and it was not following any direct question. He simply chuckled softly for one second, then immediately stated that he realized high gas prices are a hardship for many people, in a gentle if not average tone. Then he continued by explaining what everyone knows, suffering or not: that high gas prices naturally force us to come up with better ways to harness energy to society's benefit, if not for the environment's benefit as well.

There was nothing even remotely offensive about anything Fambro said -- and I say this after watching the clip with heightened sensitivity and paranoia about any foot-in-mouth remarks.

[Japhy]

I don't think it went as far as foot in mouth, and acknowledge that it was subtle....I guess I was only trying to highlight the fact that this being sensitive times, it may not help to be the fella glowing because he thinks he timed it right. Then again, for someone to be offended at all they would have to be so not a person that would/could be interested in such a vehicle. Probably some overextended H2 owner.

Your point well taken.

[KarenRei]

I agree with butter. It didn't come across as offensive to me. All in all, a great video clip, and yet more exposure for the Aptera :) I love the "kicking up of dust" -- that was probably deliberate. Makes it look like a "real car", doing "real car things".

Thanks, Matthijs for posting it to YouTube!

[Japhy]

This likely should be in another thread but has anyone done a rough estimate on cost per mile for the all electric version? ie factoring the cost per kWh to charge on off peaks hours.

[KarenRei]

Depends on what you want to include, how many miles you go per year, what your insurance rates are like, and a whole bunch of other factors. You can find some sample calculations here:

http://www.daughtersoftiresias.org/apterawiki/

[Dolphyn]

Obviously some are offended by the gas giggle: Even more appalling, these guys say they're excited about gas prices. (http://www.cbs8.com/features/consumer_alert/story.php?id=121888)

Say, where can I get one of those dolphin-shaped helicopter couches? :confused:

[WBBear]

The video was shot in 4:3, but is playing back at 16:9, people look short and fat~
As a "weeble"-like newbie, I resemble that remark!:sign0020:

[3-4-me]

"Yes, I have to admit I am, I know it's a hardship on people, and that's unfortunate, but that's the kind of thing that makes us wake up and demand more from our current auto manufacturers, demand more from our government and it spurs other people like ourselves to create products for the marketplace," Anthony said.
Didn't Steve make this statement?
You gotta love the accuracy of the media.
It looks more harsh on paper, I didn't see any problem with the video.

[diggler]

Wow that awesome!

[The Bat Cave]

Hopefully, with escalating gasoline prices and Aptera's ever increasing media coverage, They will realize that they are going to sell a lot, and I mean a lot of these vehicles. I hope that it will inspire them to go into production in a really big way. (Kind of like when American industry responded to world War 2). The announcement that I'm going to have to wait until 2010 to get my hybrid really bums me out. Think Big, and just go for it!

[diggler]

Sometimes the best things are worth the wait, and its quite possible that by 2010 nano-batteries will come online....with efficiencies far exceeding what currently is available.

http://www.altairnano.com/markets_amps.html

[JimmyDreams]

Sometimes the best things are worth the wait, and its quite possible that by 2010 nano-batteries will come online....with efficiencies far exceeding what currently is available.

http://www.altairnano.com/markets_amps.html

Which was my thought exactly....as newer and better batteries come onto the market, it can't be THAT hard to unplug the original Aptera batteries, install the nanos or whatever and suddenly have a 250 mile-per-charge car.....oh, and it recharges in under an hour.

How cool would THAT be?

JimmyD

[KarenRei]

AltairNano's "NanoSafe" batteries are available today. The problem with them is that they're very expensive - about $2/Wh. As for efficiency, all Li-ions are very efficient. If you meant energy density, AltairNano's aren't any more impressive than the LiPs that Aptera is using. They have better power density, but LiPs should already provide more than enough. They also have better cycle-lives, but again, LiPs should give more than enough. As for charge time, LiPs are, while again not as good as the titanates, quite capable of charging quickly; 15 minutes is not unreasonable. The issue is finding a place that can deliver the charge that fast and having a charger in the Aptera that can take it (or a port for power from an external charger). In terms of one hour charges, a charger that can do 50A/240V combined with an RV outlet, a range outlet, or a welding outlet should do the trick. A 30A dryer outlet should give ~1 1/2 hour charge times.

[diggler]

http://on10.net/images/blogs/vpx2.jpg

hmmmm, now if I just group a stack of Black & Decker Nano batteries.........

[futura]

These guys (http://enerdel.com/content/view/164/61/) just announced they've delivered a pack for the Think City car.
I believe that's a little ahead of schedule. I've been watching their stock for awhile, highly volatile but up big time today.
Chemistry is similar to Altairnano (without the nano part) I think. But, they understand production and are moving towards cheap EV batteries.
It's progress.