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Another electric car gaining national attention

Posted by: Meg Thilmony

Friday, June 20, 2008 4:47 PM

NPR is airing this story about one family's unusual electric car. This one is even less mainstream than a Smart car, which can garner plenty of attention, too.

I love the descriptions of the funny-looking bug of a car: "a Soviet-era car of the future" and "the safest motorcycle you could ever drive."

I guess it just goes to show - innovation is the key to transportation as we move through the new territory of sky-high energy prices. I bet we'll start seeing even more innovative (and peculiar) cars soon.

Comments

I like this one better:

http://www.aptera.com/

Posted by javajunkee on June 20, 2008 at 5:09 PM

Whoa, that one would really get you some attention around town. It will be fun to see what else develops as people start innovating.

Posted by mthilmony on June 23, 2008 at 8:10 AM

A retired professor of Chemistry drives a Zap Xebra in Urbana -- John Shapley - shapley@uiuc.edu

It should park on campus for a mere $32 a year in any motorcycle parking permitted spot (as per campus regulations).

The other FLV (funny looking vehicle, akin to FLK- funny looking kid) in town is a 1998 Twike Active, driven by a U of I staff member Matt Childress - childrss@uiuc.edu. It DOES park in motorcycle parking for $32.

The major problem with the Aptera is that it is 8' wide so it just wouldn't fit in motorcycle parking, and the way the campus regulations are written, it wouldn't be allowed to park in a car spot... Plus it's rumored to not be compatible with snow.

Posted by dw on June 30, 2008 at 5:35 PM

I think it's cool that we live in a community with so many innovative thinkers. Smart cars are definitely catching on, but it will be cool to see how other non-traditional vehicles start filtering in around here.

Thanks for all the info!

Meg

Posted by mthilmony on July 2, 2008 at 5:12 PM