Laugh at High Gas Prices With a 282-MPG VW | Hacker News Reader

Laugh at High Gas Prices With a 282-MPG VW

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29 pointsedw51919 comments

I'm actually relieved no one has commented on the weight being unsafe, like in the wired comment thread.

I'd just like to point out that some titanium alloys have the same strength at only one-eighth the weight of the strongest steel alloys. However the titanium alloy only carries one-eighth the kinetic energy and would greatly increase road safety if used extensively in cars.

I mean if a pickup weighs 4,000 lbs, and it can carry 2,000 lbs of materials before it doesn't have enough torque, reducing the trucks weight by 50% and not even changing the engine would mean it could carry 4,000 lbs of materials before it doesn't have enough torque.

That's a highly simplified explination, but the general principal is there. Any weight not wasted on the chassis, means the vehicle can tow/carry more at the same fuel consumption rate. What's even better is, like the 1L, if you make your car lighter you increase fuel efficiency greatly.

I mean I wonder how many Ford F-150's are out there that spend half their time wasting fuel as they're pulling around 2,000lbs of chassis they could do without, and could do with another 2,000lbs of extra carrying capacity when they are working.

It doesn't matter how strong it is, if it weighs sod-all then you're going to come off pretty poorly in a collision with something much larger.

It's great if you want to spend 40k on it. And if you're spending 40k on a 1 seater car, why are you complaining about gas prices?

It seats 2, but the passenger sits directly behind the driver bobsled style, which is kind of cool perhaps.

And if you're spending 40k on a 1 seater car, why are you complaining about gas prices?

Because everyone else is doing it? It's pretty much a social obligation nowadays to complain about high gas prices at every opportunity.

This is the direction the automobile industry needs to take. Instead of trying to make the same old cars run on different energy sources like ethanol, electricity, etc., design new cars that will run on existing sources of energy more efficiently.

You'll laugh until people see what you're car looks like.

Dunno, I think it looks pretty cool. Bikes are much cheaper and get still better milage, though.

Only because they are lighter and slower. I'm sick of people complaining about how much energy an aircraft consumes. No traveler is willing to submit to a 4-hour airplane ride to travel a few hundred kilometers, yet this is an excellent way to give the airplane both better mileage and higher speed than a car.

We could easily design a powered vehicle that has weight on the same order as a bike, while getting better mileage. I can just hear the customers queuing up to buy it: "A motorcycle with a top speed of 40 kph?"

Perhaps this mindset is about to change. But I wouldn't bet on it.

At which point they would laugh at you. =)

I dunno, I thought the thing looked pretty awesome. I'd feel like Maverick showing up to work in that!

It's got a cool look to it. Like a little rocket.

At only 660 pounds though sitting a 350lb American in it is going to seriously degrade that mileage figure. There is a point coming in the near future (with these ultralight cars) where being a bit on the tubby side is going to directly impact your commuting costs!

They must know how to eat right in them parts where you live if 350 lbs is "a little on the tubby side".

I'm laughing at high gas prices from my bicycle.

Hm, with an 8.x horepower engine, how well can the thing handle?

With the carbon fiber chassis it'll weight pretty much like a motorcycle, meaning around 250 kg with the driver. A standard car is easy 5 times as much, so it has the equivalent of a 40 hp engine on a normal car. Not much, but enough. And if they upgrade the engine before going into production it could go to the equivalent of 60hp - or about as much as my Fiat Punto.

Doubles as a coffin.

Until then make use of your bicycle and work more often from home.

235 MPG.

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