More cool vaporare: I have been intrigued by so much of the hype that the Internet allows. Some guy with some skills in Studio Max 3d designs something in his den and puts a whole website dedicated to this great project that everyone is talking about. A couple of those have been the FreedomShip and The Atlantis Project. Both of these projects started by stating that they were really going to happen, then they just kind of disappeared. Atlantis now says that it was a concept only and that it died off because of lack of interest. FreedomShip still pretends that it is real, although their web site hasn't been updated (including the "news" section) in over two years. Two more exciting projects that just disappeared.
Lately there has been similar buzz in alternative fuel or hybrid electric vehicles. You can't shake a distributor cap around without seeing of some new concept that is "really going to happen". Even GM has created its own buzz with the announcement of the Chevy Volt, which may or may not see production in the next three years. I would trade my Mercedes in a heart beat for one of these, but I am just sitting here waiting to see if it makes production.
The latest to cause me to look hard was posted today on Gizmodo, the XR-3 Hybrid. This cool car (three wheeler) is supposed to get 225 MPG!!! They are posting lots of Studio Max 3d looking models, but no photographs of any actual vehicles. The article at Gizmodo claims that the car is going to become available in two months (read June 1, 2007). If they are just two months away, how come there are no pictures? Venture Vehicles, to their credit, at least has some actual photgraphs of their current working models (which are ugly in comparison). But, they have the tech down and they will be producing vehicles that "Fly the Road" getting 100MPG.
In other great EV news, Toyota says that the 2008 Prius will use the 3rd generation hybrid system and will be using lithium ion batteries. They claim that they will cut the cost of the system in half. Shoot, if they are going to produce a car that has a lithium battery I will be happy at paying the same price. Shoot, I came really close to buying a Prius last week, glad I am going to wait now.
Lately there has been similar buzz in alternative fuel or hybrid electric vehicles. You can't shake a distributor cap around without seeing of some new concept that is "really going to happen". Even GM has created its own buzz with the announcement of the Chevy Volt, which may or may not see production in the next three years. I would trade my Mercedes in a heart beat for one of these, but I am just sitting here waiting to see if it makes production.
The latest to cause me to look hard was posted today on Gizmodo, the XR-3 Hybrid. This cool car (three wheeler) is supposed to get 225 MPG!!! They are posting lots of Studio Max 3d looking models, but no photographs of any actual vehicles. The article at Gizmodo claims that the car is going to become available in two months (read June 1, 2007). If they are just two months away, how come there are no pictures? Venture Vehicles, to their credit, at least has some actual photgraphs of their current working models (which are ugly in comparison). But, they have the tech down and they will be producing vehicles that "Fly the Road" getting 100MPG.
In other great EV news, Toyota says that the 2008 Prius will use the 3rd generation hybrid system and will be using lithium ion batteries. They claim that they will cut the cost of the system in half. Shoot, if they are going to produce a car that has a lithium battery I will be happy at paying the same price. Shoot, I came really close to buying a Prius last week, glad I am going to wait now.
Labels: EV, Gizmodo, hybrid cars, Internet Hoax, Prius, Venture Vehicles
