Comments on: Subaru & Toyota join the electric-car race

By: steve

steve — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 05:24:00 +0000

i own 3 pizza shops, my drivers do about 50-80kms a night, i would consider these as company cars if the price is right!
as for me, i can’t wait for the Tesla to hit AU

the only suggestion i have for all EV cars is they incorporate the sound of capacitors charging or something like that before taking off, that’d be sik ( think a flash in a camera charging for the dumb asses)

By: The Salesman

The Salesman — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 03:31:14 +0000

On the second take, the Subaru looks a bit like a Micra???

By: greenroom

greenroom — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 03:05:25 +0000

^ ihatemylifedotcomdotau

You don’t happen to think I was being maybe just a tad sarcastic about this being the new WRX? In any event, it doesn’t look any worse.

By: Jason

Jason — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 02:24:59 +0000

I don’t see why the Volt wouldn’t be the answer.
It suits the short trips on electric only power, & would suit The Salesman if he was caught short & needed to get to the Nambour Hospital.
As long as it had reasonable fuel capacity for the engine that recharges the batteries, why couldn’t you do an Interstate trip in a Volt?
The tech involved could easily be installed in a conventional car such as a VE or FG, or even a Getz or Yaris. That gets round the issue of not everyone liking the styling of the Volt.
With the rumoured optional solar panels forthe Volt, a trickle charge free from the Sun when parked would extend the electric only driving rage further still.

I reckon a Volt-like drive system, recharged by a small motor running on Hydrogen, would be the ultimate.

By: ihatemycardotcomdotau

ihatemycardotcomdotau — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 01:29:27 +0000

“I think the Subaru pictured is actually the new WRX sedan.

It’s hot!”

time to get your eyesight checked my friend.

By: Capri_XR2

Capri_XR2 — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 13:56:11 +0000

When the EV1 (Version 1) came out it could do about 100-120 km per charge and now they are trying to tell us that 15 to 18 years latter that the best they can do is 80 km per charge, this is a load of crap.
As Fenno said look at the Tesla 250KM range.
When I first start racing electric Radio control cars (1992) 1200 to 1400 mah sub C NICAD batteries where all we had now we have 5000 mah LIPO batties which are lighter and have a better charge to power rating plus you get 5 times the run time, so why are 1/10th scale going full speed ahead and 1/1 scale cars are going backwards.
Plus the older brushed motor compared to the newer brushless motors is chalk and cheese run cooler, higher RPM, less power usage
So if the batteries are better and the motors are better why isnt the KM/ charge better??????????????????????????

By: SamR

SamR — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 13:34:51 +0000

kerry bradshaw said “Automakers are building battery-onlies for one and only one reason – they are easy to design and develop”

How hard is to simply add a small motor to charge the battery? You could almost just add a Briggs & Stratton powered generator in the boot.

The Volt is no big deal and in fact not even in production or even fully designed yet.

By: kerry bradshaw

kerry bradshaw — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 12:43:02 +0000

Battery-only cars don’t really make any sense – either economically nor are they in any fashion significantly better at avoiding gasoline or emissions than a 40 mile range electric car with a range extender, like the Volt. What they do mean is that you must but, insure, maintain and garage at least two cars. THAT’s why they make no economic sense. Also, the extreme battery discharges that are required meanthe batteries won’t last half as long as those in the Volt, and will cost over $20,000, making the battery-only vehicle even more absurd economically. The Mitsubishi will cost as much as the Chevy Volt and have none of the Volt’s practicality. Automakers are building battery-onlies for one and only one reason – they are easy to design and develop. Unfortunatey, they represent no advance over the obsolete technology that died before World War One. When the deceived public learns of just how primitive and exensive this technology is, the automakers will understand why nobody built pure EVs for the past century.

By: confusion

confusion — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 09:20:18 +0000

It is the new Subaru Impreza WRX pictured above. Nice job Subie, this is a much improved version of the current WRX .

By: realcars

realcars — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 08:42:45 +0000

U are too sensitive Dan the Man especially for someone that purports to play with minds on a daily basis.LOL.

I suspect u and Salesman can give as good as u take.LOL