SDSU Students Create Sporty Hybrid Vehicle

Nevyan writes "SDSU Engineering students working in conjunction with real life designers create an electric hybrid vehicle that actually...well.. looks cool for all the right reasons. Participant in the Tour de Sol. I happened to see this vehicle on campus at SDSU and I want to buy one so badly." Njaneer.com has more information and photos - here's one to give you an idea of the size.

Re:impact on the enviornment?

[Rimbo]

Hybrid cars get their electricity from the motor, usually a diesel. It's the same idea as running SETI@Home on your computer, or how a turbo works -- pumping spare energy into storage, to give you a boost one way or another.

As for electrics, the electricity at least doesn't HAVE to come from a fossil-fuel-burning plant. It can come from hydroelectric power, from wind power, from solar power, or from nuclear power. It at least gives us a choice of what power source we can use, by converting that power source into something universal.

Ultimately, the real problem with fossil fuels is that we're locked into using them -- this is bad because we will eventually run out, and it is bad because we are forced to send our money to folks in the Middle East, some of whom then send that money to terrorist organizations, some of whom then kill Americans.

Electricity, at least, can be created through many sources.

But then, that's electrics, not hybrids.

Very cool

[fo0bar]

As the owner of a hybrid car, a 2002 Toyota Prius, I can say that this helps tremendously. The Prius and the hybrid Civic are what I call "anti-concept" cars, they're brand-spanking-new designs with a feel that closely resembles the cars that we're used to seeing on the road.

However, while very cool, I think of my car as more "practical" and "safe" than "sexy". I've been waiting for a sports car (convertible in particular) with hybrid features. This new car looks like it has all the good things going for it.

The car of the future will not be an all-electric new-age car, it will be a hybrid. My thoughts, YMMV.

Re:YES!! Finally!!

[Anonymous Coward]

And *only* at the measily cost of somewhere between $40-120K US.

Give me a break...

Re:Buy this technology today - it's VW!

[Morel]

Now while cars with this engine aren't sold in the
US, one can purchase a Golf or Jetta with a slightly larger 1.9 liter TDI
which makes 50 MPG, and generates between 90-115 HP. (with a torque peak
of 155 lb. ft. @ 1900 rpm) 0-60 is a pathetic 10s, but 0-40 is a phenomenal
~4 seconds, which I find easily leaves a Subaru WRX or a BMW M3 in the dust.

If said vehicles are driven by Miss Daisy.

BMW M3 [bmw.com]. 343 bhp. 365 Nm. 0-100 km/h: 5.2 seconds.

Subaru WRX [imprezawrx.com]. 250 bhp. 333 Nm. 0-100 km/h: 5.9 seconds. (Original spec)

Buddy, I don't think so.

Re:When can I buy one....

[rusty0101]

Getting slightly off topic here, but I would point out that the vehicle is using at least four point seat belts. I have no doubt that the desingers are very concerned about the safety of this vehicle. It is also a test vehicle rather than a prototype.

At the other end of this is the fact that percieved safety on the part of the driver has an inverse ration to the results of colisions. i.e. if the driver percieves the vehicle as safe, the results of accidents the driver is in are worse.

One way to think about it is how much more attention would you pay to the environment you are driving in, if you were told that the air-bag electronics were wired to a couple of sticks of dynamite under your seat. As long as you prevented yourself from being in an accident, you would survive.

-Rusty