The Volpe

[Galaxy]

The Italian company Volpe will bring the car (also called Volpe) to market in 2013.










Believe it or not, but this thing runs 105km/h (65mph). It is powered by a 16hp electric engine. Range is given as being up to 380km (236 miles), you can get a CNG engine as a range extender. The thing weighs only 350kg (771 lbs). The price ranges from ? 6.950 to ? 9.950.

I could see this being an alternative for scooters for some people.

[Colonel Cadillac]

Holy shit, even a CNG engine? Impressive!


Now which of the European countries will allow fracking? The US has no real incentive to start exporting natural gas (and the infrastructure to do so doesn't exist).

[Galaxy]

Now which of the European countries will allow fracking? The US has no real incentive to start exporting natural gas (and the infrastructure to do so doesn't exist).

A few month ago this was completed:




Of course that comes with baggage....

[mzziaz]

fear not, Galaxy.

The norsemen's got you covered:

[FoMoJo]

Why does that name sound familiar?   Ah Yes, Paul Volpe.

As for the car, it seems like the ideal businessmen's urban commuter.

[Galaxy]

fear not, Galaxy.

The norsemen's got you covered:

Yes, but with you for every ?uro one spends on gas, one has to make a ?uro contribution to Greenpeace to pay for the environmental damages the gas causes to the planet. 

Something similar is planned for electricity. The excess wind power Germany generates is supposed to be stored in Norway's pump storage power plants, and then shipped back to Germany in times of need.

[mzziaz]

Something similar is planned for electricity. The excess wind power Germany generates is supposed to be stored in Norway's pump storage power plants, and then shipped back to Germany in times of need.

Yeah, Norway being the battery of Europe is supposedly the next big thing.

[TurboDan]

As for the car, it seems like the ideal businessmen's urban commuter.

Assuming said businessman doesn't get into a fender bender with any other production car in the world on his way to work, which would probably total his Volpe.   

[FoMoJo]

Assuming said businessman doesn't get into a fender bender with any other production car in the world on his way to work, which would probably total his Volpe.   

...or a transit bus.  With an interior that small, I expect they could surround the driver with one giant airbag.

[RomanChariot]

The second picture makes me envision a whole street of cars parked along the curb with Volpes wedged in between. The Volpe would act as a nice keystone. Nobody gets to move until the Volpe driver moves.

On the other hand, you could always get a couple of other guys and move the Volpe up on the sidewalk.

[Raza]

Assuming said businessman doesn't get into a fender bender with any other production car in the world on his way to work, which would probably total his Volpe.   

Dude, it's got your Lambo doors!

[SVT666]

This is a modern Peel P-50.

[Cookie Monster]

I like it

[Payman]

How the hell do you get your car out with one of these shitboxes wedged in front of you?

[Northlands]

How the hell do you get your car out with one of these shitboxes wedged in front of you?

I can think of a way, but the Volpe comes out of the deal being a lot more narrow.

[SVT666]

How the hell do you get your car out with one of these shitboxes wedged in front of you?

We already have that problem with motorcycles parking between parked cars.  It's nothing new.

[2o6]

This thing is going to lose when compared to the Renault Twizy, which is made from an established make, and costs about the same.

[Galaxy]

This thing is going to lose when compared to the Renault Twizy, which is made from an established make, and costs about the same.

The Twizy is not completely enclosed though. That could be a deal breaker.

[280Z Turbo]

It makes more sense than the Smart car.

[Cookie Monster]

Like someone else said, it doesn't seem like it'd be too hard to just push the car out of the way...

[280Z Turbo]

Like someone else said, it doesn't seem like it'd be too hard to just push the car out of the way...

Well, there's the whole causing damage to a car and leaving the scene of an accident thing.

[Payman]

I wonder what it pulls on a skidpad.

[MX793]

Wasn't there some electric car that came out like 10 years ago that was very similar to this thing?  I remember it being very tall and narrow and only seating 1 or 2 people (seated front and back if it was a 2-seater, too narrow for two abreast).

[2o6]

Wasn't there some electric car that came out like 10 years ago that was very similar to this thing?  I remember it being very tall and narrow and only seating 1 or 2 people (seated front and back if it was a 2-seater, too narrow for two abreast).

Yep, the Tango.




It's also 100,000 dollars, but manages 0-60 in 4 seconds and manages a top speed of 130MPH.

http://youtu.be/QwiS4t8TMlI

[Rupert]

Neato.

[Madman]

Wasn't there some electric car that came out like 10 years ago that was very similar to this thing?  I remember it being very tall and narrow and only seating 1 or 2 people (seated front and back if it was a 2-seater, too narrow for two abreast).

Yep, the Tango.

It's also 100,000 dollars, but manages 0-60 in 4 seconds and manages a top speed of 130MPH.

I was thinking of the Corbin Sparrow.




http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corbin_Sparrow

[Payman]

I was thinking of the Corbin Sparrow.




http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corbin_Sparrow

Ah yes, Goldmember's car.

[WookieOnRitalin]

Ah yes, Goldmember's car.

That looks like the ride of the Ambiguously Gay duo.

[SVT666]

It looks like a Duck Billed Platypus.

[MrH]

This thing is going to lose when compared to the Renault Twizy, which is made from an established make, and costs about the same.

No, no, and no.  The Twizy is one of the biggest disasters ever.  Damn near impossible to fit in.  Just horrible ergonomics.  Horribly made.