Google.org Invests $2.75M In Aptera Motors

Google's philanthropic arm, Google.org, has just invested the first funds from its RechargeIT program: $5.5 million for plug-in electric vehicles. Half of the money goes to Aptera, whose 230-mpg, 3-wheeled electric we have discussed before. The other half bolsters the efforts of ActaCell, a Texas company working on li-ion battery technology developed at UT Austin.

Comments

I said it once and I'll say it again

[OverlordQ]

If they want to sell more of those Apteras to people besides the 'OMGTHEENVIROMENT' groups, they will seriously have to give that vehicle a better look.

Re:I said it once and I'll say it again

[joggle]

I just got a Prius a couple of months ago. I've been doing city and mountain driving, including driving up Pikes Peak, and still average 47-50 mpg. Out in the flatlands on the highway I would get even better mileage.

It is larger than my old Saab 900 and still gets significantly better mileage (the Saab got 25-28 mpg in similar driving conditions). I typically got 270 miles per tank on the Saab (10 gallons) and now get 500 miles per tank on the Prius. How the heck is that insignificant??

Google.org is both profit and non-profit.

[Futurepower(R)]

Slashdot editors often post confused stories.

"Google's philanthropic arm, Google.org..."

Google.org is both profit and non-profit.

Link

[Futurepower(R)]

Link: Google.org About Us. Quote: "But we can also invest in for-profit endeavors..."

Re:Remind me:

[Amouth]

if you read their site and the preformance info..

they do hit 120mpg at high way speed under all gas power

the 230mpg mark came from a diesel prototype - which because of how CA does emmsion rattings they can't get past the diesel restrictions as they can't get a small high effecient diesel engine - and CA does emissions by the gallon consumed and not mile driven

- it looks nice - i would love to test drive one and maybe even own one.. but it seems like it takes these people way to long to get out the door with anything - even when they have massive funding. :/

Re:Remind me:

[origamy]

The answer is in their Vehicle Details page, under PowerTrain & Energy:

Diesel or Gasoline? Our first prototype, the Mk-0, was a parallel hybrid Diesel and achieved an average of 230 MPG at a steady state of 55 MPH. This was pure Diesel/mechanical drive with no electric assist. Diesel is attractive for its Carnot efficiency and the increased enthalpy of Diesel fuel vs gasoline. However, diesel contains lots of unburned hydrocarbons and NOX compounds, and it's impossible to get a small Diesel engine certified for emissions in California. Therefore, the typ-h uses a small, water-cooled EFI Gasoline engine with closed loop oxygen feedback and catalytic converter. This engine is coupled to a lightweight 12KW starter/generator. It's very clean and quiet.

There's more information in Performance too. Hope it helps,

Re:Remind me:

[adisakp]

is that 230mpg in gasoline-only operation, or 230mpg when you're cheating by pre-charging it electrically?

Their website clearly states that the MPG curve starts at around a ridiculous 1000 Miles per gallon for short electric-only trips and is asymptotic to 130 MPG (where it will stay all day long driving on gas only). The 230MPG figure was chosen at a range of 120 Miles of driving which is about 3X the average daily commute.

The *WORST* MPG you'll get is 130MPG. To get the 230MPG you are required to precharge. With prechargeing you have the potential to get much better than that if you have a short commute and the gas engine never turns on, you could get the energy equivalent of 1,000 MPG.