Appropriate Tech, 300mpg Car Top 2008 Innovators

longacre writes "While some giggles were floating around about the irony of a Microsoft product (Photosynth) finding itself on the same top 10 products list as a toilet, the true stars of last night's annual Popular Mechanics Breakthrough Awards were innovations of far more consequence. MIT professor Amy B. Smith won the marquis Leadership Award for her work on building simple, low-cost technology to help developing countries. Joining Smith from the appropriate technology field were a group of CalTech students who created all-terrain wheelchairs for the disabled, and a Procter & Gamble exec who developed a water purifying powder for the third world. Aptera Vehicles founders Steve Ambro and Chris Anthony made the cut for their 300mpg Typ-1e, which is expected to hit showrooms by the end of this year. Other winners ranged from the Mars Phoenix Lander team, to the developers of a low-cost cancer test, to the creators of Spore."

Comments

Re:Impressive car, but I'd like an extra wheel ple

[Anonymous Coward]

Drag coefficiant schmag coefficient.

When my small ugly boxy vehicle that can hold 8 passengers(er, 5 legally) gets in a small accident I get a dent. I'd like to see what happens to the drag coefficient(and the dent in the wallet of the owner) if that thing gets a ding. Must be easy to take out a front wheel.

In other words, nerds, think about this: If you were at a party with a hot bitch and a lot of her friends who wanted to fsck then it makes more sense to be able to drive them home. If you have that gay vehicle then she'll say, "I'll just go with my friends, thank you" while you drive home alone in an overpriced ugly two-seater while the guy with the Corolla or Explorer gets laid.

Re:Impressive car, but I'd like an extra wheel ple

[timmarhy]

what your talking is rubbish, because people don't dodge accidents (hence why they have them). by your reasoning because motobikes are so quick and agile they wouldn't never get in an accident.

you MUST have the same safety on these electric cars as any normal car, they will be in accidents ranging from small fender benders to multi car pile ups.

anyway it's a pretty moot point. this 300mpg thing is just a fucking toy, it only takes one person and has fuck all carry space.