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NYC's 19th-Century Horse Carriages Spawn Weird, Truck-Size Electric Car

Posted by samzenpus on from the origin-story dept.

cartechboy (2660665) writes "Led by Tesla, electric cars are all the rage now. And the idea of a nine-passenger all-electric vehicle sounds good--until you learn that it maxes out at 30 mph, weighs almost four tons, and costs in the six figures. What is this monstrosity? It's the Frankenstein creation of a group of animal-rights advocates, who are proposing it as the replacement for New York City's fabled horse carriages--and who paid $450,000 to have a prototype built. Who's against it? Would you believe Liam Neeson and one of NYC's daily papers? The huge electric car--modeled after an early 1900s open touring car, complete with brass lanterns--is on display this week at the New York Auto Show, and it's certainly attracting its share of attention."

6 of 204 comments (clear)

  1. That Reminds Me by sycodon · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Pick up some Veal, lamb and Ribeyes on the way home tonight.

    --
    When Fascism comes to America, it will call itself Anti-Fascism, and tell you to give up your guns.
  2. Cheaper just to modify a Tesla? by swb · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Wouldn't it be vastly cheaper just to modify a Tesla? While probably not as simple as stretching a car, would it be $300,000+ more expensive to just put the old-tymey touring car body on a stretched Tesla frame?

  3. Stupid? by chispito · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Disclosure: I've never been to NYC, and I don't know how these horses are treated. If they're generally treated poorly, then disregard my comments.

    That said, it makes me wonder if the animal rights activists have ever met working horses. Working animals are bred for their jobs and they tend to enjoy them. My brother owned a draft horse and there was nothing he liked better than pulling. If pulling teams are animal cruelty, then so is playing fetch with your retriever.

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    The Daddy casts sleep on the Baby. The Baby resists!
    1. Re:Stupid? by geekoid · · Score: 3, Interesting

      "They never leave the city (except to be sent to slaughter.) "
      not always true.

      "Their stalls are appalling."
      That's a blatant lie.

      " Often, they don't 'like' pulling, "
      You have never worked around horse, have you?

      "which is an appalling stable in this case."
      again,l that's a blatant lie.

      hmm, someone with the name VeganCyclist whose opinion is devoid of facts. I'm shocked.

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      The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
  4. Use the Big Dog instead by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Bunch of idiots. If they are going that route, why not use dog robot developed by Boston Dynamic? See www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2rq7rKgjJQ

  5. electric golf carts by Geoffrey.landis · · Score: 3, Interesting

    OK, the car actually seems like a decent idea, and might work well.

    A decent idea? They just spent half a million dollars to re-invent the electric golf cart!

    There are a dozen of of these things driving around every airport in America.

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    http://www.geoffreylandis.com