AORoads

didn't watch the whole vid, but the corvette driver looked like he tipped into the throttle and very slowly at that. the bmw driver looked like he couldn't find the throtte---no wonder he was saying he was going to find cars his speed. so far the only one who kknows how to launch seems to be the orange GTO.

not to take away from battery cars, at all. but let's think about what it takes to generate the electricity to recharge these things, the lead and acid in the batteries, how often they have to be changed out, etc. it's not all green and free and clean.

Red Rochester

Those Electric car are fast off the line.

badgervette

Why they call him John "Plasma Boy" Wayland:


http://www.evdl.org/pages/plasmaboy.html

2vette2

tolnep

what outta come out of the coming hard times is some important changes. like a new nationwide system of nuclear power, light and heavy rail systems powered by nuclear power. if i was obama that would be one (perhaps the most important) goals of my presidency.. put a lot of folks to work, revive the burbs with new transportation systems that are mideast proof and make the country less dependent of foreign energy supplies.. and shutup the greenies (get them to buy off on nuke power somehow)..

Here's part of the answer..

Toshiba Builds 100x Smaller Micro Nuclear Reactor

Toshiba has developed a new class of micro size Nuclear Reactors that is designed to power individual apartment buildings or city blocks. The new reactor, which is only 20 feet by 6 feet, could change everything for small remote communities, small businesses or even a group of neighbors who are fed up with the power companies and want more control over their energy needs.

The 200 kilowatt Toshiba designed reactor is engineered to be fail-safe and totally automatic and will not overheat. Unlike traditional nuclear reactors the new micro reactor uses no control rods to initiate the reaction. The new revolutionary technology uses reservoirs of liquid lithium-6, an isotope that is effective at absorbing neutrons. The Lithium-6 reservoirs are connected to a vertical tube that fits into the reactor core. The whole whole process is self sustaining and can last for up to 40 years, producing electricity for only 5 cents per kilowatt hour, about half the cost of grid energy.

Toshiba expects to install the first reactor in Japan in 2008 and to begin marketing the new system in Europe and America in 2009.

VettedCandidate

Lots of interesting comments...
My thought in linking to this story was simply to show that, like the Tesla, others are moving in this direction. Many of these folks are doing this inventive work in their garages. The idea that someone put an old Datsun drag car together in their garage that would kick a ZR1's *** in the 1/4 mi. is simply amazing, no matter what you think of the "cleanliness" of the technology. I, for one, am proud that American ingenuity is alive and kicking. I hope this bodes well for our future and I would certainly be interested in a ElectroVette!

Stealthy4

Not to mention all the fossil fuels used to make the electricity...

TBonez

That's truly insane. And how GM suppressed electric for years as well as the Gov't. To not ever need gas and depend on oil for transportation. With a car light that we ALL could be off gas.

THIS IS THE AGE OF GOV AND AUTOMAKER GREEEED....

A clip like that totally spits in the faces of those repressing our society and forcing us to depend on oil.

User 2623

Compelling indeed... fun to watch... as a sustainable altered state of reality who knows?

Again the issue comes down to the battery life, range, and disposal. All issues that even a high density Li-ion pack leaves unresolved.

GM is working dilligently in R&D over this, but it's still all smoke and mirrors at this point. So one modified fast electric car does not make an electric revolution. Just the promise of hybrids to satisfy the racer in all of us.

vettedoogie

A lot of folks would have poo pooed hybrids as non-sustainable 5 yrs ago. I don't remember anyone saying that any of these cars had to be electric only. I'd go with a RADVette!


As someone who has been driving a hybrid, I'd like mine to be more electric-oriented right now. My guess is it would just take a software or firmware update...like a TUNE!

The vast majority who drive less than 30 miles in a day would find it would do everything they need a car to do. It is expensive now but all new technology is. Like every new technology, this will get better quickly. I'm guessing that by 2015 this will be old hat.

The folks who don't drive their Vettes except at a track or for short drives on a nice weekend could be driving this electric car or a Tesla...who knows?

calemasters

That was shocking!

cord arrow

Having raced nitro r/c cars for years...buggies and truggies...

The first time I ran a lipo brushless conversion electric buggy, it was absolutely shocking.

GotVett?

Have to say, the SOTP factor is there. Just like the vinyl to cd, VHS to DVD, film to digital camera, etc. . . it's coming. Of course you could then see batries going for $$$$'s.

vettedoogie

OK, I don't know what SOTP is but have you checked the price of Litium Ion batteries (like for your camera) out over the last 2 years? One little battery costs $65 - thats what a full sized car battery costs if you are lucky.

motogib1

What does the battery pack for one of those electric cars cost if it does go out? There are pros and cons to everything and I 'm sure we will see a big downside to these electric cars once they come out in force. Still it is essential that we finally develop alternatives to oil.

GotVett?

"Seat of the pants" and like I said, mucho denaro for batteries.

CETA 256

Amazing.

obxchartercaptain

Changes are a coming and there is nothing we can do about it. I would LOVE to be here 100 years from now to see where we have progressed.

Mark Little

Now that is funny

Gramps

'Bout a hundred pounds of coal.