that was amazing.. i wasnt expecting that at all haha wow..i literally had to watch it like 2 times just to catch on but i finally go it.. haha nicely done.
the video is fine but the car only goes 40 mph? And how much is this little ride? Do you have to buy the car and solar panels together and what kind of a break do you get?
Yes the California Air Resources Board decided that it is a good idea to offer an incentive for buying EVs by giving a $1000 subsidy for EVs. Really cool!
That is very cool. It's good for everyone. We need more incentives like this to clean up our air, create jobs in America, and reduce out dependence on foreign oil.
I admire any experiment to get rid of the grip of the powerfull oil nations on the western world, But..Firstly, I think a car should at least be able to offer the same comfort as nowadays cars, and around 12 seconds from 0-100 km (0-60 miles), plus it should be able to drive at least, really.. no less than 150-160 km/hour
with the same safety as nowadays cars, (guess you can't make them too light)
IS that possible?(I guess its not) until then im afraid this isn't an alternative to a normal car
as a normal urban commuter u dont really need more than 100 km/h, in terms of acceleration the electric technology is potentially superior to normal combustion
I recall in the 70s people thought the same thing about the new Toyota Corrollas that were just introduced into the market. It's all perception. I predict the shape of modern vehicle's will change radically away from the big boxy designs we are used to and in a few years we will look back on todays cars and think they were hideously big and primitive. Like an 8 track player, these Hummers and Escalades will be an amusing memory.
I don't understand why anyone would hate on this car especially when we are paying alot at the pump and that money goes to people who don't like us for example Iran, Iraq, Venezuela. Yes these cars do need some advancements but aleast it will be better than paying 30 and over for gas.
"Economically Minded" cars would be an acceptable name.
"Ethically minded" is just arrogant and annoying. I would never buy a car from a company with that kind of arrogance and the stupidity to show it in their company name and marketing.
I think first areas of interest are big holiday resorts world wide and resorts surrounding amusement parks. Then you can look for - if powerful enough - golf courses where gold cart versions will do well as they come as a one-deal with the huge solar panels. Then large industry lots.
Thanks for raising this great point! We're taking back the name Hippie for all the positive and proactive things that this movement does for bringing communities together. Our national TV series reaches 34 million homes a week, featuring all things organic and sustainable. Remember, if wasn't for hippies you wouldn't have organic food, solar panels, electric/hybrid cars, clean water and air legislation and many, many other healthy, planet-saving things!
"Real Change" -- probably another Obama Nut. Arrogant and stupid is not a good combination.
First, an accurate comparison of the cost of two different technologies requires a "Dust-to-Dust" study. One can't just look at what it costs to operate a vehicle, but what it cost to manufacture, maintain, and dispose of.
What really bugs me most about arrogant Liberals is how they bang their chest and proclaim their moral and ethical superiority when their results almost never back them up.
You're on! Let's do a cost comparison on how much it costs to build and operate a Hummer, or other gigantic SUV. Right now, they cost someone about $100-$200 per fill up and they get less than 14 MPG. 4 enormous tires, 2 tons of steel and a hefty amount of Co2 every time you turn the key. Sticker price? $40k+! Sorry, you don't have to be an 'arrogant liberal' to see that a solar package that runs your entire home and a small around the town car is a better alternative.
well i see your approach but considering the american mentality you ll have a very hard stance with this philosophy, id say its next to impossible to convert your average hummer driver into a fan of the label "hippie", but its certainly good for harvesting the wealthier eco crowd (which is certainly a good idea to get things started) and you will also profit from the global warming and rare resources fear mongering
You're using LEAD ACID BATTERIES... I wouldnt be bragging about them due to thier unsustainable nature and the fact that they are not renewable. Also, 3wd? Safety wasnt a factor was it. I dont really see how this is ethical.
With opportunity charging, that is free charging at the grocery store while you shop, or tapping into your work outlets while at the office, or now many cities offer not only 'free' parking for EVs, but also 'free' charging stations. Thus, it doesn't require a liberal mind to recognize the positive power of real change.
you did point out some good points, but I'm trying to understand what the car's disadvantages have to do with customers' political beliefs.. [i.e., 'liberals']
This company is young; don't be surprised that it's first few models are going to be lame.
well i had a wreck a semi ran into me head on in january. and you know things are going up and i was talking with my husband and we were talking of getting an eletric vehicle.ill check out the web sight cause i think its really neat... and it will be the way of the world one day.
The price of these cars is pretty reasonable, compared with other electric cars - but we agree with you, the prices have to come way down to make it affordable for people to buy them. In India they offer electric cars now for under $2,000 - which we think is the right price to get millions of people to start driving these locally.
I think this is great! Design of the mobile can be much normal looking though but hahaa, cute design, haha. At least after installing all these, we do not have to depend on fossil fuels. We end it once and for all right? So I think it's really worth it.
A little too costly to make a real difference fast. If the price was reduced by 50% sales would triple. An Indian car has been produced for $2000.00 it is more appealing to the frugal at this time as it too runs very economically.
The only 2 problems I see with the electric cars is for one they're too small. I mean I'm over 6 feet that limits my mobility and ability to drive if the car is that small. The other problem would be that the car resembles the clown car from a circus. I half expected to see a giant key sticking out of the roof.
Interestingly enough, Dan Reuter of Ethical Approach Auto Sales, is over 6 feet tall and has no problems driving any of the Zap vehicles. The driver and front passenger seats both adjust - so no problem there.
they need better styles on the cars, and faster speeds, but yeah, it's a step toward the future.
i'm likin' the energy panels though. if it's true about them completley stopping the energy bill, then they're worth it! wonder how much they cost...?
they cant be serious. do they actually think people would want to buy something like that? the car looks sooo stupid. but it is a start, i guess. they just need to keep working on it.
What i don't understand is ,what all the retoric is about. fossil fuels are killing the air, earth and water. solar and wind may not be the answer but it a huge step in the right direction. i mean, sooner or later your goona run out of small countries to invade to steal their oil!
XD some of the comments here crack me up, here's an example of how the media people watch changes them.
If we gave people free energy they'd try to find risks, pointing out flaws such as "economic downfall" and "not enough funding to secure the power plants" ERm HELLO? ...of course energy will never be free, but we can always use the moon's helium3 and power our fusion reactors.
about less than 1% of electricity is from solar,and petro production process is used to make solar panels,inverters,and everything
else that goes w/them make pure solar generation cost prohibitive.so,big oil remains the only game in town because battery
packs take up to much room and are underpowered and the grid is used for making electricity via coal fired plants. all this equals ='s: same old poopee different day. CNG PLEASE!! BUILD THE DISTRIBUTION NETWORK AND MOVE ON!!! DUH!!! GAS!!!!!!!
if i didnt know better (which i dont) id assume that this whole thing is a propaganda plant to reinforce the stereotypes about electric cars, dont let this fool you: an electric car doesnt have to be a dorky hippie mobile like this one here! nor does it have to be a million dollar sportscar for celebrities, the ev1 was doing excellent, even in its prototype stage
Wouldn't it be great if this comment were true, and the major auto makers were paying us millions of dollars to promote electric vehicles connecting to solar panels as some kind of 'propaganda plant'? The first thing we'd do with the money is go out and buy solar panels from Akeena and a fleet of Zap cars for all of our local filming and errands : ) FYI - these cars work really great for short commutes and around town driving. PS - we will never turn down a story to film EVs, that are available.
dgmw: to me this concept looks just great, its exactly what ive been talking about for years (easy to use solar, multi-purpose e-car aso.) but with this kind of advertisment and design you ll ensure that this technology stays where the car industry wants it to be, in a small eco-niche, its comical how much the car itself and the presentation fullfills the clichees the corporations wanted to push this technology in, do these people want to sell cars or just comfort their conscious?
How much energy does it require to recharge those batteries pretty often by plugging into the power grid that relies on carbon based fuel to generate the electricity that loses some of that energy in the transmission from the power plant to your home where you can plug that vehicle into a regular outlet to charge 'em up? Hey, ya gotta think about this stuff ya know!
Yeah sure. Have you checked the price of solar panels lately? And while we're on that subject, how much energy produced by the burning of carbon based fuel does it take to produce those photovoltaic cells and batteries?
somehow this seems like you will spend a bunch of money to feel good yet you will have to get your neighbor who owns a REAL vehicle when you need to leave town or move your furniture.
If we really cared about the enviorment, we would stop production of regualar cars and mass produce hybrids or electric cars or whatever is more safe for the enviorment, therefore once someone needs a new car they are forced to by a hybrid or whatever. In a matter of years the number of regular cars would eventually decrease majorly untill we had no more. That would be big start, but Im no hippy so I must be talkin out my ass.
A great effort and a good start but I don't see many people being able to "break their contract" with oil companies. Like most electric car attempts, this one is too slow for most roads and the batteries die entirely too quickly.
It's still bad for the environment because generating electricity at a powerplant emits greenhouse gases anyway, unless the powerplant itself can run solely on solar power, which is unlikely.
You need to research that a bit more. Electricity from Power Plants is about 1/10 as polluting as using gas in your vehicle. Nothing is completely clean, but electric is WAY cleaner and more efficient.
I don't know why most of these new concept cars are designed to be so ugly. You'd think making the vehicles more normal-looking would remove some of the stigma of buying one of these new types of cars.
Of course, these cars can't go in the highway, which can be another downfall. However, would people who don't have a high income buy these to save money? Would people stop the fussing about how gas prices keep rising if cars like these would be bought? Maybe it's good for short needed trips. But then again, lets suppose if these cars were selling like hot cakes, would gas prices finally start to go down, because almost no one would not go to the gas stations any more? Give me your opinion.
We think the more people buy electric cars and solar panels, the more the power will (literally) begin to shift from foreign dependency on oil to home-spun ingenuity.
Once you guys create a nice looking electric car (doens't need to be high performance), people will buy it like mad! You guys will be the richest people in the WORLD.
What you guys need to do (again, emphasizing on the "cool" factor on the looks) is create a car that looks like an amazing mid engine sports car such as a ferrari or lamborghini (examples of cool looks), but without the 100k price tag the Tesla roadster has, it needs to be from 20k to 40k USD. It needs to be affordable, but people want to get into it. with the Zap Zebra, i don't even want to see it! let alone own it.
Speaking with some people who the first on their block to own a Toyota Prius, they recall the strange looks their neighbors gave them. But now, all the neighbors are driving Hybrids - the same will happen with EVs as well.
Only once the distance per charge improves. Electric cars would have gone mainstream 30 years ago if anyone could offer anything close to 200+ miles between charges/fill-ups.
it has been improved long ago, the oil companies bought promising battery developers and simply shut them down, gms ev1 for example did in his early protoype stage already over 100 miles, the closed down projects promised at least 300
Cool. However, at uni, I had the pleasure of conducting an environmental analysis on this stuff. Turns out manufacturing those solar panels unleashes tremendous amounts of pollutants. They are also "hella" expensive and the pay back period is a bitch.
*) Car doesnt look very "cool"(as you can see from the other comments), also the design looks frail and does not appear to be entirely reliable, even though it might be.
*) The car is not suited for longer trips without recharging (and waiting several hours, given that there is someone to offer a plug on the way)
*)people need their cars to be loud and big even if the car is only a subcompact.They might not want their car to be entirely functional which the zap cars definitely are.
Actually he does specifically say that depending on the battery pack installed, a car can up to 40 miles per charge - and more if you do what's called opportunity charging when stopping at the store or at work.
How much does it cost for the car and the solar panels? What is the life expectency of the panels and the batteries and their replacement costs? Bottom line is that if those costs are not competative with what we are doing now, I am not interested.
They say 6 hours for a full charge, 3 hours or so for half - although there are fast chargers that only take 30 minutes they said. The panels are putting out 110v, no different than a home outlet.
Don't know why people think the Zap isn't stylish, it's what European drivers have been used to seeing on their roads for ages. We think the Zap and a lot of electric vehicles have personality, and those who drive them are truly smart.
It's not that it's not stylish, it's that it's not "normal." If some company makes a car that looks like a Honda Civic, costs less than $25,000 US, and has most modern day feature (like AC, power windows etc), I'm sure everybody would by it. I know I would.
does anybody know what to do. Honestly just buy an electric car, and then put a spoiler on it and put a solar pannel on the spoiler. Then your car will recharge itself and you basically can get way more drive time out of it.
I love solar powered stuff...it's the energy source of the future. I have no doubt in the capacity for human ingenuity to continually develop more efficient ways to harvest and utilize solar power. This is just the first step.
Best part of solar power and electric cars is that it is, as Dan Reuter states in the video - 'the power of now.' All of what you see in this segment is available right now.
Great idea! The 'Reeses' of solar cars - two great flavors coming together. We've always imagined solar cells being incorporated into the paint of a car, so it's totally coated in power generating goodness. Keep those positive visualizations coming!
The problem with that idea is it isnt as profitable... you cant buy the solar energy you just get it for free, its all about money and taxes in the end
I wonder how long the batteries would last at the -30F weather we get in February. I'm in East coast Canada. 40miles is a good couple of days to and from work with a few errands for me, so that's cool.
At some point we ought to be able to define ourselves not by the color of our car, but rather measured by how cool it is that it doesn't require foreign oil to run on. The colors are actually vibrant and make people look twice as they drive by, which only helps add to the mystique.
Isnt that ideal but it wont... stop putting things out there for your perpective only that's why this thing will fail. People buy cars based on space and what they can do with it. the car is not practical and people who drives for fun wont like it. this car can fit so little that its marketed to people who drives for fun. people who drives for fun buy cars based on looks.
This is a very good idea These Cars are fantastic they are friendly for the atmosphere don't have to pay 0$ or Euros they must recycle all the gas cars for electric cars i think
i like the sound of a nickel a mile. Gotta agree with others though that electric wont truly take off until the cars become at least as powerful as a typical gas guzzler and last about the same distance (at least 100-150 miles). After that electric will become the rule.
Excellent point! One only needs to look at Tesla Motors to see that an electric car can not only hold a charge for a long time and go highway speeds, but that it can even beat a Ferrari on a race track!
ughh..is it a flippin rule that Hybrid Cars and crap like this HAVE to look like shit? serisously. The prius and the other one look retarded, and WTF are these things.. OMG
The question isn't vanity as much as energy efficiency. Although when you drive one of these Zap cars people smile at you, give you thumbs-up and yes are envious! Mostly because they know every time you drive by a gas station, you just smile and drive on by.
What about if you drive on the highway? Is there something like an electric station? If not, I find that this car isn't all the it's said to be. How will people drive long distances? Do they put solar panels on the vehicles as well? and I agree with the comment about the speed being too slow for normal highway driving.
These particular Zap cars aren't intended for Highway use, but using them around town you will find a lot of shops and restaurants will be happy to provide you with an outlet to charge up! Wholefoods for instance does this, as it helps show other shoppers that there are alternatives.
Well there are seat belts in the Zap vehicles, but why not imagine a world where there are far less SUVs on the road, so smaller electric and hybrid driving can flourish.
40mph 20-30 miles on a charge? not only is that too slow to take on most highways, it is not even enough to get an average person to their job and back. The other car that you mentioned that charged from the outlet isn't very energy dependent. The energy that comes out of your outlet is produced by burning coal. i don't see that as being any better than filling your car up with regular fuel.
Try driving a Zap electric around town for errands and such, you'll be surprised how quick 40mph is going here and there on side roads and to the market. It's true that most electricity comes from the grid which is powered by coal, but at least for now that's made in America! : )
Don't think it's necessary to get a separate motorcycle drivers license, nor does one need to wear a helmet driving a Zap (as they do in many states riding motorcycles). The insurance is just less, and the perks are amazing (like free parking, free charge ups, no/low maintenance, etc.)
The owners of heavy duty pickup trucks will try to rationalize (make the excuse) that the reason they drive a heavy duty is because they need a work truck, but yet they only use the truck for actual "heavy duty" work maybe once or twice a year. That's like a school bus driver using the school bus as personal daily transportation. The school bus is incredibly efficient when transporting dozens of students, but horribly wasteful when used to transport just the driver.
what about the biggest consumers of oil? the soccer moms in SUVs and pickups barely make a difference with oil. the biggest user of oil are the people that have no choice such as trucking compainies, the agricultural industry, shipping companies, etc, etc. The mass media and the government bitch about these people when they are not the problem, but they make it look that way so UPS still pays for the commercial.
This is a great point. We have to find alternative energy supplies for our trucking industry to survive and provide the very food we eat, so it doesn't cost more to transport things than it does to produce it. We are all in this together and need to find solutions.
It will eventually even out. Most of this is caused by people determined to make things the cheapest they possibly can by moving agriculture and manufacturing where they can cheat people out of the most in wages. That way the rich companies stay rich and the poor stay poor. As the price of oil goes up they'll have no choice but to move closer to the place of sale to offset the cost of transport.
Pure electiric is NOT the way to go. The power to charge them still comes mostly from coal.
sparkyyoung 1 year ago
It's about time Cinnamon/Akeena gets off it's ass and did some advertising... AKNS stock is in the toilet - lost 90% of it's value since I bought in.
Get to work, slackers! I didn't invest in your company to fund your bailouts!
cptcosmo 2 years ago
bravo! that's a nice video about electric cars and solar energy. i love it!
dafranx 3 years ago
that was amazing.. i wasnt expecting that at all haha wow..i literally had to watch it like 2 times just to catch on but i finally go it.. haha nicely done.
chick5581 3 years ago
This has got to be like the 5th vide i've seen like this. pretty cool. haha I like yours the most. I can't wait to see more of your work
Chick6517 3 years ago
Dan...Is...So....Cute!!!
giantsluvr 3 years ago
It looks like a blue pikachu car!
I want one.
Scentless 3 years ago
I want one of these as a motorcycle. Full size cruiser with all the gear and non of the noise. Great for commutes.
susho2 3 years ago
charging with solar panels:
suppose you don't want to spend money plugging your car into the grid.
suppose you need to use the car in the morning but your batteries are depleted from the previous day. (continued)
misterfacts 3 years ago
suppose you aren't lazy and dumb.
eslrsolar 3 years ago
the video is fine but the car only goes 40 mph? And how much is this little ride? Do you have to buy the car and solar panels together and what kind of a break do you get?
icantmakemyownblood 3 years ago
As for what kind of a break you get it differs from state to state. Right now in California, you get $1000 from the state.
eslrsolar 3 years ago
So, California is currently offering $1000 to anyone who wants to buy a Xebra car?
eslrsolar 3 years ago
Yes the California Air Resources Board decided that it is a good idea to offer an incentive for buying EVs by giving a $1000 subsidy for EVs. Really cool!
NiraliSherni 3 years ago
That is very cool. It's good for everyone. We need more incentives like this to clean up our air, create jobs in America, and reduce out dependence on foreign oil.
eslrsolar 3 years ago
I admire any experiment to get rid of the grip of the powerfull oil nations on the western world, But..Firstly, I think a car should at least be able to offer the same comfort as nowadays cars, and around 12 seconds from 0-100 km (0-60 miles), plus it should be able to drive at least, really.. no less than 150-160 km/hour
with the same safety as nowadays cars, (guess you can't make them too light)
IS that possible?(I guess its not) until then im afraid this isn't an alternative to a normal car
conqie 3 years ago
as a normal urban commuter u dont really need more than 100 km/h, in terms of acceleration the electric technology is potentially superior to normal combustion
random0815 3 years ago
Looks like a toy car. The idea is GREAT but the design just kills it..
Madarze 3 years ago
I recall in the 70s people thought the same thing about the new Toyota Corrollas that were just introduced into the market. It's all perception. I predict the shape of modern vehicle's will change radically away from the big boxy designs we are used to and in a few years we will look back on todays cars and think they were hideously big and primitive. Like an 8 track player, these Hummers and Escalades will be an amusing memory.
Good riddance. Can't wait.
susho2 3 years ago
I don't understand why anyone would hate on this car especially when we are paying alot at the pump and that money goes to people who don't like us for example Iran, Iraq, Venezuela. Yes these cars do need some advancements but aleast it will be better than paying 30 and over for gas.
CrazyBlackVideogamer 3 years ago
Why can't the solar panels go directly on the car?
travishammer 3 years ago
I think electric cars are a fine experiment, but I'm just not interested until they can match the style and performance of my V8.
Also, one of these cars wouldn't do well at all in the snowy winters where I live.
vnflcards 3 years ago
Electric cars have already exceeded the performance of many V8s.
MikaOwns 3 years ago
"Economically Minded" cars would be an acceptable name.
"Ethically minded" is just arrogant and annoying. I would never buy a car from a company with that kind of arrogance and the stupidity to show it in their company name and marketing.
montysimmons 3 years ago
Ethical Approach, not Ethically Minded, although that's not a bad name either.
hippygourmet 3 years ago
have you ever heard of the american dream??? just pay for gas and quit trying to cheat americans out of their right to experience pain at the pump!!!
goofballexpress 3 years ago
i hope the word gets spread more to reduce the price of the electric cars,
southbronx718 3 years ago
I think first areas of interest are big holiday resorts world wide and resorts surrounding amusement parks. Then you can look for - if powerful enough - golf courses where gold cart versions will do well as they come as a one-deal with the huge solar panels. Then large industry lots.
CosmicJoy 3 years ago
yeah! lead acid! that's sounds really good for the environment!
mistaspot1 3 years ago
and 5 miles to the gallon in a hummer isn't?
it's not like they empty out the batteries into the drinkingwater when their done...
jagarbosse 3 years ago
nice video, visit my channel, please!
esmeedentersinfo 3 years ago
What's with the hippy stuff ?
How does this relate with hippies ?
dusteroo 3 years ago
Thanks for raising this great point! We're taking back the name Hippie for all the positive and proactive things that this movement does for bringing communities together. Our national TV series reaches 34 million homes a week, featuring all things organic and sustainable. Remember, if wasn't for hippies you wouldn't have organic food, solar panels, electric/hybrid cars, clean water and air legislation and many, many other healthy, planet-saving things!
hippygourmet 3 years ago
how much does everything cost, and per car how much, and does the weight lower the electric in the car
southbronx718 3 years ago
"Real Change" -- probably another Obama Nut. Arrogant and stupid is not a good combination.
First, an accurate comparison of the cost of two different technologies requires a "Dust-to-Dust" study. One can't just look at what it costs to operate a vehicle, but what it cost to manufacture, maintain, and dispose of.
What really bugs me most about arrogant Liberals is how they bang their chest and proclaim their moral and ethical superiority when their results almost never back them up.
montysimmons 3 years ago
You're on! Let's do a cost comparison on how much it costs to build and operate a Hummer, or other gigantic SUV. Right now, they cost someone about $100-$200 per fill up and they get less than 14 MPG. 4 enormous tires, 2 tons of steel and a hefty amount of Co2 every time you turn the key. Sticker price? $40k+! Sorry, you don't have to be an 'arrogant liberal' to see that a solar package that runs your entire home and a small around the town car is a better alternative.
hippygourmet 3 years ago
well i see your approach but considering the american mentality you ll have a very hard stance with this philosophy, id say its next to impossible to convert your average hummer driver into a fan of the label "hippie", but its certainly good for harvesting the wealthier eco crowd (which is certainly a good idea to get things started) and you will also profit from the global warming and rare resources fear mongering
random0815 3 years ago
You're using LEAD ACID BATTERIES... I wouldnt be bragging about them due to thier unsustainable nature and the fact that they are not renewable. Also, 3wd? Safety wasnt a factor was it. I dont really see how this is ethical.
SobaniForce 3 years ago
Car will go 40 mph and go 20 -- 40 miles on a charge.
Recharging takes 4 -- 6 hours to charge;
So you drive for 1 hour and charge for 6 hours. What a car !
Liberals are so stupid. Ethically minded cars . . . right. That is such an arrogant position typical of stupid liberals.
Those batteries probably last 2 years and probably are very environmentally unfriendly to make and dispose of.
Stupid liberals says it all.
montysimmons 3 years ago
With opportunity charging, that is free charging at the grocery store while you shop, or tapping into your work outlets while at the office, or now many cities offer not only 'free' parking for EVs, but also 'free' charging stations. Thus, it doesn't require a liberal mind to recognize the positive power of real change.
hippygourmet 3 years ago
montysimmons,
you did point out some good points, but I'm trying to understand what the car's disadvantages have to do with customers' political beliefs.. [i.e., 'liberals']
This company is young; don't be surprised that it's first few models are going to be lame.
dusteroo 3 years ago 2
wow,wow.not bad
fionbon 3 years ago
Dan i love you
mvspartan52 3 years ago
try driving up a hill.
vandendriessched 3 years ago
well i had a wreck a semi ran into me head on in january. and you know things are going up and i was talking with my husband and we were talking of getting an eletric vehicle.ill check out the web sight cause i think its really neat... and it will be the way of the world one day.
skydancers20 3 years ago
eletric cars would be alot more popural if they didn't look so droky
BonPhire 3 years ago 2
yes but are they going to be affordable??? as of now they are really expensive right, us poor folks really dont have a chance
skydancers20 3 years ago 2
The price of these cars is pretty reasonable, compared with other electric cars - but we agree with you, the prices have to come way down to make it affordable for people to buy them. In India they offer electric cars now for under $2,000 - which we think is the right price to get millions of people to start driving these locally.
hippygourmet 3 years ago
this is whack! kinda like the earthquake song fools!!
goofballexpress 3 years ago
HMMMM, LOOOOOOOOL
Experting 3 years ago
i'm guessin it won't pull a boat out of the water.
brgroom 3 years ago
A small boat sure : ) We just saw that Zap also makes electric motors for small boats.
hippygourmet 3 years ago
if u wanna get these sold, make em look abit more "normal"...
kjeksy 3 years ago
I think this is great! Design of the mobile can be much normal looking though but hahaa, cute design, haha. At least after installing all these, we do not have to depend on fossil fuels. We end it once and for all right? So I think it's really worth it.
axbeul 3 years ago 2
Awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
daddub1 3 years ago 2
Bottom line is people won't buy those cars in large numbers, they look ridiculous.
plica06 3 years ago
A little too costly to make a real difference fast. If the price was reduced by 50% sales would triple. An Indian car has been produced for $2000.00 it is more appealing to the frugal at this time as it too runs very economically.
trevor20153 3 years ago
looks like a retarded car, anyone that rides that would get laughed at...
good idea though
shotbboy 3 years ago
The only 2 problems I see with the electric cars is for one they're too small. I mean I'm over 6 feet that limits my mobility and ability to drive if the car is that small. The other problem would be that the car resembles the clown car from a circus. I half expected to see a giant key sticking out of the roof.
mindyourowndamnself 3 years ago 2
Interestingly enough, Dan Reuter of Ethical Approach Auto Sales, is over 6 feet tall and has no problems driving any of the Zap vehicles. The driver and front passenger seats both adjust - so no problem there.
hippygourmet 3 years ago
they need better styles on the cars, and faster speeds, but yeah, it's a step toward the future.
i'm likin' the energy panels though. if it's true about them completley stopping the energy bill, then they're worth it! wonder how much they cost...?
fattmatt90 3 years ago 4
Nice!
SocialPro 3 years ago
they cant be serious. do they actually think people would want to buy something like that? the car looks sooo stupid. but it is a start, i guess. they just need to keep working on it.
Craigv93 3 years ago
What i don't understand is ,what all the retoric is about. fossil fuels are killing the air, earth and water. solar and wind may not be the answer but it a huge step in the right direction. i mean, sooner or later your goona run out of small countries to invade to steal their oil!
JeffClancy1966 3 years ago 2
couldn't they make that thing look normal
beserkanton 3 years ago
XD some of the comments here crack me up, here's an example of how the media people watch changes them.
If we gave people free energy they'd try to find risks, pointing out flaws such as "economic downfall" and "not enough funding to secure the power plants" ERm HELLO? ...of course energy will never be free, but we can always use the moon's helium3 and power our fusion reactors.
ubentu 3 years ago
about less than 1% of electricity is from solar,and petro production process is used to make solar panels,inverters,and everything
else that goes w/them make pure solar generation cost prohibitive.so,big oil remains the only game in town because battery
packs take up to much room and are underpowered and the grid is used for making electricity via coal fired plants. all this equals ='s: same old poopee different day. CNG PLEASE!! BUILD THE DISTRIBUTION NETWORK AND MOVE ON!!! DUH!!! GAS!!!!!!!
cmegranmstr 3 years ago
if i didnt know better (which i dont) id assume that this whole thing is a propaganda plant to reinforce the stereotypes about electric cars, dont let this fool you: an electric car doesnt have to be a dorky hippie mobile like this one here! nor does it have to be a million dollar sportscar for celebrities, the ev1 was doing excellent, even in its prototype stage
random0815 3 years ago 2
Wouldn't it be great if this comment were true, and the major auto makers were paying us millions of dollars to promote electric vehicles connecting to solar panels as some kind of 'propaganda plant'? The first thing we'd do with the money is go out and buy solar panels from Akeena and a fleet of Zap cars for all of our local filming and errands : ) FYI - these cars work really great for short commutes and around town driving. PS - we will never turn down a story to film EVs, that are available.
hippygourmet 3 years ago
dgmw: to me this concept looks just great, its exactly what ive been talking about for years (easy to use solar, multi-purpose e-car aso.) but with this kind of advertisment and design you ll ensure that this technology stays where the car industry wants it to be, in a small eco-niche, its comical how much the car itself and the presentation fullfills the clichees the corporations wanted to push this technology in, do these people want to sell cars or just comfort their conscious?
random0815 3 years ago
Hey, it's that car that Mr. Bean hates.
bobviously 3 years ago
Good for San Jose....
znarf541 3 years ago 2
AND...
How much energy does it require to recharge those batteries pretty often by plugging into the power grid that relies on carbon based fuel to generate the electricity that loses some of that energy in the transmission from the power plant to your home where you can plug that vehicle into a regular outlet to charge 'em up? Hey, ya gotta think about this stuff ya know!
nodanno 3 years ago
Yeah sure. Have you checked the price of solar panels lately? And while we're on that subject, how much energy produced by the burning of carbon based fuel does it take to produce those photovoltaic cells and batteries?
nodanno 3 years ago
what if you get hit in a car accident will you live?
hotmasked1 3 years ago 4
somehow this seems like you will spend a bunch of money to feel good yet you will have to get your neighbor who owns a REAL vehicle when you need to leave town or move your furniture.
pwnage0013 3 years ago
Why is every non gas powered car look retarded?
If we really cared about the enviorment, we would stop production of regualar cars and mass produce hybrids or electric cars or whatever is more safe for the enviorment, therefore once someone needs a new car they are forced to by a hybrid or whatever. In a matter of years the number of regular cars would eventually decrease majorly untill we had no more. That would be big start, but Im no hippy so I must be talkin out my ass.
DrZaious 3 years ago 3
A great effort and a good start but I don't see many people being able to "break their contract" with oil companies. Like most electric car attempts, this one is too slow for most roads and the batteries die entirely too quickly.
dhprince 3 years ago
It's still bad for the environment because generating electricity at a powerplant emits greenhouse gases anyway, unless the powerplant itself can run solely on solar power, which is unlikely.
idontgiveafuckaboutm 3 years ago
That's why we need more new nuclear-power plants.
tafelmusik 3 years ago
You need to research that a bit more. Electricity from Power Plants is about 1/10 as polluting as using gas in your vehicle. Nothing is completely clean, but electric is WAY cleaner and more efficient.
tecnoblix 3 years ago 2
What if it's winter and the snow covers the panels....
NarcoticPhil 3 years ago
it looks like a go cart
Guitarhero104 3 years ago
I'm sorry but those are SUPER UGLY!!!! Y'all HAVE GOT TO GO BACK TO DRAWING BOARD WITH THE DESIGN STYLES ASAP!!!
Like drop what you're doing and re-design it to give it some sex appeal or at least some decency.
KAMJAM2000 3 years ago 2
I don't know why most of these new concept cars are designed to be so ugly. You'd think making the vehicles more normal-looking would remove some of the stigma of buying one of these new types of cars.
NsaneNtheNbrane 3 years ago
All these ideas are great...anything to cut the chains of enslavement to our enemies --- OPEC.
aelialicinia 3 years ago
Of course, these cars can't go in the highway, which can be another downfall. However, would people who don't have a high income buy these to save money? Would people stop the fussing about how gas prices keep rising if cars like these would be bought? Maybe it's good for short needed trips. But then again, lets suppose if these cars were selling like hot cakes, would gas prices finally start to go down, because almost no one would not go to the gas stations any more? Give me your opinion.
gapifirst 3 years ago
We think the more people buy electric cars and solar panels, the more the power will (literally) begin to shift from foreign dependency on oil to home-spun ingenuity.
hippygourmet 3 years ago
Once you guys create a nice looking electric car (doens't need to be high performance), people will buy it like mad! You guys will be the richest people in the WORLD.
ericeng91 3 years ago
What you guys need to do (again, emphasizing on the "cool" factor on the looks) is create a car that looks like an amazing mid engine sports car such as a ferrari or lamborghini (examples of cool looks), but without the 100k price tag the Tesla roadster has, it needs to be from 20k to 40k USD. It needs to be affordable, but people want to get into it. with the Zap Zebra, i don't even want to see it! let alone own it.
ericeng91 3 years ago
Speaking with some people who the first on their block to own a Toyota Prius, they recall the strange looks their neighbors gave them. But now, all the neighbors are driving Hybrids - the same will happen with EVs as well.
hippygourmet 3 years ago
Only once the distance per charge improves. Electric cars would have gone mainstream 30 years ago if anyone could offer anything close to 200+ miles between charges/fill-ups.
dhprince 3 years ago
it has been improved long ago, the oil companies bought promising battery developers and simply shut them down, gms ev1 for example did in his early protoype stage already over 100 miles, the closed down projects promised at least 300
random0815 3 years ago
Cool. However, at uni, I had the pleasure of conducting an environmental analysis on this stuff. Turns out manufacturing those solar panels unleashes tremendous amounts of pollutants. They are also "hella" expensive and the pay back period is a bitch.
acnex 3 years ago 2
It's time to move into the future!!!!!!!!!
dapdaddy10 3 years ago 2
Are These Made For A Golf Course?
who ever drives in one of these will NOT get laid LoL
MrHairyNutz 3 years ago
They look like baby cars!
zookaba1 3 years ago
*) Car doesnt look very "cool"(as you can see from the other comments), also the design looks frail and does not appear to be entirely reliable, even though it might be.
*) The car is not suited for longer trips without recharging (and waiting several hours, given that there is someone to offer a plug on the way)
*)people need their cars to be loud and big even if the car is only a subcompact.They might not want their car to be entirely functional which the zap cars definitely are.
rObOcOp1352 3 years ago
i would never drive this though, it looks like i'd break it if i sat on it
mastachi3f1001 3 years ago
all GM needs to do is bring back their EV1 with all the new battery technology. It's a guaranteed sell as gas prices go up.
lurchy1000 3 years ago 3
All that sun energy systems are very good! But one thing, WHY all these electric cars looks so dumb??? Like a 3-wheel chair! :DDD
PreludeH22A5 3 years ago 4
cars of the future look so weird!
ownman420 3 years ago
finally someone actually does something to help the environment! you rule!
fastgirl321 3 years ago
... ehmm .... and larger kids
I nearly crapped my pants when he said that ...
CreamyMojoMclovin 3 years ago
Hey man it looks like a bug. Im gonna get me one wont I be just hot as hell drivin that around. Yea i can pik up babes.
kiwikate44 3 years ago
Is it the car from Mr.Bean?
hkcee88 3 years ago
he looks a little bit like germaine from flight of the conchords
Nick2565 3 years ago
how many miles the the car go per charge??
GRIMRABBITS 3 years ago
nowhere in the video dose it say anything on how many miles can it go per charge??
GRIMRABBITS 3 years ago
Actually he does specifically say that depending on the battery pack installed, a car can up to 40 miles per charge - and more if you do what's called opportunity charging when stopping at the store or at work.
hippygourmet 3 years ago
How much does it cost for the car and the solar panels? What is the life expectency of the panels and the batteries and their replacement costs? Bottom line is that if those costs are not competative with what we are doing now, I am not interested.
Maxwedge12000 3 years ago
I agree. The first company to make a attractive-looking AND reasonably priced electric car will be rolling in both cash and praise!
echang2007 3 years ago 3
What I want to know is how long does it take to charge the car fully just on that solar array shown in the video.
codediporpal 3 years ago
They say 6 hours for a full charge, 3 hours or so for half - although there are fast chargers that only take 30 minutes they said. The panels are putting out 110v, no different than a home outlet.
hippygourmet 3 years ago
This is amazing! yay iam so happy we're moving towards saving the enviorment! your the man! don't give up! we can change! we need to change!
fobla 3 years ago 3
wow only 40 miles thats no where in Iowa
in the midwest some people drive 30 miles just to get to their jobs
Inv4derxXx 3 years ago
True enough. But so long as once you get to your job you can plug-in and recharge, then you can make it home with 10+ miles to spare.
hippygourmet 3 years ago
I drove a hybrid not long ago. It was pretty sweet and so smooth. I kept thinking it wasnt started when I stopped at a light, cause it was so quiet.
robertantonnyc 3 years ago
Which hybrid, the Prius?
ugotownedo 3 years ago
Jesus, I would rather walk, if this is the future kill me now.
darrenco35 3 years ago
Walking is a great alternative! As well as bike riding, carpooling, bus, train and tram riding and the ever popular hitchhiking : )
hippygourmet 3 years ago
why do electric cars always look like crap??
shamr0ck 3 years ago
Don't know why people think the Zap isn't stylish, it's what European drivers have been used to seeing on their roads for ages. We think the Zap and a lot of electric vehicles have personality, and those who drive them are truly smart.
hippygourmet 3 years ago
It's not that it's not stylish, it's that it's not "normal." If some company makes a car that looks like a Honda Civic, costs less than $25,000 US, and has most modern day feature (like AC, power windows etc), I'm sure everybody would by it. I know I would.
ugotownedo 3 years ago
All great points!
hippygourmet 3 years ago
I live in europe and yes we have small cars... but 3 wheelers!??!?
Would love to drive electric but there is just not enough power so they cant go on the motorway (freeway)
Maybw in a few more years when the technology improves.
shamr0ck 3 years ago
Not enough power?
The Tesla electric car with full body, interior and glass does 0-60 in under 4
seconds!
Also 3 wheel cars have been around since the early 60s...even in Europe.
Stylensky 3 years ago 3
Well, I suspect a great deal of your responses are from Americans.
Gotta be big, loud, and larger than life. And when oil goes up, just invade another country. Your lifestyle is being threatened, after all.
It'll be a tough sell, but the culture will change ... in time. Not with this current generation, however.
That said, I think some styling improvements could be made. A three wheel design can be cool, but not with the third in front.
Google "t-rex" for ideas.
fluxboy3000 3 years ago 4
Now, now, let's not go crazy with stereotypes.
I'm an American, and I find this and other forms of fuel fascinating
It's incredibly cost-efficient, not only based on gas costs.
These guys have thought of such creative ways to reduce the cost of these vehicles, I especially like the motorcycle technicality :)
Although, I do agree that its physical appearance is a little meager.
So, come now, let's not have all those distasteful stereotypes, since not everyone falls under them ;)
nahxela 3 years ago 3
I agree, but it is so easy to stereotype, especially with many of the videos which appear on YouTube and MySpace.
tis2nwod 3 years ago
does anybody know what to do. Honestly just buy an electric car, and then put a spoiler on it and put a solar pannel on the spoiler. Then your car will recharge itself and you basically can get way more drive time out of it.
snowshredder731 3 years ago
great idea but the three wheel thing wont last long.
JLMrules 3 years ago
I love solar powered stuff...it's the energy source of the future. I have no doubt in the capacity for human ingenuity to continually develop more efficient ways to harvest and utilize solar power. This is just the first step.
ParisianHermit 3 years ago 2
Best part of solar power and electric cars is that it is, as Dan Reuter states in the video - 'the power of now.' All of what you see in this segment is available right now.
hippygourmet 3 years ago
BRILLIANT
RarewareLover 3 years ago 2
couldn't you mix both companies together and make a car with a solar panel for "unlimited" driving?
hayden74 3 years ago
Great idea! The 'Reeses' of solar cars - two great flavors coming together. We've always imagined solar cells being incorporated into the paint of a car, so it's totally coated in power generating goodness. Keep those positive visualizations coming!
hippygourmet 3 years ago
The problem with that idea is it isnt as profitable... you cant buy the solar energy you just get it for free, its all about money and taxes in the end
tourniquetangel 3 years ago
I wonder how long the batteries would last at the -30F weather we get in February. I'm in East coast Canada. 40miles is a good couple of days to and from work with a few errands for me, so that's cool.
johnlebl 3 years ago
whats with the colour? are these guys actually planning to sell anything?
ChrisMono 3 years ago
yea that's what i thought too. they picked the gayest color out there for these cars. wtf is wrong with dark blue, black or white like normal cars
AzureSky317 3 years ago
At some point we ought to be able to define ourselves not by the color of our car, but rather measured by how cool it is that it doesn't require foreign oil to run on. The colors are actually vibrant and make people look twice as they drive by, which only helps add to the mystique.
hippygourmet 3 years ago
Isnt that ideal but it wont... stop putting things out there for your perpective only that's why this thing will fail. People buy cars based on space and what they can do with it. the car is not practical and people who drives for fun wont like it. this car can fit so little that its marketed to people who drives for fun. people who drives for fun buy cars based on looks.
AzureSky317 3 years ago
Great video, hope these 2 businesses really take off.
FlaaldtheSeneschal 3 years ago
This is a very good idea These Cars are fantastic they are friendly for the atmosphere don't have to pay 0$ or Euros they must recycle all the gas cars for electric cars i think
shutupSS 3 years ago
if only electric cars could go 70 so us rural folk could drive on the interstate :P
jsen 3 years ago
i like the sound of a nickel a mile. Gotta agree with others though that electric wont truly take off until the cars become at least as powerful as a typical gas guzzler and last about the same distance (at least 100-150 miles). After that electric will become the rule.
kdwormy 3 years ago 2
Look at the EV-1 made back in the 90's. (Over 10 years ago)
0-60 in 9 seconds.
Started at 80 miles a charge eventually went up to 120. Today's batteries could easily go 150+.
It's top speed was around 80 miles an hour, but it could go 75 miles sustainable without any issues.
I'm not sure who told you that electric cars didn't have as much power, but it's simply not true. 10 year old electric cars already fit the rule.
Look it up for yourself.
wakunahum 3 years ago
Excellent point! One only needs to look at Tesla Motors to see that an electric car can not only hold a charge for a long time and go highway speeds, but that it can even beat a Ferrari on a race track!
hippygourmet 3 years ago
ughh..is it a flippin rule that Hybrid Cars and crap like this HAVE to look like shit? serisously. The prius and the other one look retarded, and WTF are these things.. OMG
qkslvrrx8 3 years ago
The question isn't vanity as much as energy efficiency. Although when you drive one of these Zap cars people smile at you, give you thumbs-up and yes are envious! Mostly because they know every time you drive by a gas station, you just smile and drive on by.
hippygourmet 3 years ago
I wish they offered this in my part of the US (the Panhandle of FL). Heck, we can't even get the city to provide curbside recycling!
fotog2003 3 years ago
Well maybe it's time you got off your ass and elected some new town officials?
blueskip 3 years ago
Do you think I could get this car in México?
marshallcz 3 years ago
Should be able to get these cars in Mexico without too much of a problem. Mexico City especially would really appreciate more electric cars!
hippygourmet 3 years ago
What about if you drive on the highway? Is there something like an electric station? If not, I find that this car isn't all the it's said to be. How will people drive long distances? Do they put solar panels on the vehicles as well? and I agree with the comment about the speed being too slow for normal highway driving.
immasocool 3 years ago
These particular Zap cars aren't intended for Highway use, but using them around town you will find a lot of shops and restaurants will be happy to provide you with an outlet to charge up! Wholefoods for instance does this, as it helps show other shoppers that there are alternatives.
hippygourmet 3 years ago
all in what its said to be
estevan300 3 years ago
wow if that thing gets hit by a truck itz done and so r the people inside it
arodisgod13 3 years ago
Well there are seat belts in the Zap vehicles, but why not imagine a world where there are far less SUVs on the road, so smaller electric and hybrid driving can flourish.
hippygourmet 3 years ago
40mph 20-30 miles on a charge? not only is that too slow to take on most highways, it is not even enough to get an average person to their job and back. The other car that you mentioned that charged from the outlet isn't very energy dependent. The energy that comes out of your outlet is produced by burning coal. i don't see that as being any better than filling your car up with regular fuel.
Ru5k1 3 years ago
Try driving a Zap electric around town for errands and such, you'll be surprised how quick 40mph is going here and there on side roads and to the market. It's true that most electricity comes from the grid which is powered by coal, but at least for now that's made in America! : )
hippygourmet 3 years ago
This is why I love the bay area.
superc 3 years ago
If the zap is legally a motorcycle, wouldn't a person have to have a motorcycle driver's license or endorsement?
rich0319726 3 years ago
Don't think it's necessary to get a separate motorcycle drivers license, nor does one need to wear a helmet driving a Zap (as they do in many states riding motorcycles). The insurance is just less, and the perks are amazing (like free parking, free charge ups, no/low maintenance, etc.)
hippygourmet 3 years ago
If its solar power (generated by the sun) could it be generated by the moon?
lygoz 3 years ago
The owners of heavy duty pickup trucks will try to rationalize (make the excuse) that the reason they drive a heavy duty is because they need a work truck, but yet they only use the truck for actual "heavy duty" work maybe once or twice a year. That's like a school bus driver using the school bus as personal daily transportation. The school bus is incredibly efficient when transporting dozens of students, but horribly wasteful when used to transport just the driver.
santafegrl 3 years ago
what about the biggest consumers of oil? the soccer moms in SUVs and pickups barely make a difference with oil. the biggest user of oil are the people that have no choice such as trucking compainies, the agricultural industry, shipping companies, etc, etc. The mass media and the government bitch about these people when they are not the problem, but they make it look that way so UPS still pays for the commercial.
sbristol97 3 years ago
This is a great point. We have to find alternative energy supplies for our trucking industry to survive and provide the very food we eat, so it doesn't cost more to transport things than it does to produce it. We are all in this together and need to find solutions.
hippygourmet 3 years ago
It will eventually even out. Most of this is caused by people determined to make things the cheapest they possibly can by moving agriculture and manufacturing where they can cheat people out of the most in wages. That way the rich companies stay rich and the poor stay poor. As the price of oil goes up they'll have no choice but to move closer to the place of sale to offset the cost of transport.
blueskip 3 years ago