Another aspect is that fossil fuel cars use just as much electricity as electric cars, it takes a lot of energy to refine crude oil into diesel or petrol.
That argument goes both ways, really.
Making cars, in general, is not a sustainable use of resources.
I have a lot of respect for the engineering and the technologies involved, but at the same time I try to maintain a broader perspective on what the end result gives in return.
Modern society revolves around constantly moving people and products everywhere, it demands an enourmous amount of area, materials, infrastructure, energy.
Having all these vehicles and all the surrounding necessities they bring to the table is not even remotely sustainable.
All these statements are true:
My current everyday life is impossible without a car.
My everyday life would me much easier without a car.
My economic situation would be much better without a car.
I love driving cars, on twisty roads, roaming through the landscape.
Indeed.
No such thing as a car balancing out to a 0 on the scales of environmental impact.
Even if you somehow by majick managed to make a single car that was able to "zero out" on those scales, it would be a completely different piece of math once you start utilizing the necessary infrastructure.
There are already too many people using cars in the world, roads are still being planned and built at a frantic pace, more and bigger roads have never in the history of motorized vehicles resulted in less issues with traffic.
In my little and insignificant corner of the world there is a lot of wide new roads being built, mainly over what little farmland we have, and that farmland is not being replaced. So when building new roads we simultaniously drastically increase dependency on importing food products, further strengthening the trend in favour of increased traffic and infrastructure in other countries, regardless of how insignificant Norway is in the broader picture, I am still very concerned.
No such thing as a car balancing out to a 0 on the scales of environmental impact.
Even if you somehow by majick managed to make a single car that was able to "zero out" on those scales, it would be a completely different piece of math once you start utilizing the necessary infrastructure.
There are already too many people using cars in the world, roads are still being planned and built at a frantic pace, more and bigger roads have never in the history of motorized vehicles resulted in less issues with traffic.
In my little and insignificant corner of the world there is a lot of wide new roads being built, mainly over what little farmland we have, and that farmland is not being replaced. So when building new roads we simultaniously drastically increase dependency on importing food products, further strengthening the trend in favour of increased traffic and infrastructure in other countries, regardless of how insignificant Norway is in the broader picture, I am still very concerned.
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Myself as a semi-retired long time career auto technician, I offer here my thoughts. First off, purchasing a new car is a non-starter considering particular features, needless complexities, reliability, efficiency as a whole & esthetics of style. Now of course vehicle choices are "polluted" with emotion, irrationalities & many other truely human foibles.
Considering just one statistical fact of vehicle ownership...taken as a whole in the U.S. , vehicle occupancy (average of how many people are in the moving car at any one moment in time), that number is One point four five. This occupancy is very close to that of a two-wheeled vehicle (mopeds, scooters & motorcycles)...thus, that seven-seater SUV is rendered utterly wasteful.
For the vast percentage of the time, a two-seater will do just fine.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Rick.....
Considering just one statistical fact of vehicle ownership...taken as a whole in the U.S. , vehicle occupancy (average of how many people are in the moving car at any one moment in time), that number is One point four five. This occupancy is very close to that of a two-wheeled vehicle (mopeds, scooters & motorcycles)...thus, that seven-seater SUV is rendered utterly wasteful.
For the vast percentage of the time, a two-seater will do just fine.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Rick.....
When I read about 2 seaters the Messerschmidt "Kabinenroller" - "Cabin scooter" from 1953 came to my mind.
Would be big enough for me, but well...
Today they have a special charme.
From Wiki:
9 to 10 PS 173 cm-191 cm³ one stroke engine and later a 500cm 2 stroke one.
To drive backwards, the two-stroke engine was started in the reverse direction.
The Messerschmitt was probably the only car with instructions on how to get in:
Getting on:
Getting on and off the cabin scooter is a little different than you are used to with other vehicles.
Before opening the hood, make sure that there is enough space on the right side of the vehicle. Slowly lift the hood and tilt it to the right until the leather strap is taut.
Well, take a seat like this:
swing the seat up
Turn the steering slightly to the right
Place your right foot in the center of the vehicle
take a seat
Put left foot in
Put both feet forward
Only now support yourself with both hands on the sloping side frame tubes and let the seat swivel forward.”
but...
Would be big enough for me, but well...
Today they have a special charme.
From Wiki:
9 to 10 PS 173 cm-191 cm³ one stroke engine and later a 500cm 2 stroke one.
To drive backwards, the two-stroke engine was started in the reverse direction.
The Messerschmitt was probably the only car with instructions on how to get in:
Getting on:
Getting on and off the cabin scooter is a little different than you are used to with other vehicles.
Before opening the hood, make sure that there is enough space on the right side of the vehicle. Slowly lift the hood and tilt it to the right until the leather strap is taut.
Well, take a seat like this:
swing the seat up
Turn the steering slightly to the right
Place your right foot in the center of the vehicle
take a seat
Put left foot in
Put both feet forward
Only now support yourself with both hands on the sloping side frame tubes and let the seat swivel forward.”
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I am somewhat familiar with this post-war German vehicle, the early "aerodynamic influences" readily apperant. The high air pollution values, the "crash vulnerabilities" would render it as a plain old curiosity to own. On the modern front, the electric Aptera seems to be a very forward thinking choice.
On a personal note, my favorite two-seater is the old Pontiac Fiero...I had one in about 2001, it was the original early body style, an 85 with the weakly powered 2.5 liter four, mated to a five speed. For me, it "checked all the boxes".
No doubt there are countless examples of obscure & common two-seaters the world over.
Funny, one of the "downfalls" of the Fiero was it being just a two-seater....and those individuals once railing your two-seater, turn around & leave you...by hopping in their four-door, four-seater, alone as you wave bye bye.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Rick...
On a personal note, my favorite two-seater is the old Pontiac Fiero...I had one in about 2001, it was the original early body style, an 85 with the weakly powered 2.5 liter four, mated to a five speed. For me, it "checked all the boxes".
No doubt there are countless examples of obscure & common two-seaters the world over.
Funny, one of the "downfalls" of the Fiero was it being just a two-seater....and those individuals once railing your two-seater, turn around & leave you...by hopping in their four-door, four-seater, alone as you wave bye bye.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Rick...
The Aptera looks very interesting, though I do not think that would be possible to use that car at all here in Norway.
Would be a nightmare with those wheel covers in the snow, and there are no windscreen vipers, imaging having to go out every few meters to remove slush or snow. I suspect it may also be missing a heater or preferably heat pump system to care of both passengers and battery.
Seems like a very idealistic design, built on pure idealistic principles. Sad to say it is most likely absolutely useless in real life.
The Twizy is probably the lowest scale of what can be driven here, but the Honda E would be a better choice, because range drops like a rock in winter conditions and it would be nice to get home from work and not just drive there one morning and stay at the office permanently.
If there was a Twizy with better range then it could be an option. 200km in summer and hopefully around 120km in winter is bare minimum.
Just saw that Messerschmitt is building cabin scooters again, this time as 4-stroke injectors or as electric drive.
Well, at least they'll be marketed under that name again, have one windshield wiper and lift a leg when cornering.
Same feature as many of those three-wheeled tin toy cars.
Asking price for a basic version of this gem starts at 14K €, without the 3K € roof, without the additional heater...
Two Twizys would we a better choice.
Given the charging infrastructure here and other convenience circumstances, just now, I am rather for a hybrid drive in
conventional vehicle form. A new Corolla hybrid should be available today for about ~30K €.
Fortunately, such a decision is not yet pending for me and who knows what the near future will bring.
Well, at least they'll be marketed under that name again, have one windshield wiper and lift a leg when cornering.
Same feature as many of those three-wheeled tin toy cars.
Asking price for a basic version of this gem starts at 14K €, without the 3K € roof, without the additional heater...
Two Twizys would we a better choice.
Given the charging infrastructure here and other convenience circumstances, just now, I am rather for a hybrid drive in
conventional vehicle form. A new Corolla hybrid should be available today for about ~30K €.
Fortunately, such a decision is not yet pending for me and who knows what the near future will bring.
My 73 Super beetle gets 30+ MPG, is peppy with it's 90HP custom engine, and runs dual Weber IDF type carburetors. It's been reliable and has some custom seats and suspension work so it handles great and is comfortable. All the resources that went into its original factory creation have been clawed out of the guts of the earth half a century ago. I feel better about my environmental impact comparing it to the fact that nearly every car in my neighborhood is an SUV or truck, or pseudo-muscle car with a big thirsty V8.
It's crazy to think that this car turned fifty this month (10/72 production date) and still does everything it was marketed to do, and more. Still getting daily driven and I've personally put 70,000 miles on it in the time I've owned it.
Ignore the Hummer, that's the cousin's abomination
Our other car is a 2007 VW Jetta 2.5, and although it's nice I have no desire to buy anything newer. End of the era of user-serviceable cars in my opinion.
It's crazy to think that this car turned fifty this month (10/72 production date) and still does everything it was marketed to do, and more. Still getting daily driven and I've personally put 70,000 miles on it in the time I've owned it.
Ignore the Hummer, that's the cousin's abomination
Our other car is a 2007 VW Jetta 2.5, and although it's nice I have no desire to buy anything newer. End of the era of user-serviceable cars in my opinion.
Sorry, the Beetle was too entrenched in the Thirties "school of Engineering Design", for example...The door latches are not of a "captured latch" design, doors flew open in the most sedate of accidents, spilling its occupants out. The doors themselves way too fragile, too thin to provide any sort of protrusion protection. The vestigal "running boards", common along the likes of the Model A era is hilarious...& their deletion would have added space to design a wider & more spacious interior, without increasing overall width. Their are many more such "old" concepts of design.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Rick...
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Rick...
We grew up with several air cooled Volkswagens; ‘55 bug (w/semaphores), ‘68 fastback, ‘63 Bus w/camper conversion, ‘67 Bus camper, ‘73 Squareback, ‘68 Bus camper. Great memories!
I had wanted to find an early Bus a few years ago, but just couldn’t do it, considering how impractical a vehicle it would be to drive in my area (safety concern).
Daughter just bought a 2012 Beetle, is an interesting car, but definitely not the same as the older ones.
I had wanted to find an early Bus a few years ago, but just couldn’t do it, considering how impractical a vehicle it would be to drive in my area (safety concern).
Daughter just bought a 2012 Beetle, is an interesting car, but definitely not the same as the older ones.
Unfortunately that poorly built Beetle couldn't save Bob's life and so he passed away at only 70 back in 2011.
Ironically he wrote a book by name How to Drive into Accidents - And How Not to, once upon a time he and NS held a seminar here in Helsinki in late 90's which I attended, I happened to receive a signed copy of that book from him, quite a spectacular man in person, and very nice.
Ironically he wrote a book by name How to Drive into Accidents - And How Not to, once upon a time he and NS held a seminar here in Helsinki in late 90's which I attended, I happened to receive a signed copy of that book from him, quite a spectacular man in person, and very nice.
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Very different.
Heavier (mostly increased security I guess), no boxer engine, higher centre of gravity, front wheel drive.
I guess if we sum up the most major differences the end sum will be: Less fun.
Edit:
The Ariel Hipercar looks much more interesting, sort of like if the old Batmobile humped a Beetle and it resulted in an offspring. Electric AND a Jet turbine, what's not to like?
https://www.arielmotor.co.uk/hipercar-is-go/
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Safer than a motorcycle
It's far from the perfect car, but I love them. Many of the problems inherent to the design were addressed in the later years, but the collectors turn up their nose to anything made after 66-67.
My previous was a 61 Beetle, that was totaled in an accident (debris in the road, long story). the 73 Super Beetle that I drive now is a far better car in almost every way. Comfort, handling, dash/controls, noise, trunk space, etc. The macpherson strut design is a huge improvement over the earlier beetle front suspension.
Still, I'm very conscious of the fact that I drive a fifty year old car and make an effort to drive as safe as possible when I'm on the road. If safety was my primary concern I'd be in a nineties Volvo wagon.
About twice the weight and 5 times the power!
And a much, much better chance of living in the unfortunate event of an accident.