Mercedes gets it. To get more range out of EV's, it's not about putting in bigger and bigger batteries. It's all about efficiency.

 

 

Amazing!

Wow. can I get that in my ID.4 next week please? 

they stole the back end shape from an A7, but other than that its pretty cool!

Leighter weight cars, better aerodynamics (why are most EV SUV shaped), better efficiency and maybe nick that 2 speed gearbox from Porsche.

My dream car is the Aptera.

Sort of combines a couple of my life experiences: so imagine my first car which was an Isetta 3 wheel bubblecar modified to encompass the extreme aerodynamics and seating position of one of my early passions which was gliding.

 

Not a production car as yet,  only being offered as a kit car and no rhd version mentioned, but I just love the principles behind it.

 

 

Efficiency is key, as explained on FullyCharged:

 

 

@wyx087,  I have to agree with you about the importance of efficiency.

Pre covid there a was biennial solar car race from Darwin to Adelaide where I occasionally went to view the 'cars' at the finish. Remarkable vehicles but no real practicality at all, a bit like Formula 1 cars. 

It is great that one of best of those competing teams has applied the lessons and tech into a demonstrably practical vehicle.

Certainly would be great where I live in Adelaide Australia (about the same latitude as Southern Spain), so potentially lots of sun. 

 

One of the first EVs that was available here was the Mitsubishi i-Miev (2010), which was a small kei car with a small battery and relatively low range.

It looked fairly futuristic for the time and semi-aero but I was appalled to learn that the drag coefficient was 0.38 which explained a lot why it was reported to be so inefficient on an out of town run.

To demonstrate how bad that is my 2003 Toyota Echo has a claimed cd of 0.30 and that is with the drag from ICE radiators and a short stubby body.

It is a real disappointment that so many manufacturers currently produce truly inefficient EVs and rely on big expensive batteries to achieve a usable range.

 

They got it right with the Mitsubishi I-Miev.   

As they get older & there is battery health reduces they get lighter as they rust away.

 

We know Aberdeen is not on the West Coast...

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 1 July, 20223 yr by roottoot

Very unusual for cars to show any rust in Adelaide (low humidity and rainfall) unless they are parked permanently outside next to the sea so a 10 year old I-Miev is unlikely to have that problem here.

My primary concern with a 10 yo I-Miev would be what condition the battery is in, and how much to replace (someone in Western Australia is asking $2000 for a 2011 year battery with 70 km range when last used)

Other than that a suitable urban runabout if you can get hold of one.