I was really into the Aptera out of California...and received email updates up until 2012, then they stopped sending them and there is no internet site for them anymore.
Glad I didn't send in the 5g's to help on start-up


http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=OrQqCLRXl2w
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/aptera-hybrid.htm



Found this on Aptera information:

Aptera Motors, Inc. Key Developments


Aptera Motors, Inc. Lays Off 30 of its Employees

Dec 3 2011

Aptera Motors, Inc. is closing after failing to woo enough investors to bring a new sedan to market. Aptera official said the Carlsbad closed its doors on Dec. 2, and laid off all 30 of its employees.

Yeah, the Aptera quoted like 500mpg (equivalent) because of electic motor.
The version I was going to reserve was the electric with a hybrid gas motor (small generator motor) to extend it to 800mpg (equivalent).

But this has a three cylinder motor (not yet built) and either manual or auto tranny (price difference) and two person seating with no trunk space (easily fixed with an overhead rack of some sort).

Also sounds like they still are awaiting some of the laws required to liscense this thing in the US to be passed in some states. So it might be illegal to drive this thing in some states without a helmet even though you have a roof over your head.

I saved the homepage as a "favorite" and "liked" the facebook page.... I am keeping an eye on this company and hope it does not fold like the Aptera one, the wife really does need a new car and she kinda likes this thing.

Here is a mock up the engine thy plan to produce.
It's built by Altair,  a supplier of engine parts to 14 major manufactures.
Hopefully by Mid-January 2014 they will have a decent prototype to show the media. Could be a sensation. Like the iPhone.

Yet another competitor in the electric enclosed vehicle race is

http://litmotors.com/c1/

This thing is really cool.... but is going to be costly at first, unless eco-tax breaks knock it down some.

A U-Tube video with engineer describing internals and chipsets ect...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlLV1ZPdB9A

I like the lit one also, but those gyro's have to take up a lot of battery juice, and in the video you could hear how noisy they were.

Maybe use a slow retract small wheeled balance leveler system that engages at below 10 mph (there is a company that makes them for motorcycles, I think they are called "stop assist" or  "balance assist") so the gyro's could shut down at stops to save energy and maybe freewheel spin for easy stop and goes.

Wrote to lit about it... lets see what the engineers say.

in my opinion just a strange concept car. that photo looks, cut along the Audi TT. can of course a good thing, but I don't like

This video is great fun...