It’s easy to make a 100mpg car. All you need is to make it small, flimsy, no aircon, no heater, no stereo, no airbags, toss emissions standards out, pack you in like a snake going up a bear’s anus, and drive around at a steady 25 mph without any stops.
Idk, Dutch micro cars are pretty comfortable. They’re quieter, safer for pedestrians, and environmentally friendly. Had a chance to use one last time I was in the Netherlands. The American mindset of “it has to be a giga-truck or it’s bad” really sucks.
They’re cute but very niche. They’re very expensive for what they are, those weird plastic folding windows are not fully waterproof, and the ami generally inferior to a scooter in every way except safety kinda. It’s not like it can carry more than a large grocery bag anyway.
Owning that car really tells a complete story: “I am a 16/17 yo suburbanite so I can’t get my license yet, daddy/mommy is tired of driving me to school, my wealthy parents won’t let me ride a moped because it’s too dangerous, and riding a bicycle or the bus isn’t even an option for someone of my social standing”.
Unsurprisingly, it’s not been selling particularly well. Which is a good thing, because what cities need is more micromobility solutions not cars cosplaying as micromobility.
I was leaning more on the “I am a 30/40 yo city worker who lives in a small village with no train station and poor bus service. I don’t have kids, but like weekend getaways with my partner and this car speaks to my meagre price range and eco sensibilities.”
I got to see one at a Stellantis exhibition here in the US! Although they won’t be sold here, so IDK why they brought them to a US event. They’re such neat little cars.
No, that’s pretty much what I mean. I’m having trouble finding references to the gas milage of the Canta, but Kei cars tend to max out around 60mpg, and the Canta is only a bit smaller. I also found plenty of posts from locals saying it’s loud, uncomfortable, and unsafe.
The Peel P50 can get close to 100mpg, but that’s pushing what a person can even fit in. This sort of thing is pushing into “why not get a moped?” territory.
The original Honda Insight from 2001 got 68 highway, 60 city. And it had all the goodies you’d want in a “modern” car like airbags, aircon, heat, 2 relatively roomy seats, etc. Close to the Doodlebug’s best possible mpg with twice the passengers.
Unfortunately, after 20 years of improvement in auto design, material science, etc, the new Honda Insight in 2022 actually has notably worse city /highway mpg from the original, because it’s so much bigger.
I guess my point is all the innovation in the world won’t fix the fundamental problem that people want bigger and bigger cars?
Auto manufacturers want bigger and bigger vehicles, and they’ve done an excellent job of convincing the masses that they aren’t safe without one, or a man, or they’ll look poor. Most people I’d wager if given the proper knowledge and experience wouldn’t want to drive a huge lumbering land whale, they’ve just been told their entire life that they do.
It’s easy to make a 100mpg car. All you need is to make it small, flimsy, no aircon, no heater, no stereo, no airbags, toss emissions standards out, pack you in like a snake going up a bear’s anus, and drive around at a steady 25 mph without any stops.
Idk, Dutch micro cars are pretty comfortable. They’re quieter, safer for pedestrians, and environmentally friendly. Had a chance to use one last time I was in the Netherlands. The American mindset of “it has to be a giga-truck or it’s bad” really sucks.
I’m in love with the Citroen Ami
I mean just look at this little guy. If I had ovaries, they’d be popping right now.
They’re cute but very niche. They’re very expensive for what they are, those weird plastic folding windows are not fully waterproof, and the ami generally inferior to a scooter in every way except safety kinda. It’s not like it can carry more than a large grocery bag anyway.
Owning that car really tells a complete story: “I am a 16/17 yo suburbanite so I can’t get my license yet, daddy/mommy is tired of driving me to school, my wealthy parents won’t let me ride a moped because it’s too dangerous, and riding a bicycle or the bus isn’t even an option for someone of my social standing”.
Unsurprisingly, it’s not been selling particularly well. Which is a good thing, because what cities need is more micromobility solutions not cars cosplaying as micromobility.
I was leaning more on the “I am a 30/40 yo city worker who lives in a small village with no train station and poor bus service. I don’t have kids, but like weekend getaways with my partner and this car speaks to my meagre price range and eco sensibilities.”
I got to see one at a Stellantis exhibition here in the US! Although they won’t be sold here, so IDK why they brought them to a US event. They’re such neat little cars.
No, that’s pretty much what I mean. I’m having trouble finding references to the gas milage of the Canta, but Kei cars tend to max out around 60mpg, and the Canta is only a bit smaller. I also found plenty of posts from locals saying it’s loud, uncomfortable, and unsafe.
The Peel P50 can get close to 100mpg, but that’s pushing what a person can even fit in. This sort of thing is pushing into “why not get a moped?” territory.
The original Honda Insight from 2001 got 68 highway, 60 city. And it had all the goodies you’d want in a “modern” car like airbags, aircon, heat, 2 relatively roomy seats, etc. Close to the Doodlebug’s best possible mpg with twice the passengers.
Unfortunately, after 20 years of improvement in auto design, material science, etc, the new Honda Insight in 2022 actually has notably worse city /highway mpg from the original, because it’s so much bigger.
I guess my point is all the innovation in the world won’t fix the fundamental problem that people want bigger and bigger cars?
Auto manufacturers want bigger and bigger vehicles, and they’ve done an excellent job of convincing the masses that they aren’t safe without one, or a man, or they’ll look poor. Most people I’d wager if given the proper knowledge and experience wouldn’t want to drive a huge lumbering land whale, they’ve just been told their entire life that they do.
But it’s hard to make such a car street-legal in the US.