Antro Solo gas-electric hybrid promises 150 mpg

While there's no word on any plans to enter it into the Automotive X-Prize, it looks like the Antro Solo gas-electric hybrid here would at least be able to hold its own against the competition, with it promising to hit upwards of 150 miles per gallon on the highway. That takes a slight dip to a still impressive 117 mpg in city driving though, while the car's top speed clocks in at a decent 87 miles per hour. To hit those numbers, the company took a couple of extra steps beyond the usual gas-electric hybrids, including putting some solar cells on the car's roof to help charge the battery, and some pedals on the inside to keep it juiced up when the sun goes down. The fact that the entire car weighs less than 600 pounds doesn't hurt either. As you might have guessed, however, the car is still a ways away from rolling off the production line, but the company says it expects to get it out the door by 2012, when you'll supposedly be able to pick one up for $18,000.

[Via Inhabitat]

[Mycroft @ Jun 24th 2008 2:06PM]

Pedals?

Fred, your car is ready.

[Fr3d_Fl1ntst0n3.5000AD @ Jun 24th 2008 2:47PM]

yabba dabba do

[rock99rock @ Jun 24th 2008 3:25PM]

AD Fred?

[gad get @ Jun 24th 2008 10:10PM]

I think most cars have pedals inside, don't they?

[phanbouy @ Jun 24th 2008 2:07PM]

Queue 17 gas-guzzler owners to say "ZOMG its eteh uGLyz!"

[Lowest Ranked @ Jun 24th 2008 2:55PM]

Omg, its ugly.

[phanbouy @ Jun 24th 2008 3:27PM]

ok.. so i was a little off, so far it's only about 5.

but seriously... someone else wanna take a stab at a design that gets 150 mpg, 87mph top speed and costs less than $20K? go ahead, make our day

[jason51873 @ Jun 25th 2008 7:45PM]

Actually - its a great design. Whats ugly is the big square box with 30" chrome wheels and $10,000 in gawdy chrome accents.

If you think this thing is ugly you probably drive a F250 or a Dodge Ram so what do you know about design anyways.

[David Z. @ Jun 24th 2008 4:34PM]

It's "cue", not "queue".

[CosterMonger @ Jun 25th 2008 10:19AM]

@David Z.

you should change your handle

queue

[Malikye @ Jun 24th 2008 2:09PM]

i think at 600 lbs, that car might get blown off the highway if a large semi-truck was on the other side of the highway going about 70 mph

[phanbouy @ Jun 24th 2008 2:11PM]

just like every day you see motorcycles with a higher center of gravity blown off into orbit, right?

[Flashpoint @ Jun 24th 2008 2:12PM]

If its aerodynamic enough the wind would blow right over it.

I THINK THE REAL PROBLEM TO WORRY ABOUT IS ROLLOVER.

[phanbouy @ Jun 24th 2008 2:15PM]

Flashpoint, how many different drugs are in your bloodstream today? How in sam hell could you even try to roll over something that short that only goes to 85mph?

[Seminole @ Jun 24th 2008 2:22PM]

Phanbouy,

You could push it off sideways down a cliff

[Windzilla @ Jun 24th 2008 3:02PM]

i'll bet it glides around on soap bubbles

[james @ Jun 24th 2008 5:23PM]

i don't understand the $18,000 price.

Weighs 600lbs so it's using just a fraction of the steel and materials normal 3,000 lbs cars use, and getting 150mpg means it's probably using a $100 retail 5hp lawnmower engine for power, so exactly why should this thing cost as much as a real car when it's just a glorified recumbent bicycle?

[josh @ Jun 24th 2008 5:41PM]

um, no..... its so low to the ground, you'd probably not feel it at all.

[CraigJ @ Jun 24th 2008 6:45PM]

@James: made entirely out of carbon fiber.

There you go.

[Chris Macdonald @ Jun 25th 2008 10:45AM]

@james

lawnmower engines are about 9x less efficient than normal engines i believe

[rock99rock @ Jun 24th 2008 2:10PM]

150mpg.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=150mpg&btnG=Google+Search

Alot of concepts. Alot.

Where's the follow through?

[rock99rock @ Jun 24th 2008 2:13PM]

Some better pictures, with the solar cells on top:

http://www.inhabitat.com/2008/06/24/transportation-tuesday-antro-solo-gets-150mpg/

[DB @ Jun 24th 2008 2:52PM]

"Alot" is not a word.
I do believe you mean "A lot."

[rock99rock @ Jun 24th 2008 2:55PM]

No sir, you are wrong. I am from Texas.

[DB @ Jun 24th 2008 2:56PM]

You sir are dumber than a box of rocks.
haha.

[applefan @ Jun 24th 2008 3:02PM]

You guys are weird.

"I'm from Texas."
"You're dumber than a box of rocks."

[rock99rock @ Jun 24th 2008 3:02PM]

How DARE you bring my mother into this.

[Technex @ Jun 24th 2008 6:32PM]

This post-thread ftw.... :D

[Dr. Cain @ Jun 24th 2008 2:10PM]

Kind of looks like something out of the game Syndicate

[jason @ Jun 24th 2008 2:11PM]

they should call it..."The Bullet"

[thedesolate1 @ Jun 24th 2008 2:47PM]

"The Vibrating Bullet" I dont think it will do well in rough terrain and snow being so low to the ground....

[Ace b @ Jun 24th 2008 10:17PM]

If they called it "The Vibrating Bullet",and if a dude bought this and he had a gf,he would either never see his car again,or his girl would always say"you'll never be as good as the car" whenever he didnt perform the greatest...

So...Clak,You better make sure you dont ever buy this thing,or your out of a gf and a car.

[Alex P. @ Jun 24th 2008 2:12PM]

Why do they bother to make these cars into such unrealistic designs? The Th!nk Ox is what I would like, and supposedly its coming to the States early next year.

Th!nk Ox:
http://gas2.org/2008/06/23/thnk-ox-an-electric-car-with-style-and-smarts/

- 0 - 60 in 8.5 seconds
- 125 - 155 miles on a single charge
- 80% charge in less than an hour
- Solar panel on roof charges the radio, nav system, instrument panel, and air conditioning, even when the car is parked and off.

(I realize i'm comparing an all electric car to a electric/gas mix car.)

[Ray-- @ Jun 24th 2008 2:33PM]

look at the pics rock99 posted of the car... its not as narrow as the pic they posted here...i think that was taken with a fish-eye... it actually looks pretty awesome imo!

[rock99rock @ Jun 24th 2008 2:45PM]

I dont know who deleted "Ray" 's comment, but he was right. The angle of the picture/lens used for the image used above does the vehicle no justice.

On another note, the Th!nk Ox is what i have in my sights. That vehicle fits the bill of what i want in my next car. (all electric, and not the size of a hot-wheel). Unfortunately, the Ox will not arrive until 2010/11, but their "City" car is what ships early next year.

[rock99rock @ Jun 24th 2008 2:54PM]

The Comment Gnome strikes again!!

I like being a beta tester for engadgets' comment system.

[phanbouy @ Jun 24th 2008 2:13PM]

phill, the only scandal is that your mama didn't abort you

[Adoniteking @ Jun 24th 2008 2:13PM]

GOTHAM BREAKING NEWS: the batcar goes green!!

[Krush @ Jun 24th 2008 3:12PM]

you mean - they just rolled out a car for Robin?

[gad get @ Jun 24th 2008 10:19PM]

"Batcar"?

[Adoniteking @ Jun 25th 2008 3:51AM]

batmobile :)

[Starnerf @ Jun 24th 2008 2:15PM]

At 600 lbs, does it meet the necessary safety requirements?

[Mike @ Jun 24th 2008 2:25PM]

It weights more than most motorcycles, so I don't see why it wouldn't be heavy enough for DOT.

80% of the cars that people drive should be like this. The cars we drive today are silly. So much metal and fuel to carry around someone that usually weights under 200 pounds. Cars should not be so much heavier than motorcycles -- you don't need to increase the weight by over 10 fold just to be able to store some luggage or carry two additional passengers.

[Dorf @ Jun 24th 2008 2:54PM]

Mike,
You can't compare the safety standards of motorcycles to cars. They are not the same. Cars have to meet all these crash standards and stuff. A 600 lb car may not cut it.

[JD @ Jun 24th 2008 3:13PM]

If they make it run on 3 wheels instead of 4, then they don't have to meet automobile safety requirements that cars have to meet. Take away a wheel and roll out the deathtrap!

[Marcela @ Jun 24th 2008 2:18PM]

It looks like a capsule...or something... but I guess someone might like.. there is room for all kind of tastes right? Besides you only need to fit one big celeb inside it and most people would buy...

Maybe they have in pink? Or purple? Should be an interesting look to save the planet with

[NHAnimator @ Jun 24th 2008 2:22PM]

Forgot what comedian said it, but..."I'll buy a hybrid vehicle when they stop making them look like gay UFO's".

[thatrotierkid @ Jun 24th 2008 2:29PM]

probably larry the cable guy as hes the only comedian dumb and redneck enough to make that statement... it was probably also from 1992...

[phanbouy @ Jun 24th 2008 2:33PM]

that's kinda ironic because although Hummer drivers are compensating for small johnsons, this here eco-car looks as phallic as any car i've ever seen. so, in a really ironic way, you're iconically advertising your manhood while the pink willied middle managers with overextended credit continue to drive giant steel vaginas.

[thatrotierkid @ Jun 24th 2008 2:27PM]

you know 7 years ago when i was 13 that message would have made my day however, she and i have both grown up a bit, me for the better and her for the worse