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Auto Fetish
The
Plugged-in Fetish Auto Show
The Greater LA AutoShow
2005
By Jeffrey the Barak
Published January 2005
Do electric cars have to
be boring mutations of golf carts? Not if they
are made in Monaco and cost more than, well almost
anything.
One shining star at this
year's Greater Los Angeles Auto Show is the Venturi
Fetish. If this two-seater, rear-drive roadster
doesn't catch your eye too quickly, the sound
from the nearby giant video screen surely will.
This car is no gasoline hybrid, it's all battery
and motor tucked into a beautiful carbon fiber
shell.
This is a car that emits
a sound as beautiful as a Lambourghini growl,
but completely different, and if you live somewhere
that gets it's electricity from solar or hydroelectric
power stations, it's a nonpolluting vehicle.
It accelerates from 0-60MPH
in 4.35 seconds and reaches a top speed of a respectable
105.6MPH, while achieving a range of 217 miles
between charges. Charging under 80 Amps takes
3.5 hours, and charging slowly under 16 Amps takes
16.5 hours, but extends the life of the power
packs.
The car is available in
California for around $337,500 plus taxes etc.,
which is not exactly affordable, but if you want
to own today's most amazing electric vehicle,
that's the price you have to pay.
Another noteworthy electric
car has a footprint smaller than some touring
motorcycles. The Tango by Commuter Cars Corporation
looks as if it might tip over, but they have demonstrated
that it never does by having their vice-president
Bryan Woodbury tear around a road coarse that
could tip a go-cart.
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According to CCC,
"With over 1,000 ft-lbs. of torque,
the Tango can accelerate to over 130MPH
in one gear. Without needing an energy robbing
transmission or differential, it accelerates
from zero to 60MPH in about 4 seconds and
finishes the standing quarter mile in about
12 seconds at over 100MPH"
The $85,000 T600 carbon
fiber Tango is hardly cheap, but the makers
claim the price becomes zero over time as
there's no fuel to buy, time is saved in
heavy traffic by lane-splitting, and it
can be parked as a motorcycle, facing right
towards or away from the curb. Future production
models may go for $85,000 (the T200) and
$18,700, (the T100), but the T100 will not
feature the insane performance of the racy
T600.
Of all the cars on
display at this year's show, only two were
electric and fast. They have taken very
different routes to this unique place.
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Jeffrey the Barak
5th January 2005
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