She started at 18 months! It came with one. I disabled it. Limited to the traction control in the video. Lots of people miss the space-ship sound. Yup. The EV1 was our first electric, and our second car at the time was a Honda Civic. A GASOLINE Honda Civic. That car has become the Prius today. Well, I still consider the Prius a smoker, that's for certain. But right now it is the best I can do for our rarely-used, long-distance vehicle. Check my YouTube account for "We Choose to Drive Electric" and a couple of others that show the charging of the Rav.
Hi Darell... thanks for all the great EV info. I wanted to get your take on the Aptera. I just started reading up on that car. What are your thoughts? I guess until they start selling them it's hard to truly judge it. I have high hopes for them to start making the cars later this year. Seems like a really great EV. If you didn't have your current EV's would you consider trying to get one (if and when the are for sale?) thanks! -Peter
Hi Peter - My thoughts on Aptera: No way in heck did I think this thing would ever be real when I first heard of it. And now here we are, seeing it in the flesh. Amazing. I have issues with out-rigger wheels, and the shear outside dimensions of the thing! It is huge, though it looks small. Would be tough to fit in my garage. It has a lot going for it! Light and aerodynamic, and just stuffed with neat gizmos! For my needs, a 2-seater just wouldn't cut the mustard, unfortunately. We loved our EV1, but we could only use it for commuting. The Rav4EV we can use for EVERYTHING, and our next EV will need to seat at least four. If I were just going to use it to commute, I'd likely be all over the Aptera.
Thanks for posting, very nicely done. I moved to SoCal as a new grad EE in 1998. Wish I had been a little smarter about things back then, missed being in the right place at the right time to have "owned" one of these amazing cars. Rob
Sheez almighty, I don't know what planet I was on when this thread got posted, but I missed it somehow. Anyway, thanks big 'D' for the pic's as I know you've already said that you "don't know" about puttin' too much EV stuff here . . . . but perish the thought! BTW, how well (if at all) do you think my 6'-5" lanky carcass would fit in the iMiev ? (drool drool)
Hill - I'm actually a bit surprised to see that many folks have missed it. 6-5... you're a big guy! All I can say is that the iMiEV is about the most hread room I can remember in a sedan. Certainly more than the front of the Prius. If you fit the Prius, I can't imagine you NOT fitting in the iMiEV.
a big guy ... indeed! ... yet tiny in stature On a happy note, the existing proto's are not the final item. The width of the out-rigger wheels ... as the design team told us (during the San Diego Event they did a couple weeks ago) will be pulled in a few inches ... and the low slug belly/cab will be raised up too, so it won't be smacking speed bumps, or end up getting high centered. There's only 1,400 or so on the wait list in front of me ... so whether I get the Imiev or the Aptera turns on which gets offered up first. VERY nice hearing that I'll fit in either! Too bad GM's EV1 ads weren't as 'striking' as Aptera seems to know how to do ads ~ but maybe it's just me ... and folks liked watching dancing toasters & blenders in front of the EV1 ... rather than chicks wearing skirts ala private school. Toasters & blenders? That's almost as creepy as using ME to sell EV1's. Then again ... Chevy ads never showed the Tahoe sitting by a gas pump, or a Pontiac in front of a box of tools ... it was usually a hot chick in front of GM products. hmmm why can't I reconcile that?
Seriously! I felt awkward at the Detroit show whenever he would stand next to me. I'm not used to someone being so much taller than me. Well to be fair my best friend is 6'5" but 290lbs so he seems shorter thanHill.
*You* felt awkward? That's a temporary thing! Poor Hill has to deal with his crazy height every day. Probably bonks his head a lot too.
Well if it is an consolation, I felt perfectly comfortable talking with Hill, in fact talking with anyone at PCD.
ok at PCD, first time i saw "hill", my thought "that would not be a hill in my neck of the woods... definitely a mountain!"
I don't think I met Hill at PCD. What did he look like? Wait a minute. I recall seeing a pair of knees... Tom
It seems a nice party you've had at PCD. I envy "patsparks" heart to travel half the world to meet you there. Perhaps when Toyota releases the Plug-in revision...