When the 1908 Ford Model T model debuted, it tipped the scales at around 1,450 pounds. That ain’t much, considering that there are only a handful of cars on the market that weigh 2,500 pounds or less. Cars have gotten heavier over the following century as a result of bigger engines, safety features, and changes in customer tastes. It’s a shame cars didn’t go in the other direction. The benefits of light cars are tremendous to both performance and fuel economy.
The 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show Design Studio is asking the major automakers to come up with a four-person car that weighs less than 1,000 pounds, without sacrificing looks, comfort, or driving performance. Sounds like a tall order.
I really like old cars for their simplicity. Everything was mechanical, there were about five wires, no computers and they tended to weigh less. Of course, they also lack many safety features that make everyday driving survivable. However… if cars on average weighed 1/4 of what they weigh today, many of these bulky safety systems could similarly be toned down, possibly even dismissed altogether.
Still, consumers want their toys inside their cars, and Americans aren’t exactly tiny people, so fitting four of them into a vehicle with spirited driving performance won’t be easy. The contest calls for a maximum weight of no more than 1,500 pounds with four passengers. Expect to see lots of fancy plastics, carbon fiber, and maybe even a lightweight cloth-like material to be used. Just don’t expect such lightweight vehicles to make it into production anytime soon.
Light cars would solve a lot of problems when it comes to fuel efficiency and performance. Could it work in the real world though?
Source: Green Car Advisor
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What about the Avion? I don’t know the weight of it but the designers wanted to go with a light weight car that can get 100+ mpg. They have he record of 113 mpg for a full sized car.
What about the Avion? I don’t know the weight of it but the designers wanted to go with a light weight car that can get 100+ mpg. They have he record of 113 mpg for a full sized car.
Certainly cars have gone up in weight the last 30-40 years. Mainly because of safety and comfort features (e.g. air-condition).
The original VW Golf 1 (1975) was 790kg. Now a Golf 5 (2009) is 1323kg. A 67% increase.
Going forward towards hybrid or fully electrical cars the trend is not going to change, batteries are heavy. Until there comes a break-though in energy/kg for batteries it will not be desirable to have cars driving more than 300-400km on batteries alone – simply because of the added weight. Never mind the cost of the battery pack!
Going ca. 40 years back in time Citroën and Fiat had super light weight car models, classic 2CV: 560kg and Fiat 500: 499kg.
Certainly cars have gone up in weight the last 30-40 years. Mainly because of safety and comfort features (e.g. air-condition).
The original VW Golf 1 (1975) was 790kg. Now a Golf 5 (2009) is 1323kg. A 67% increase.
Going forward towards hybrid or fully electrical cars the trend is not going to change, batteries are heavy. Until there comes a break-though in energy/kg for batteries it will not be desirable to have cars driving more than 300-400km on batteries alone – simply because of the added weight. Never mind the cost of the battery pack!
Going ca. 40 years back in time Citroën and Fiat had super light weight car models, classic 2CV: 560kg and Fiat 500: 499kg.
Rif is right – as long as electric cars have to carry their power sources (batteries) along with them, they’re going to be pigs.
Rif is right – as long as electric cars have to carry their power sources (batteries) along with them, they’re going to be pigs.
1kg is 2.2 lbs. The VW Golf from 1975 would fail the 1,000 pound test by over 700 pounds, the Citroen by over 200 pounds, the Fiat would be close, at 90 pounds over.
I can think of quite a few companies who build for racing who would think nothing of this excercise, and any major automaker could do it easily.
It can be done, and probably has been.
NOW, before someone starts crying about how the car companies are conspiring to keep them from owning these wonderful lightweight cars, let me tell you, the average consumer does not want to spend $20,000 on a car that loud, [sound insulation weighs too much]cramped, and stark.
Some major automakers DO make very light cars, for third-world markets. To make even lighter cars, or to include air bags, crash absorbing structures, catalytic converters, air pumps and other DOT and EPA required stuff would require EXPENSIVE materials, which takes the $5000 mini car up into the range where you ask yourself why you are spending that much money on THAT car.
A 1,000 pound car the US govt won’t approve for import, or your bank won’ finance, or your insurance company won’t cover, doesn’t do you much good.
1kg is 2.2 lbs. The VW Golf from 1975 would fail the 1,000 pound test by over 700 pounds, the Citroen by over 200 pounds, the Fiat would be close, at 90 pounds over.
I can think of quite a few companies who build for racing who would think nothing of this excercise, and any major automaker could do it easily.
It can be done, and probably has been.
NOW, before someone starts crying about how the car companies are conspiring to keep them from owning these wonderful lightweight cars, let me tell you, the average consumer does not want to spend $20,000 on a car that loud, [sound insulation weighs too much]cramped, and stark.
Some major automakers DO make very light cars, for third-world markets. To make even lighter cars, or to include air bags, crash absorbing structures, catalytic converters, air pumps and other DOT and EPA required stuff would require EXPENSIVE materials, which takes the $5000 mini car up into the range where you ask yourself why you are spending that much money on THAT car.
A 1,000 pound car the US govt won’t approve for import, or your bank won’ finance, or your insurance company won’t cover, doesn’t do you much good.
@David
Good comment. Due to safety, pollution control, comfort and COST, it is simply not possible to make modern 4 seater cars weigh <500kg, however <1000kg is a reasonable target.
Nevertheless going below a 500kg limit for a modern car will be the VW 1L at 381kg. A two seater (1+1) narrow diesel car using 1L/100km. VW has committed to build it and demonstrated a prototype at Frankfurt DE car exhibition 2009. If it actually will be released on the market (and not postponed/cancelled), it will likely be very pricey.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkswagen_1-litre_car
@David
Good comment. Due to safety, pollution control, comfort and COST, it is simply not possible to make modern 4 seater cars weigh <500kg, however <1000kg is a reasonable target.
Nevertheless going below a 500kg limit for a modern car will be the VW 1L at 381kg. A two seater (1+1) narrow diesel car using 1L/100km. VW has committed to build it and demonstrated a prototype at Frankfurt DE car exhibition 2009. If it actually will be released on the market (and not postponed/cancelled), it will likely be very pricey.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkswagen_1-litre_car