New Hybrid Vehicle Seats 0
At last, fuel-efficiency reaches its logical conclusion in the new Gaia.
Honda’s new ultra- efficient hybrid vehicle was unveiled at the Tokyo Auto Show on Thursday, posting the best- ever fuel mileage for a car in its class, an eye- popping 195 mpg (82 kpl). The car achieves the truly amazing number by a combination of unconventional materials, a powerplant that combines a hyper-efficient 1.2L 4-cyl engine with with a high-output barium-titanate ultracapacitor, and a cabin that seats zero.
The Honda Gaia is expected to be released sometime in mid-2009 and is being touted as the first car that is “a love letter to Mother Earth.”
“We tried to throw out every tired ‘conventional’ expectation of an automobile and really start fresh from the tires up,” said Larry Jacobs of Honda Motor Corporation. He said that this meant re-asking the most basic questions like:
- Does a reverse gear really help you get where you want to be, or just where you’ve already been?
- Don’t brakes just get in the way of what cars are for: going?
- Aren’t cabbage leaves way lighter than steel plates?
- Couldn’t we make our car more efficient by cutting out the 347lb weight of some corpulent, grease- sweating lardpump American who should probably be doing a little more bike riding and a little less midnight driving to Taco Bell for “Fourth Meal?
Sadly, outdated DOT regulations wouldn’t allow the designers to eliminate the reverse gear or the brakes or replace the body panels with coleslaw, but it turned out there was nothing stopping them from jettisoning the superfluous driver and passengers from their monument to environmental consciousness.
Designers also boasted that the 1/2 cubic foot storage compartment in back will be increased to a whopping 3/4 cuft in the production version.
“Never before has a car been designed that first and foremost serves the environment we live in,” said Jacobs. “You want to save the planet? You’re going to need a Gaia. You want to kill polar bears—- or actually go somewhere—-
Although Toyota’s spokespeople wouldn’t admit it, the Honda unveiling proved a real embarrassment for Honda’s largest competitor. It was clear from hastily- made changes to Toyota’s lavish trade- show booth that they, too, had intended a high profile roll-out at the show. But clearly they had been let down by their designers. [Production delays in Toyota’s troublesome ultra- hybrid have been the subject of many previous reports on Point Five, where we were the first to reveal spy pictures of the sleek, efficient design, which consisted of two shoulder straps and a cardboard box with wheels Sharpied on the side.]
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May 9th, 2008 at 5:07 am
That’s funny. Can it hold a rabbit?
May 9th, 2008 at 10:56 pm
As to me I would never drive this car!
August 31st, 2008 at 2:27 pm
That was a very witty article attacking the crazyness of the green machine which often jumps backwards to go forwards
September 9th, 2008 at 5:33 am
There is now way this car should be compared to the Chevy Volt.
Being that the Volt plugs in, under ideal normal everyday commutes of less than 40 miles you will never have to put gas in it.
It is a completely different concept.
A vehicle that does not have to depend on fossils fuels at all is the ultimate solution to our current foreign oil dilemma.
Even at the heftier price, byt the 3rd year of production, the volt will out sell both of these hybrid models combined.
September 9th, 2008 at 1:07 pm
10 ways to save gas…
I found your site in a search and I like it…I gave it a fave for you, I’ll be checking back…..
September 15th, 2008 at 4:35 am
I say this car rocks! At least car manufacturers are being more enviro conscious. Thanks to Honda! ..btw you have a great site!..cool article..continue the good work!
September 18th, 2008 at 6:50 pm
Wow. That pic looks very futuristic. I love the design of the newer hybrid cars.
October 2nd, 2008 at 11:45 am
Seats “0″ AND gets 195 miles per gallon? Heck yeah! Where do I sign up? Pretty funny stuff. Thanks for the amusement!