Rinspeed can always be counted on to push wackiness over the top of the mountain, and for Geneva this year, this strange company is floating the idea of putting electric cars on trains -- you know, so you can take your electric car with you and drive it once you get to your stop. And so I ask myself, would I want to take our long-term Mini E on a commuter train?
And the answer is probably not. So far at least, electric vehicles don't have much personality and aren't that much fun. One seems to be as good as another. I might as well just rent another EV once I get wherever I'm going. It's not like I'll miss the Mini E. Or, I could walk. Or take a taxi.
My other objection to taking a Mini E or a Rinspeed something-or-other with me on a train is that it's just not efficient. I already carry a computer bag, my purse and a sack lunch with me wherever I go -- do I really want to start carrying a whole car as well?
Having a car as a carry-on just gives me more stuff to worry about. And as George Carlin famously argued, the last thing Americans need is more stuff.
Note: I apologize for subjecting you to the world's worst photochop.
Erin Riches, Senior Editor
minie183 says:
07:28 PM, 02/19/10
Au contraire,
I've driven cars for 32 years, pretty nice ones too :)
The Mini-E is the car with the MOST personality I have ever driven. Part of that I am sure is the Mini DNA, but part is the acceleration, the deceleration, the torque and the "funness" of the "oneness" with the car that only electric drive can bring.. that refers to the insantanious inputs of throttle and braking.
I've named Mini-E #183 Buzz.
Never named a car before.
Cheers
Peder
hybris says:
09:29 PM, 02/19/10
Since the EV tech is really new on the market I wouldn't give it a stamp of being bland just yet because its just trying to get off of the ground.
Remember the first gas car weren't Mustangs by any measure for many many years.
tomm250 says:
07:40 AM, 02/20/10
"So far at least, electric vehicles don't have much personality and aren't that much fun"
Aw c'mon Erin. Peder said enough about the MINI-E and my thoughts have been well documented here so I won't say anything about that car, but....the ONLY production EV that is currently available for sale is the Tesla roadster. No personality? Not much fun?
Must have been in a rush to push out a post yesterday. We all have our bad days.
Tom
eidolways says:
10:18 AM, 02/20/10
Would you drive an electric car?
Would you drive it near or far?
Would you drive it in the rain?
Would you drive it on a train?
... Sorry, I had to. Seems a bit like the current intercontinental transport rail between France and Britain on which, as I understand it, you can already take your car. I'm not sure why putting electric cars on the train is something special, unless they're talking about modifying all commuter tail to carry cars. In which case... Wow.
eidolways says:
10:19 AM, 02/20/10
Commuter RAIL, sorry. Not tail.
firstwagon says:
01:07 PM, 02/20/10
I can't see it being worth the trouble and expense. You can't get enough cars on a train to make it worthwhile and even if you could it would take to long to load and unload them at each stop.
Imagine how long at would take at each stop to do a partial load and unload each time.
keijidosha says:
06:59 PM, 02/21/10
I don't know why this would be different from an ICE vehicle. Either way, I agree it's not efficient. I can’t imagine what the charge would be for a car as excess baggage.
Re: “So far at least, electric vehicles don't have much personality and aren't that much fun”, you need to spend more time driving the E.