Just as I was complaining about there not being any hybrids that I'd buy, here I've stumbled upon one by accident. It's called "The Attack" and it's a hybrid supercar with over 300 hp developed from a AC electric motor powering the front wheels and a 1.9L VW TDi biodiesel powering the rears. The batteries powering the electric motor act as capacitors able to discharge a lot of energy in short bursts, enough for 0-60 runs in the sub 4-second range. Under normal driving conditions the car is powered by the biodiesel engine and achieves 50mpg.
And the best part is, this super-hybrid didn't come from the Big 3 or some obscure Euro supercar maker, "The Attack" is the work of the West Philadelphia High School Electric Vehicle Team - a group of 6 high school, YES, high school kids. Mad props to these kids for giving a new meaning to "pimpin' my ride". WORD.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Jay @ Dec 18th 2005 11:16PM
That's cool...the Attack is actually a Slovakian kit car from K-1 that normally uses a Honda Accord chassis and drivetrain...I'd heard about it before, but I'd not heard about anyone trying to adapt it for hybrid purposes, which is a pretty neat idea. I'm not much into kit cars, but I've always thought the Attack was awesome.
Their website is here... http://www.k1-styling.sk/
Peter W. @ Dec 18th 2005 11:16PM
Are those dump capacitors sticking out of the front hood!?
Talk about a hot-rod
Curious @ Dec 18th 2005 11:16PM
Did you come accross any of the details about what kind of motors, drives, controls, and basically how they did this. It looks like a great project but I couldn't find any details on the linked website.
Gunnar @ Dec 18th 2005 11:16PM
fuel efficient sports car!!!!
If these were on the market, I would buy one right away. Sub 4sec 0-60 sounds great. My eclipse takes 5.7 (6.0sec for my non professional self).
I am glad to hear this news about high school kids. Lately, it is always about shootings at schools.
Ian @ Dec 18th 2005 11:16PM
Given that a bisic cars costs a lot, I wonder who financed this project?
Glenn Arlt @ Dec 18th 2005 11:16PM
So let me get this straight - some high school kids can do this, but Detroit can only build SUVs and pickup trucks, right? The 80 MPG family car that the Clinton Administration gave millios of taxpayer dollars to the Big 3 to develop - "couldn't be done" right? Wow, that Toyota Prius in my garage must be a dream, huh? The big 3 said it was impossible, where Toyota did a 50 mile per gallon car instead of saying 80 mpg was impossible. (I've seen 70 mpg on the flat and level in my Prius, on occasion, at speeds in the 40mph range and electric only mode at 45 mph, and with a slight downhill, up to 55 mph). Good job, kids. C'mon Detroit, are you brainiacs going to be bested by some high school kids? LOL.
Chris @ Dec 18th 2005 11:16PM
This is a perfect example of what is wrong with the auto industry. A bunch of kids build, what could be a considered a fairly high performance hybrid vehicle and all we get from major auto makers are overpriced, half-assed attempts at decent fuel economy.
The people that can't afford the high gas prices are the same one's that can't afford the high hybrid prices. They same guy that can afford the $30K hybrid Accord is the same guy who ends up buying a $40K SUV because he can afford the gas.
Is asking for a 180hp - 200hp hybrid that gets around 30mpg and has decent torque at a decent $20K price too much to ask for?
thechaz @ Dec 18th 2005 11:16PM
Awesome. I'll take mine in primer black, please. (Interesting about the kit-car, Jay. I was wondering about the body.) And by the way, screw my high school.
djbango @ Dec 18th 2005 11:16PM
good to hear something positive about young kids for a change. Glad to see that they are making a hybrid that is appealling to enthusiast as well as being environmentally concious.
Rocket Punch @ Dec 18th 2005 11:16PM
Quote by djbango
"good to hear something positive about young kids for a change"
I second that!
Kevin @ Dec 18th 2005 11:16PM
Just because some high schoolers can put together this kit car with new powertrain doesn't mean it's a valid business case for automakers. There are a lot of durability and manufacturing concerns when making mass-produced vehicles.
Anyone in the auto industry can build a one-off hybrid supercar for a car show, but bringing a car to production is a whole different ball of wax.
jef @ Dec 18th 2005 11:16PM
according to the video on the site, the car was built for about 15k, with lots of parts from junkyards.
jef @ Dec 18th 2005 11:16PM
this reminds me of that story about bunch of mexican immigrant kids in arizona that built a under water sub for a competition, and beat out college kids from MIT and such to win the best of show award.. here the link from wired mag..
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/13.04/robot.html
moto609only @ Dec 18th 2005 11:16PM
WoW...i would buy one.
Steve @ Dec 18th 2005 11:16PM
Posted Aug 15, 2005, 10:51 AM ET by Rocket Punch
"Quote by djbango
"good to hear something positive about young kids for a change"
I second that!"
screw that, young kids do jack sh!t these days. screw em all, the world is going to hell because of them!
seriously, its comments like these that make adults sounds like sheer and utter morons.
that said, why hasn't bio diesel (err, REAL diesel, you know the kind Rudolf Diesel designed 100 years ago) become the alternative fuel of choice? This is one thing I will never understand.
bob bigglesworth @ Dec 18th 2005 11:16PM
i agree with Kevin from point#11.
I am in no way bashing these kids. It is a great accomplishment especially since there are worse things they could be spending their time on.
BUT
The K1 Attack is getting great acceleration and great fuel economy because its lightweight as hell. weighs 1800lbs. Example: honda civic weighs about 2600-2700lbs.
you need to realize that a lightweight and therefore most likely feable car is not going to pass the safety requirements that major auto manufacturers have.
Look its great and i actually think the attack looks awesome. and with the biodiesel thats even cooler. But practiciality wise, it aint happenin.
-bb-
Kanis @ Dec 18th 2005 11:16PM
Nice conversion of a kit that exists already. The full info is here, or at least pictures for people who can't read the language.
http://www.k1-attack.cz/
and the things sticking out of the hood (in case the person is still reading this) are the struts.
dave @ Dec 18th 2005 11:16PM
how do you build a car for $15k when the kit frame costs ~$58k?
bob bigglesworth @ Dec 18th 2005 11:16PM
You are not looking at USD. im sure.
Additionally the kids/school got funding for the program, they had to have had.
-bb-
Shawn @ Dec 18th 2005 11:16PM
No you're not looking at USD...you're looking at EURO... K-1 ATTACK V6-ST (Standard...or the cheapest one) is listed at EURO 59,900 = USD 74,057.
Source: http://www.k1-styling.sk/menu.php?menu=attack_menu.htm&id=attack-pricelist.htm
Maybe they got the kit for free and $15K is how money it cost to modify it?