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One of his projects, the two-seat Tango, has been sold to a handful of customers, including actor George Clooney. (http://sctimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080718/NEWS01/107180020&referrer=FRONTPAGECAROUSEL)

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/Tango_Clooney_Burbank.jpgKirsti Marohn - St. Cloud Times - July 18, 2008

A plaque hanging in Lee Hart’s cluttered home office is inscribed with a Chinese proverb: “Those who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those doing it.”

In Hart’s garage, stacks of batteries capable of powering a car line the walls. A dusty gold-colored Renault is parked with the hood open, revealing battery packs. In one corner sits a cardboard car designed and built by middle-school students to run on batteries.

So when Republican presidential candidate John McCain said last month that the government should pay a $300 million reward to the inventor of a battery strong enough to run an automobile, Hart wasn’t impressed.... http://sctimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080718/NEWS01/107180020&referrer=FRONTPAGECAROUSEL

i'll take one of those kits :D

I grew up under a car. I loved hot rodding and customizing cars. If I were 20 years younger I would definitely try his kit.

But now, alas, I will wait for my Toy PHEV!

Mr. Hart is a great example of innovative thinking, and his accomplishments are helping improve public awareness of electric vehicles. Thank you, Mr. Hart !

I wish I could build a car as well as I can build a pc. I'd buy a kit in a second if I had the slightest clue how to weld.

you can take a welding course for fairly cheap. in the end what you save in gas will far outweigh any costs.

G B Shaw - I recall

His web site:

http://www.sunrise-ev.com/

Harry

7 straight posts without a Clooney or McCain reference. You guys are all right. :)

Staying away from the political rants/raves is what makes this group so great. I know we all don't agree on everything, but I bet we all agree that spending as little as possible on gas rocks.

you can take a welding course for fairly cheap. in the end what you save in gas will far outweigh any costs.

The kit is 108000 (T600)

The base production model T100 is 18000, but is vaporware.

Looks to me like the costs still outweigh any gas savings until they get enough volume to price it for people on the D-List and below, like me.

Would love to build or buy one, though.

Early motor vehicles were very dangerous. The early hand crank start motors could break your wrist or arm. Some engines could actually explode. Their speed, range, and power were far below what consumers today would ever consider paying for. Today's consumers want something that can travel 3 to 4 hundred miles without stopping, be able to go over 80 mph, and have enough body weight to survive a high speed wreck. 3 to 4 hundred miles on a single charge at highway speeds is still in the science fiction range and combine that challenge with the government mandated safety equipment/design adding hundreds or a thousand additional pounds and the challenge increases even more. The challenge won't be met by corporations. They're bogged down in buracracy (sp?) in their R&D department and so speed and flexibility of development just isn't there plus corporate board of directors are traditionally a very conservative bunch who just aren't into taking risk. Add to that their army of lawyers who always point at cost of liability issues and they won't even drop their pinky toe in the water. Some early risk takers actually risked their lives in developing early motor vehicles. Some diesel engines in development killed or nearly killed their makers.

I'm picturing a narrow little parking slot at the hanger where Clooney boards his private jet.:rolleyes:

I'll get my coat.:D

I read about the Tango 2 years ago and I though it was an intelligent design and very unique in appearance. But from the vantage point of 2 years ago, before 4 dollar a gallon gasoline, I thought that it would never take off. Now it just might take.

I've always wanted to do a conversion but until now I didn't know he offered kits. I wouldn't mind taking a crack at it even though I have never welded in my life. One can always learn and there are even college courses offered in welding. After all I had never built radio transmitters and receivers before until I actually went out and did it and they were successfuly too.