Production of MR2 stopped in 2007; new car will be a coupé instead of roadster

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by Spuds

Except the 'gas tank' that comes back may have holes in it, or be filled with 2 year old gas. The system doesn't work when unregulated individuals can pump gas back into the communal pool. Back before I saw someone try to design a system where this might work, I was with you on replaceable batteries, but it simply doesn't work when you look at reality. People will be people.

Those are more realistic analogies. With charge times being what they are - and for good reason because physics - a field-replaceable unit remains the only option that deserves serious consideration.


...and that's why I think the term "range anxiety" was invented. It's cheaper for manufacturers to tweak customer expectation.

[Dadhawk]

I don't think the swap is necessary much longer. Rapid Charge is almost to the point where it is "tolerable" to me in terms of length of time as I'm good with anything under 20 minutes, as long as it gets me a decent range. It's not quite there yet, but I think by the time they have solved my biggest complaint (availability of fueling stations) they will also solve that.

I'm still not happy with the range either. For long trips I like minimal stops. The FRS will go easily 350 miles on a tank on a highway (I have gone as much as 413 miles). My Suburban will go 500+ miles.

The longest range Tesla barely reaches the 350 mile level, and I doubt it will do it on the highway.

[Sasquachulator]

Originally Posted by Rampage

La Coupe

omg its real!
and its quite hideous from the rear...….with the lengthened...rear.....?

2+2 MR2 confirmed!

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by Sasquachulator

omg its real!
and its quite hideous from the rear...….with the lengthened...rear.....?

2+2 MR2 confirmed!

And still looks like a modernized Karmann Ghia.

[m.box.design]

Originally Posted by Sasquachulator

2+2 MR2 confirmed!

The MR2 gets more practical while the Supra gets less practical?!

[krayzie]

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8UaaYLXmu8[/ame]


Looks like an updated Scion tC or a Porsche e-hybrid Kei Car.

[krayzie]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Clearly the new MR2!

This was clearly the new MR2 as well.

[gymratter]

so it looks like this thing has been out for sometime now lol

https://www.supramkv.com/threads/toyota-la-coupe.1727/

[Jordanwolf]

Hideous.

Originally Posted by krayzie

Looks like an updated Scion tC or a Porsche e-hybrid Kei Car.

[Sasquachulator]

Originally Posted by gymratter

so it looks like this thing has been out for sometime now lol

https://www.supramkv.com/threads/toyota-la-coupe.1727/

so not new MR2....old MR2 confirmed?

[krayzie]

Originally Posted by Jordanwolf

Hideous.

Reminds me of a potato.

[serialk11r]

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

Those are more realistic analogies. With charge times being what they are - and for good reason because physics - a field-replaceable unit remains the only option that deserves serious consideration..

Not quite, there's non-Li chemistries like Al or Mg that have demonstrated really, really high charge/discharge rates and cycle life in the lab. Al looks very, very promising since the theoretical energy density is highest and aluminum is cheap.

The Porsche Mission E's claims 80% in 15 minutes which is a 3.2C rate which is actually pretty good. I'd say a 10C charge rate would make gasoline more or less extinct for urban/suburban transportation. Future charge stations could have massive supercapacitor banks for load buffering and charge cars with as much current as the battery cooling system would allow.

When that day comes, you'd only be able to justify burning gasoline in a track-only motorcycle or car, since an electric vehicle would have comparable range and marginally longer charging time.

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by serialk11r

The Porsche Mission E's claims 80% in 15 minutes which is a 5C rate which is actually pretty good. I'd say a 10C charge rate would make gasoline more or less extinct for urban/suburban transportation. Future charge stations could have massive supercapacitor banks for load buffering and charge cars with as much current as the battery cooling system would allow.

5C is already amazing. I'd take a half hour break on a road trip, no sweat.

[serialk11r]

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

5C is already amazing. I'd take a half hour break on a road trip, no sweat.

Yea well if you live in an overcrowded area like near SF or NY, it would be a bit of a problem if each car coming into a gas station had to stop for 10 minutes. Waiting for fuel or going to another station can be pretty annoying. There is something nice about being able to fill up in under 2 minutes and carry hundreds of miles of range in a gas can. Once the charging time gets to more like 5 minutes gasoline is in real trouble.

The cars could theoretically be kept topped up at home but autonomous vehicles that are "working" 24/7 would not have much downtime for that, and slow chargers would take too long to fill up a hypothetical 200+ kWh battery pack.

EDIT: whoops my arithmetic failed, the Porsche is 3.2 not 5 haha. 5 would indeed be amazing.