Lubbock Drivers: Could a Nerf Car Save Us?

(All photos from Gizmag.com)

I read the local news sources each morning, and it's astounding how many auto-related deaths we have each week. Pedestrian deaths, roll-overs, single vehicle, multi vehicle. Each morning brings news of more death. And these are not attributed to terrorism, hatred, or disease - this is normal people trying to get from one place to another on a normal day. It is both terrifying and tragic.

Today, I found a news article that offered some small hope - a start-up auto company that is designing a car specifically to reduce traffic fatalities.

Gizmag's Recent Article about the Spira

And they are going about that goal in the same way that Nerf has strived to make play less painful - by covering the body of the vehicle with foam.

Watch it - they might swarm!

 

And this will shock you - but I want one! (Don't tell my poor wife!) You see, I have a history of dragging embarassingly odd and ugly vehicles home because of some intrinsic value that I see clearly enough to be blind to the ugly factor. And to be fair, the Spira is quite ugly. But it has its list of virtues:

• Its safety
• Its cheapness
• Its efficiency
• It can be electric (or gas)
• Its uniqueness
• It's upgradable
• It floats
• It can be tilted up on its butt for parking

How often do you find a car that has a list of virtues like that? (Have you seen past the ugly yet?)

Now, where did I put that fishing pole?

For you electro-dorks like me, here are a few stats:

• electric version $9000
• 70 mile range - upgradable to 140 miles
• 62 mph top speed
•  recharges in 2-4 hours on a standard 110V plug-in

(Honey, we need a taller garage.)

 

For those of you who prefer gasoline:
Get off your lazy mental butts and read the article for yourselves.

May the world in which you live try less hard to kill you.