Antroâ€™s Solo Light on Weight, Fuel, and Reality

The Solo by Antro is Hungary’s version of an alternative fuel vehicle. The slick bean-shaped concept hybrid seats three, with a driver in between the two passengers, much like a McLaren F1 but without the supercar’s gluttonous lust for hydrocarbons. It can run on just about any type of power you can imagine: solar, battery, internal combustion and even foot pedals.

Weighing in at under 600 pounds, the Antro Solo is covered with solar panels, and can make a journey of up to 15 miles on the sun’s power alone, ideal for most urban jaunts. For longer trips, there’s an internal combustion engine that runs on just about any kind of fuel you can imagine, including gasoline and ethanol. Even running on dino-fuel, though, the Solo’s appetite is modest: about half a gallon per 60 miles.

The snazzy little blob owes its light weight and rigidity to its carbon fiber composite construction, and can reach a top speed of approximately 87 miles per hour. This futuristic dream car is expected to go into production by 2012, and plans are already afoot for a six-seater, tentatively dubbed the Duo, which would be capable of splitting into two Solos with ten minutes of work. Price tag for the Solo is expected to start around $18,800.

For a vehicle to be this versatile for fuel, have a driver in the middle of two passengers, be ready for production in just 4 years, and cost less than $19,000…yeah, we’ll see if that comes to fruition. Skeptics are more likely to believe the CLEVER or Lumeneo will be widespread among green drivers. It may end up being more a novelty car for a handful of enthusiasts, rather than a realistic option for the average consumer.

Via cnet, motortrend

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