Sartell man helps design alternative vehicles

SARTELL, Minn. - 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 ...

[St Paul]

I like this guy

[Al E]

If someone can produce an electric car for under $13000 that can go 65 mph and get over 300 miles on a single charge. They will find a market with current gas prices, which are not going to drop until gas is no longer needed. However a $10000 kit car is beyond the financial, mechanical, and/or time capabilities of most of the public.

[Typical unsung genius]

He derides McCain's idea for a big cash prize for an automotive battery breakthrough. He says batteries aren't the problem, yet later we read a description of the problems even the newest batteries have.

The problem with electric cars is that they can't store the energy contained in a tank of gasoline and produce the amount of transportation that a petro-furled car derives from said tank of gas. Electric cars can store a lot of energy for great range, if you want an incredibly heavy car that can't perform. Or an ultra-light, noncrashworthy solar potato chip on bicycle tires. And the electric cars that can perform are ridiculously expensive,e.g. the $109,000 Tesla Roadster. Bottom line is, a breakthrough battery would solve these problems. A $300 million dollar prize for same could attract backyard geniuses and investors to win such a prize. After all, Paul Allen threw a lot of money at Burt Rutan to win the X-prize.

Maybe this guy has a non-battery electric car kit breakthrough, salvaged from a company that went broke trying to make it happen. For all the welders out there it may be just the thing.