Home-made pyramid-shaped electric vehicle

Greg Zanis and his sons paid $60,000 to build this pyramid-shaped electric Dream Car, which is a fraction of its true value, if you ask me. (Via Treehugger)

Mark Frauenfelder is the founder of Boing Boing and the editor-in-chief of MAKE and Cool Tools. Twitter: @frauenfelder. Come and hear Mark speak at the ALA conference in Chicago on July 1.

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License Farm

So the Raelians have moved from genetic engineering to transportation design, have they?
Lone

So maybe $5000 was spent on the car and 55k on the actual flying saucer (or pyramid) in his garage?

Seriously though, the materials in that vehicle couldnt have cost that much, unless it was all cost of labor or theres a gold brick in one of those compartments. Should have just purchased that golf cart in the background and put the shell on that.
noen

Oh I would much rather be in a traffic accident in the pyramid car. Then I could tell the officer about my pelican neck.

He does sound like Red and I think I saw some duct tape inside the car. Come on, the guy isn’t hurting anyone. We sure could use a few more people who pursue their inner goofyness instead of trying to f*ck over others just to get ahead.
dculberson

A good quality induction motor based electric car conversion kit can easily cost $20,000. That’s assuming he worried about the efficiency and range at all!

It’s not hard at all to end up with $60k in a custom vehicle. Not hard at all.
strider_mt2k

Wow, so much storage! :D

I think it’s cool, but it looks like they’re mostly having fun, not trying to change the world or anything.

If I had the extra cash I’d build one of my own and we could race ‘em!
Cunning

I can’t decide what I love most about this video. The straddle-the-steering-wheel dismount at 0:55? The 2′x4′ timber construction at 1:49? The mysterious, rocking golf cart driver at 1:59? Or maybe it’s the cup holder containing a refreshing beverage with straw at 1:57. Yup, definitely the cup holder.
joemo

It’s basically an odd shaped golf cart.
tastypopsicle

Unlike many inventors whose main goal is profit, Zanis has not lost sight of the big picture. Even reluctant to consider himself an inventor, he says “I’m giving credit to the Lord as being the Father of all inventions, Zanis continues, “He has always revealed his inventions to the inventor at the precise time He wants them. He knows every invention even before any man has been given that invention.”

Oh, the documentation on the website is a GEM. Wait til you get the part about the special garage and and 65 foot tall tower that you need.

If the guy has the money to do this as a fun hobby then go for it. But if he’s sinking everything he’s got into this and his business plan has more to do with Jeebus then details I feel a little sad for the family.
davevontexas

aaaaand cue the Gary Numan music…
john weeks

designed to ensure that all cars hitting the thing are deflected INTO the drivers head!
COOL!
Wickedashtray

quick, check his palms for hair!
tl

and thus were the Daleks created.
Tommy

I don’t know which I like more: The boombox-based stereo system or the hair-dryer-based heating system.
MikeMike

It looks like he is driving a commercial skylight!

Really thou.. 60K for mod’d electric golf cart?
capsteve

it’s like watching tom cruise dancing to bob seeger in his underwear… it’s kinda embarrassing. have you seen the resume on the website? this guy is a contractor, building homes for a living. no wonder the prototype chassis made of 6×12 lumber.

as far as the aerodynamics and safety of this vehicle are concerned, i’m a little skeptical… especially in a headon collision, i’d be concerned that it’s more likely to launch oncoming traffic into the air.
TedJohnson

I think a person can prove he’s a kook for less than $60,000–but it does tend to remove any doubt.
braschlosan

Sorry for saying but this is a waste. Plenty of gas to electric conversions for regular vehicles have been done at a fraction of the cost.

Not only are the majority of parts for an electric conversion easy to find (from the local dealer) it was also designed with safety in mind.

Would you rather be in a traffic accident in a converted Toyota Corolla or a pyramid car?
jco

Go to http://www.dreamcar123.com/ and read the plan.
He’s trying to construct an armored electric car out of steel, bulletproof glass and plexiglass. The car in the video, though, does look kind of flimsy.
Binxsy

The funny thing is this guy sorta sounds like Red Green. Well thats what I though at least when I watched it.