|
I love the Aspire (small cars are really fun to drive) when I'm not on the highway. I bought mine for $1200 and it paid for itself just in fuel savings in no time. It would be nice if it had power steering, but that just adds weight and more complexity. I'm trying to start as simple as I can - so this car was the perfect choice. I ripped out the rear seat, the passenger seat (it's a commuter car), and I coast frequently (with the engine off). I've gotten more than 47MPG using gasoline. I think I can do better with ETOH. I don't think it's a fair comparison to compare Miles Per Gallon with Gasoline to Ethanol, because they have different densities and energy output levels.
I'm currently building a controller that will allow me to kill the engine and turn it back on when I step on the gas pedal. Since the car doesn't have power steering, I don't lose anything by running without a steering compressor. I'm also thinking about adding a fifth wheel for electrical and removing the alternator (possibly using the alternator AS the 5th wheel with a better pulley assembly). This would allow me to benefit from the inevitable effects of gravity and weight, by injecting this directly into the electrical system.
I'm still finishing the body work. After that is complete, I plan on modifying the car quite heavily. I'll try my hand at aerodynamics next, because I can clearly feel the drag on the car when I coast at more than 45 MPG.
After reading another Kia Avella post on here, I've decided to seal my front grille and make it completely smooth.
__________________
|