Donating $1 gets you a choice of a book, DVD, tee shirt, or bumper sticker- How is cheap merchandise related to building an efficient car? $1 doesn't cover the cost of shipping the merchandise, let alone the product itself.
Their fundraising goal is $30k? Is a measly $30k really the biggest obstacle to putting the car into production?
... and rear wheel steering
... and ethanol
If $30k is all that stands in the way of their dream, then it should be no problem to save that amount up between the 5 of those guys in the video.
The idea clearly isn't good, otherwise there would be a line of investors willing to pony up the $30k.