Filed under: Hybrid, AutoblogGreen Q & A, AutoblogGreen Exclusive, New York Auto Show, Green Daily, Automotive X-Prize
New York 2008: Venture Vehicle's Howard Levine on the future of the VentureOne
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When we saw the distinctive shape of the VentureOne under wraps before the start of the Progressive Automotive X Prize announcement, we were pretty psyched. While the appearance of this vehicle on stage does revive our hope that we'll be able to drive one of these high-mpg hybrids one day, the bad news is that this is just a full-scale model. While it looks good, it's not going to get anyone anywhere. Yet.
Venture Vehicles' founder and CEO, Howard Levine, was happy to be back on the AutoblogGreen radar and gave us the rundown on where his company goes from here and how the VentureOne - which is a codename for the vehicle, not the final moniker - will move into production. He explained that the lack of media attention hasn't meant they haven't been working, just that they have been focusing on the vehicle, not on building hype. One of the big decisions the company has made is to offer only a hybrid version at launch, the pure electric option will have to wait until battery prices come down. Want more info? Listen to Levine yourself by clicking play.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Charlie 6:50PM (3/21/2008)
Can't wait until this is real and I'm driving it around.
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Charlie 7:03PM (3/21/2008)
Can't wait until this is a reality and I get to own and drive around in one. And with companies like Swift Engineering, Carver Engineering, AMCI Testing, AutoPacific Group, Wanxiang America Corporation, and Boshart Engineering and Roush Technology as strategic partners ... It should be a doable.
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Snowdog 7:08PM (3/21/2008)
Note to your photog: You are not an artist.
Just shoot some decent normal side and 3/4 shots show the whole vehicle.
This is the third ABG gallery I have clicked on recently and they were all a waste of time with odd angle,closeups. Pointless and difficult to tell what the vehicle looks like.
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ug 7:50PM (3/21/2008)
They've got a lot of work to do. That thing is nothing more than a sculpted movie prop.
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Wildgoosechase73 7:55PM (3/21/2008)
Nice motorcycle.
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Dr. Kenneth Noisewater 12:55AM (3/22/2008)
Didn't I see this at GM's EPCOT exhibit like 20 years ago?
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China 1:58AM (10/19/2008)
You sure did...and so did I. I thought I was going craze until you mentioned it 'cause noone remembers that tilting machine in Epcot.
miracleman89 1:24AM (3/22/2008)
No this was not at Epcot!!! What you saw was the gm lean machine which required the individual to use foot petal to control the tilt! this is the V1 and it uses a DVC tilting system developed by Carver Engineering! In addition I think your old age is setting in because this looks 100 times better then the GM lean machine! Venture Vehicles will dominate the automotive world with the "V1" I can't wait!
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dgw3049 8:21AM (3/22/2008)
I wish they would hurry up already, I would buy one today!!!
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rgseidl 12:42PM (3/22/2008)
Given that the AXP races have been pushed back to early 2010, this vehicle won't go into production before 2011 at the very earliest.
Note that the original Carver with a conventional 660cc engine costs a lot more: net of sales tax, ~EUR 32000 in Germany and a whopping ~GBP 27500 in the UK - go figure, there's obviously no need for a RHD version. Meanwhile, Venture Vehicles is claiming their hybrid will be offered for under $20k. Either Vandenbrink is charging obscene markups on their own product or, Venture Vehicles got an incredibly sweet deal on licensing the tilt control technology *and* expects high unit volumes.
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Sebastian 9:47PM (3/22/2008)
@Snowdog -
Point taken. I'll take more care to get some of your more standard images for these kinds of galleries. I'll keep trying the creative angles, too.
Sebastian
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Eletruk 7:35PM (3/24/2008)
@Sebastian -
If you were trying to make it look like a carved Styrofoam mockup, mission accomplished! Your photos showed every flaw and dent in the model.
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mark lee 11:34PM (3/24/2008)
Please Mr. Levine, build this VentureOne, if it's priced well under $25,000 and has similar range as the Aptera it'll sell really well.
This is the first time in my life that I actually consider buying a "motorcycle," it's just too darn sexy.
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Sebastian 11:52AM (3/25/2008)
@Eletruk -
Well, that is what they brought...
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Snowdog 9:18PM (3/26/2008)
Sebastion, yes you can work on your creative shots as long as you capture some more standard ones. Creative shots are fine for vehicles that everyone already knows, but new ones that you try to get a handle on, stock shots work best.
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curbowman 3:41PM (3/27/2008)
WOW! This venture One looks So much better than the Carver One!! It's just me or this venture One looks like out of the "Robotech" comic?
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Frank_texas 7:33PM (6/08/2008)
I hope they do not make me jump tru hoops to get one of this. I have never bought a new vehicle, this is the first time I have consider doing it. I have been waiting for this moment for a long time.
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Bill TN 12:49PM (7/23/2008)
Sir,
Design the vehicle for easy replacement of parts,provide technical support and it can be sold anywhere.Contact me,please. You have great possibilities.I can be of assistance to you.Where you manufacture is of great importance.
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