Thirty years ago, Volvo engineers were tasked with creating a drivable car that weighed less than 1500 pounds, could safely seat two people, and achieved at least 58 mpg. The result of the company’s Lightweight Component Project was the LCP 2000, a diesel-powered hatchback constructed of aluminum, magnesium, high-strength plastic, and carbon fiber. PopMech drove it a few months after its debut, and found it to be “a viable proposition.”
“BMW claims its i3 electric vehicle, which debuts at the end of the year, is the world’s most sustainable car. That big boast hinges on another claim: that the wind-powered, carbon-neutral production plant near Leipzig, Germany, is the world’s most sustainable car factory.”
Although they’ve provided plenty of fodder for reality TV, car chases by law enforcement are on the wane, and for good reason.
