Multi-mode auto

A hybrid gas, solar and pedal powered car

The Antro Solo, a hybrid solar- and gas-powered car, looks like a soap dish on wheels. And that’s fitting, because it could very well help clean up the environment dramatically. The vehicle, from the Hungarian non-profit Antro, weighs just 600 pounds, reaches speeds upwards of 80 miles an hour, gets 150 miles to the gallon and sports pedals for each passenger.


Scheduled to hit the streets in 2012 with a price tag of $18,000, the Solo can handle 10- to 15-mile local trips powered by the solar cells on the carbon fiber vehicle’s roof. After that, drivers can rely on the gas- or ethanol-powered engine. Or they can power the generator themselves by pedaling. The founders of the futuristic auto company believe modern lifestyles are too sedentary; with the Solo, a short trip to the store can be a workout, too. The Solo can also reduce CO2 emissions by three-quarters, compared with ordinary vehicles. And a six-passenger version is in the works: the Duo, which can be broken down into two separate cars in 10 minutes. Sometimes, two green cars are better than one.

The Duo breaks into two cars? I want that!