Mygreenwheels

While other wannabe electric car makers are in full 'will they/won't they' groove, a Swiss manufacturer has got some proof-of-concept vehicles tootling around the streets of Germany bang on schedule. The Mindset electric car is designed by Murat Günak, formerly of Volkswagen, who produced his first full scale model in 2008 (just as he said he would) and has now hit his second milestone as well. Don't you love that Swiss precision ...

The Swiss-built Mindset claims to reach 100km/h in 7 seconds, have a top speed of 140km/h, a 200 km range after a six-hour charge and has a little combustion engine to kick in if battery juice is running low.

Several bloggers are comparing this two-seater with a Karmann Ghia (as a kid I used to have one in my Lego kit, so I know what they mean), but where do those absurdly spindly 22-inch wheels come from? The back end just looks like he lost interest and didn't finish the design. Take a look at Autobloggreen's photo gallery and you'll see it in all its full strangeness.

The price being quoted is about 50,000 euros on the first planned production run of 10,000, but the company needs to get funding first and is looking for SFr200 million. I wouldn't be holding my breath for that right now.

Hey, I've just had a thought ...

What'll be the first electric car model to appear in Lego kits of the future?

Now that's when you know you've really made it into mainstream.