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The Maker of the AK-47 Is Entering the Electric Car Market
- verytrivial 8y agoI think a cursory investigation will show this is more likely just the company trying to show something to correspond to the large capital injection it is about to receive from "investors" / cronies. (speculation, but look at that thing ...)
- madeuptempacct 8y agoThis is the only plausible explanation to me as well.
- sgt 8y agoI expect it to be reliable electric car with plenty clearance between any kind of moving parts, and that the electric motor never jams. But if it does jam (which it will), it must be easy to take a part with a 10mm wrench.
- vorpalhex 8y agoIt'll be half the price of the fancy American version, it'll be repairable in a cave with nothing more than basic welding equipment and every single country will make their own slightly modified version of it.
- nlp_1 8y agoNyet! automobile is fine!
- rlonstein 8y agoNo one can ever find 10mm when they need it. It'll come with a stamped steel armorer's multi-tool that will include a 10mm box wrench on one end.
- sgt 8y agoThat made me laugh. And I was just looking for my 10mm in the garage. I found a 9mm, a 11mm, a 12mm, a 13mm, but no 10mm. I think someone borrowed it.
- avaku 8y agoMy uncle in the 80s had the same car, with all the same craftsmanship, including door handles etc. The only thing new in this design are the front lights, and you can see they are of pretty low quality, crooked lines etc. This would be one of the state funded projects, where most of money will be stolen, again.
- lnsru 8y agoIn this article: “...CV-1 on a 1970s Soviet hatchback, the IZh 2125 "Kombi"...” I would say, it’s bigger challenge for them to create modern car, than an electric one.
- mladenkovacevic 8y agoI don't know.. that chassis is the best looking thing on this car... can I just get that with a regular combustion engine and without the shitty headlight kit?
- lnsru 8y agoI know the guy who knows the guy that sells Cold War era vehicles to the western countries. Personally I wouldn’t buy it. And it might be expensive, because it’s old and rare.
- mladenkovacevic 8y agoWas just reading about this "retro-mod" of a GAZ Volga that cost $500,000 https://www.caranddriver.com/features/volga-v-12-coupe https://www.caranddriver.com/features/volga-v-12-coupe
- nosjwshere 8y agoi can imagine drug dealers all filling up the pre-orders.
- bdz 8y agoLooks like the good old Lada 2105
- dchest 8y agoIt's Izh Kombi https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Izh_2125 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Izh_2125 Lada 2105 is a derivative of Fiat 124. This Izh is a pure Soviet creation (based on Moskvitch model).
- ascii_only 8y agoIzh based on Moskvich 412. Which is derivative of Opel Kadett B.
- dchest 8y agoMoskvitch 400 was based on Opel Kadett. Moskvitch 408, and then 412, were not.
- sizzzzlerz 8y agoNo doubt you'll be able to buy cheap knock-offs in certain 3rd world street markets and bazaars within a month.
- nacs 8y agoMass production of electric car components wouldn't be such a bad thing..
- bonestamp2 8y agoAgreed, if they do it right. The big risk is that many knock-off electronics use questionable components and methodologies that can lead to fires when you mix that with the level of current needed for an electric car.
- ascii_only 8y agoFun fact. This electrocar is based on Moskvich 412. Which was already knock-off of opel cadet. https://i1.wp.com/neznal.ru/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/msk-412.jpg?w=853 https://i1.wp.com/neznal.ru/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/msk-4...
- nasredin 8y agoIt's recursive Soviet iterations of a one copy of a shitty European car all the way down bro. "The IZh 2125 "Kombi" (Russian: ИЖ-2125 Комби, short for "combination") is a compact car produced by the Soviet car manufacturer IZh from 1973 to 1997.[1] It was based on an Izhevsk-modified Moskvitch 412..."
- r3bl 8y agoNon-AMP version: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-08-24/kalashnikov-takes-aim-at-electric-cars-with-retro-prototype https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-08-24/kalashnik...
- sctb 8y agoThanks, updated!
- myth_drannon 8y agoNo doubt they are trying to utilize the AK-47's popularity with the middle eastern terrorists and to displace Toyota as the car to go for ISIS.
- ObsoleteNerd 8y agoThere's so much wrong with this car there's absolutely no way it goes to market. It's a publicity stunt or a one off modified car for brand awareness. Not a production model. It's an old car with some cheap eBay headlights stick on (I had those lights on a modified motorcycle I built up), cheap aftermarket wheels, dumped suspension so low the front wheels won't turn. It has the original mechanical door handles, front end fab work is atrocious and nothing lines up right. Just like SEMA cars, this was just made to provide some pretty photos and spread some PR.
- elFarto 8y agoAre those front tyres even on the right way, they look backwards?
- ummonk 8y agoThose look like symmetric tires to me, not directional tires.
- coldtea 8y ago>There's so much wrong with this car there's absolutely no way it goes to market. You've obviously are not familiar with a long and proud history of communist-made vehicles just like that that served their "market" for decades (e.g. the Trabant)...
- falcolas 8y agoIf the car is affordable and reliable, why wouldn't it go to market? Mechanical door handles, sure they aren't pretty, but they can be maintained by anyone with basic tools. Not every electric car needs to be shiny and expensive.
- martythemaniak 8y agoSoviet cars were "reliable" in the sense that yes, they broke down very often and in predictable ways, so that most people could fix them.
- projectramo 8y agoThis seems like a ploy to confuse people who like to filter their investment decisions through a political lens.
- fhood 8y agoNothing screams quality like designing your car along the lines of some of the worst cars ever produced.
- Viliam1234 8y agoMaybe the goal, just like with AK-47, is to kill a lot of people.
- m-i-l 8y agoMy first thought was - why not go one step further and put a modern battery in an original electric vehicle from the 1970s like the Enfield 800 [0]? Then on reading the Enfield 800 wikipedia page I find there's a hobbyist doing just that [1]. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enfield_8000 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enfield_8000 [1] http://www.flux-capacitor.co.uk http://www.flux-capacitor.co.uk
- WorldMaker 8y agoAfter being profiled about this car on Robert Llewellyn's Fully Charged (YouTube show) [0][1], Johnny Smith eventually joined Fully Charged as a regular co-host, and his enthusiasm for both classic electric and modern electric cars is infectious, and fun to watch. [0] http://www.fullychargedshow.co.uk/ http://www.fullychargedshow.co.uk/ [1] https://www.youtube.com/user/fullychargedshow https://www.youtube.com/user/fullychargedshow
- mikestew 8y agoFollowing the fine tradition of such companies as British Small Arms, or as your granddad knew them, BSA: maker of fine British motorcycles. Er, wait. BSA went out of business. Not a great precedent for those wishing to transition from firearms to motor vehicles. And from the looks of that thing, they'll follow BSA's trail right to the end.
- bootlooped 8y agoHusqvarna and Saab are two good examples of weapons companies making motor vehicles. I'm not saying Kalashnikov Concern will or won't follow that path though.
- mikestew 8y agoWell, Saab still at least makes military equipment. Husqvarna? TIL that their logo is a gun sight. :-)
- Yetanfou 8y agoOne of the treadle sewing machines here in the house comes from 'Husqvarna Vapenfabriks (armament factory) Aktiebolag (incorporated company)'. Armament factories often entered other fine-mechanical fields, most likely because they could use the skills learned in designing and producing weapons elsewhere as well as to provide a steady stream of income which was not as dependent on the winds of war.
- Y_Y 8y agoSkoda and Porsche come to mind. I bet most heavy industry has done a stint in both depending on which way the wind was blowing.
- jaclaz 8y agoWell, Saab was closed (their car manufacturing operation) then was re-bought, re-closed and now makes EV's with the NEVS brand (or maybe not): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saab_Automobile https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saab_Automobile https://electrek.co/2018/04/11/didi-massive-electric-car-nevs/ https://electrek.co/2018/04/11/didi-massive-electric-car-nev...
- pwaai 8y agoI have never seen anything with "Made in Russia" on it. What happens when nobody wants their oil?
- madeuptempacct 8y agoThey lease you land. But I really can't think of anything produced in Russia besides weapons, rockets, and nuclear powerplants.
- jabl 8y agoMy country is full of Russian machinery equipment (lathes etc.), as a result of clearing trade during the cold war. Not as precise as the Western stuff at the time, but usable. And, well, we've got em' by the ton..
- parliament32 8y agoAbout 50% of Russia's exports are oil-based, but they also export a significant amount materials from mining and logging, as well as food and refined chemicals. See the Exports chart here: https://atlas.media.mit.edu/en/profile/country/rus/ https://atlas.media.mit.edu/en/profile/country/rus/
- supergirl 8y agowhere do you live? obviously you wouldn't see any russian things in US for many reasons...
- madeuptempacct 8y agoWhy not? You see US and Chinese products in Russia and Ukraine, why not vice-versa? "But the dollar is so expensive", etc is not a legitimate argument. Russians buy American cars, tools, etc.
- supergirl 8y agoWhat does this have to do with anything? My point is if you don’t have russian products in the US (for whatever reasons) this doesn’t mean other people don’t have russian products
- growlist 8y agoI love it, finish aside. Contemporary car design leaves me cold. I'd much prefer a return to the boxy style of the 80s, or this slightly curved box style of the 70s (yes yes I know, safety regs etc prevent it...)
- wilsonnb3 8y agoAgreed. Personally, I think car design peaked with the Volvo 240. It's just so majestic. Especially in bright colors like orange. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/1975_Volvo_245_DL_wagon_--_09-05-2011_front.jpg/1024px-1975_Volvo_245_DL_wagon_--_09-05-2011_front.jpg https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/19...
- geoka9 8y agoThey also make a next-gen tank that doesn't go under its own power[1], a next-gen fighter that nobody wants[2] and a nuclear-powered missile with a reactor that never starts[3]. Not to mention conventional cars that people are happy to ditch as soon as they save enough money for a used foreign one. I wouldn't worry if I were Tesla. [1]https://www.smh.com.au/world/russias-t14-armata-tank-breaks-down-before-its-parade-debut-20150508-ggwt18.html https://www.smh.com.au/world/russias-t14-armata-tank-breaks-... [2]http://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/20347/its-no-surprise-india-finally-ditched-its-stealth-fighter-program-with-russia http://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/20347/its-no-surprise-i... [3]https://taskandpurpose.com/russia-lost-nuclear-cruise-missile/ https://taskandpurpose.com/russia-lost-nuclear-cruise-missil...
- gmiller123456 8y ago>The Maker of the AK-47 Should be "A" maker of the AK-47. The AK-47 is an open design and anyone can make it. I know there was an attempt to trademark the name a few years ago, but there's still lots of companies using the name.
- flyingfences 8y agoTo be fair, though, Kalashnikov Concern, formerly IzhMash, is the canonical descendant of the AK heritage.
- vasili111 8y agoOther factories in ex-Soviet Union have technical documentation and the right to produce AK of different modifications.
- dingaling 8y agoAnd no-one in former-USSR and its successors has made a '47 since the AKM replaced it in 1959. Yugoslavia continued with the original design for some time but most other armies were keen on the 1kg weight reduction of the new model.
- vasili111 8y agoAK is that it is already produced in large quantities and is in big numbers in ex-Soviet Union republic military warehouses. Just no need to produce additional ones.
- trumped 8y agoHere is a non-amp link... it loads much faster for me: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-08-24/kalashnikov-takes-aim-at-electric-cars-with-retro-prototype https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-08-24/kalashnik...
- wereHamster 8y agoThe car doesn't particularly aerodynamic. Why would someone waste that much energy nowadays?
- hfdgiutdryg 8y agoIf you're driving mostly city streets with heavy traffic, I don't think aerodynamics is a big concern. But mostly I'm sure it's just a non-functional design meant to grab headlines.
- ldiracdelta 8y agoDo I get to be a Bond villain if I buy one?
- magwa101 8y agoMore weird putin prop
- JakeTyo 8y agoBuilds smartphone from Adafruit parts. This baby's gonna give Apple a run for their money!
- TACIXAT 8y agoI love the front of this thing but the back is absolutely hideous [1]. I'd be vying for one if it was a flat hatchback. 1. https://images.carscoops.com/2018/08/cbfacc26-kalashnikov-cv-1-8.jpg https://images.carscoops.com/2018/08/cbfacc26-kalashnikov-cv...
- wilsonnb3 8y agoI like it. I'm a big fan of cars that look very unique, even if they are also hideous.
- ArchTypical 8y agoJust because they make the AK-47, doesn't mean they know anything about mechanical innovation or even vehicular engineering. They definitely don't know anything about marketing from the look of the car.
- Sharlin 8y agoThey're trying to tap into the Soviet nostalgia that's surprisingly prevalent in Russia.
- vasili111 8y agoIt is just Russian propaganda for internal use as with Russian Operating System, Russian smartphone and Russian tablet.
- deleted 8y ago[deleted]
- vasili111 8y agoEven AK-47 is not solely Soviet innovation.
- LyndsySimon 8y agoNope, not entirely. There are lots of stories that credit Hugo Schmeisser for at least part of the mechanism. More importantly, the Soviets developed the tactics around the use of light automatic weapons by infantry squads.
- mv4 8y agoIt's not particularly hard to make an electric car (there are plenty of DIY projects). It is, however, extremely hard to make an electric car that's safe, ergonomic, attractive - and also performs well. As much as I admire the original AK-47 design, I don't believe the firm is capable of making electric cars. Or robots. https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-45282805 https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-45282805
- h4b4n3r0 8y agoIt’s a gag car. Bloomberg should know better.