Wondered what a $200,000 homemade EV that achieves 207.5 MPGe looks like? It’s not pretty

By Nick Jaynes January 29, 2014

In 2010, the team Illuminati Motor Works set out to win the Automotive X Prize, aiming to build a car that offers the capabilities of a family sedan while also achieving over 100 miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe).

Long story short, they failed.

This didn’t stop them, though on their quest to perfect the car. And now they’ve finished. The result is called the Seven. And it’s, well, interesting.

Gizmodo calls the thing “the car of the future” and a “rockabilly Batmobile”. To me, it looks more like Herman Munster had his way with a Karmann Ghia. Four gullwings? C’mon.

Ignoring its impressive efficiency figures, the Seven will do 0 to 60 “faster than a Subaru BRZ”. This, too, would be impressive if the Seven didn’t cost $200,000.

The owner of the car aptly points out he could have had two Tesla Model S for that money. Looking at the interior of the Seven, I dare say I’d rather the two Teslas. Thanks.

Here in Portland, Oregon, there are plenty of homemade EVs and all are more impressive than the Seven, including the White Zombie electric car that can do 0 to 60 in 1.8 seconds – making it the fastest EV in the world.

I don’t mean to rain on Illuminati Motor Works’ parade here. But I have to wonder where all those hundreds of thousands of dollars went.

(Photo credit: Illuminati Motor Works)

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Nick Jaynes is the Automotive Editor for Digital Trends. He developed a passion for writing about cars working his way…

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