Optimal Energy Joule

[Kooper]

Don't know if anyone heard about this yet:

Joining the Electric Car craze is the Optimal Energy Joule, a South African developed electric car.

If the car vaguely reminds you of the Jaguar XJ220, that's because it's been penned by the same person, namely Keith Helfet.

Not too much detail is known yet, but Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optimal_Energy_Joule) has some.

Pics taken from Optimal Energy's home site (http://www.optimalenergy.co.za/).

[whiteballz]

plasticy, But I like it.

[Ferrer]

It does definitely look like an XJ220.

[LeonOfTheDead]

It does definitely look like an XJ220.

the side line is quite evident. that folk is also the one who styled the McLaren F1 right?

the car looks good, but the rear part is too much Seat-ish and boxy. not bad overall.

[Kooper]

the side line is quite evident. that folk is also the one who styled the McLaren F1 right?



I think the F1 was penned by Peter Stevens, not sure though.

[Dino Scuderia]

I think the F1 was penned by Peter Stevens, not sure though.

Gordon Murray

[Kooper]

I think Gordon Murray did the whole car overall, though Peter Stevens (http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/car/349/McLaren-F1.html) penned the exterior.

[LeonOfTheDead]

Gordon Murray

style, not engineering

[Dino Scuderia]

I think Gordon Murray did the whole car overall, though Peter Stevens (http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/car/349/McLaren-F1.html) penned the exterior.

Yes, I stand corrected. Gordon was technical director and he guided Stevens on his vision of the car basically.

[Kitdy]

Speaking of South African cars and Gordon Murray, I wonder about South African racers... I wonder if there are any prominent SA F1 drivers... I read on F1 Rejects a sick tale of a local SA racer that nearly won the SA Grand Prix back in the day in a privateer car.

If you want Kooper I can get that for you?

[NSXType-R]

The title of this car sounds like it's a physics term or something. When you remind me about the XJ220, I kinda see it as a super tall XJ220. I see the resemblance in the headlights.

The XJ220, now that I think about it, was pretty good looking. Just wish it had the V12.

[Kitdy]

Buy an XJR-15 then - it has a V12.

EDIT: Oh my I forgot that Jody Scheckter is South African. There have been 20 SA F1 drivers that have entered a race according to Wikipedia, the country with the 10th most drivers entered.

[Kooper]

If you want Kooper I can get that for you?

I'd really appreciate that, thanks Kitdy :)

We've had a collection of promising talent through-out the years, but sadly racing is in a bit of a sorry state here at the moment. I'm sure it'll get back to where it belongs eventually, but there are quite a few problems that need sorting out first.

Some of the SA drivers I admired growing up:

Sarel van der Merwe
Mike Briggs (this guy was just unstoppable in a Kadett Superboss)
Deon Joubert
Jody Sheckter
Terry Moss
Giniel de Villiers
Ben Morgenrood


And the ones I've heard tales about:

Tony Vianna
Woolf Barnato
Paddy Driver


Ah, the nostalgia...

[NSXType-R]

Buy an XJR-15 then - it has a V12.

EDIT: Oh my I forgot that Jody Scheckter is South African. There have been 20 SA F1 drivers that have entered a race according to Wikipedia, the country with the 10th most drivers entered.

Probably way more rare and expensive, but sure, why not? :D

[f6fhellcat13]

The title of this car sounds like it's a physics term or something. When you remind me about the XJ220, I kinda see it as a super tall XJ220. I see the resemblance in the headlights.

The XJ220, now that I think about it, was pretty good looking. Just wish it had the V12.

A joule is a unit of energy.

[NSXType-R]

A joule is a unit of energy.

Yeah, I know.

But an Optimal Energy Joule is not really referring to anything important in physics in general. :D

[LeonOfTheDead]

Probably way more rare and expensive, but sure, why not? :D

not because, IIRC, it's not road legal.

I like the XJ220 too. no matter which engine it uses it's still beautiful.

[Kitdy]

I'd really appreciate that, thanks Kitdy :)

Ask and ye shall receive. (http://www.f1rejects.com/centrale/love/index.html)

What could have been...

[Kooper]

Ask and ye shall receive. (http://www.f1rejects.com/centrale/love/index.html)

What could have been...

Kitdy, just let me know where I should courier the six-pack of Windhoek to...

Thanks a lot! :)


EDIT: Here's an interesting fact: One of the 5 woman ever so far to have competed in F1 and to have won an F1 race of any kind is, wait for it, a South Afican! :D

Desiré Wilson (http://www.f1rejects.com/drivers/wilson/biography.html)


Got some more info on the Joule (http://www.cartoday.com/content/news/singlepage.asp?key=joule&flag=%27Y%27&in=9332) as well.

It seems that exporting will start some time after 2010. I'm guessing, initially at least, probably to countries that use 220V power.

[Kitdy]

A bit off topic Kooper, but are there some hardcore white nationalists/racists that still use the old South African flag?

In Canada unfortunately, our old de facto flag, the Canadian Red Ensign has been co-opted by white nationalists as a symbol of the European origin of Canada and I would wager from that European supremacy in Canadian society.

[Kooper]

A bit off topic Kooper, but are there some hardcore white nationalists/racists that still use the old South African flag?

In Canada unfortunately, our old de facto flag, the Canadian Red Ensign has been co-opted by white nationalists as a symbol of the European origin of Canada and I would wager from that European supremacy in Canadian society.


You do still get those over here. I suspect some of the individuals that still use it may have the same intentions as Americans that still use the old Confederate flag, ie. mostly harmless.

But then you get the ones that unfortunately use it for all the wrong reasons.