Bitcoin Forum

WIKISPEED + Bitcoin

www.wikispeed.com (http://www.wikispeed.com)


If you haven't heard about WIKISPEED before, watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8jdx-lf2Dw (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8jdx-lf2Dw)

Or read this: http://www.forbes.com/sites/stevedenning/2012/05/10/wikispeed-how-a-100-mpg-car-was-developed-in-3-months/ (http://www.forbes.com/sites/stevedenning/2012/05/10/wikispeed-how-a-100-mpg-car-was-developed-in-3-months/)


Quotes from the WIKISPEED + Bitcoin press release (http://wikispeed.com/wikispeed-team-blog/wikispeed-first-car-maker-in-the-world-to-accept-bitcoin-press-release (http://wikispeed.com/wikispeed-team-blog/wikispeed-first-car-maker-in-the-world-to-accept-bitcoin-press-release)):

"For the first time in history, it is now possible to purchase a car manufactured by a distributed, collaborative corporation using currency issued by no bank."

"Because Bitcoin transfer fees are dramatically lower than those of conventional systems, we are offering a 3% discount in all our prices when payed in Bitcoin."



Full text of the press release:

July 24, 2012, Seattle, WA, USA. For Immediate Release:




WIKISPEED, first car-maker in the world to accept Bitcoin



http://wikispeed.com/Media/WIKISPEEDCAR/Bitcoin/Wikispeetcoin.jpg

WIKISPEED is excited to announce that starting today, it is possible to purchase WIKISPEED cars and car parts or to support our projects with Bitcoin. We believe the decentralised, open and internet-native nature of Bitcoin resonates deeply with the essence of the WIKISPEED project.


Our name, WIKISPEED, not only reflects the network origin of our project but more importantly, how the network itself is the core of our methodology. Like a Wikipedia article, our cars are designed and built by teams of collaborative volunteer teams distributed around the world. Similarly, our design and knowledge is open and available for anyone to use and improve. The ‘Wiki’ approach to physical manufacturing allows WIKISPEED teams to perform complex tasks in a fraction of the time and at a fraction of the cost of industry norms.


The networked and open nature of the Bitcoin monetary system allows its users to perform transactions at substantially cheaper cost and at substantially faster speed, worldwide. WIKISPEED and Bitcoin have in common that they enable freely-assembled teams and individuals to perform activities that previously required bureaucracies, companies, or even nations.


For the first time in history, it is now possible to purchase a car manufactured by a distributed, collaborative corporation using currency issued by no bank. We see this as a landmark in the maturation of the web: a step forward in the convergence of activities driven by networking logics in all fields of human life. This convergence of network culture, network manufacturing and network economics holds the promise to fundamentally change the world, bringing back power to the people. A world where an open source car can be purchased with open source money is already a new world with new and exciting potential.


Bitcoin can now be used to purchase the limited edition WIKISPEED SGT01, a replica of our X-Prize winning prototype for $25.000 USD. A comfortable commuter car, the WIKISPEED C3, is in development and will be Bitcoin-compatible at launch. We aim to deliver the C3 as a complete car for $17,995 USD and as a kit for $10,000 USD. All WIKISPEED cars are ultra-efficient, modular, safety-tested, and deliver 100mpg or more. He have also opened an online store where WIKISPEED car parts are available at http://wikispeed.com/Store. Because Bitcoin transfer fees are dramatically lower than those of conventional systems, we are offering a 3% discount in all our prices when payed in Bitcoin.


Funding for the development of the WIKISPEED C3 commuter car is currently being conducted through a crowdfunding campaing at Indiegogo.com. The costs the C3 development include crash test fees, fuel-efficiency testing, materials for prototyping and testing, expert reviews and fabrication, and additional tools. While the Indiegogo platform does not support Bitcoin contributions, these can be sent to the following Bitcoin address: 12JiynsQcfNLbeWnM7cdnYGo3axPXDcwCV


Support WIKISPEED and make the future of automotive transportation happen right now.


WIKISPEED, a Seattle, WA–based automotive-prototyping and manufacturing startup, is a registered automotive manufacturer able to sell complete vehicles in the United States and kit-built vehicles all over the world. WIKISPEED currently has collaborative operations in fifteen countries worldwide.

Our Bitcoin address for donations is 12JiynsQcfNLbeWnM7cdnYGo3axPXDcwCV

We are in the process of implementing an automated shopping cart solution. However, customers who wish to purchase from us using Bitcoin can contact us at info@WIKISPEED.com for detailed instructions.


Press Photos: http://www.wikispeed.com/press, http://www.jigsawrenaissance.org/.


Media Contact: WIKISPEED: info@WIKISPEED.com, 425-312-3996
Jigsaw Renaissance: Hello@jigsawrenaissance.org, 206-659-5260


http://wikispeed.com/wikispeed-team-blog/wikispeed-first-car-maker-in-the-world-to-accept-bitcoin-press-release

It's the first time I've heard of Wikispeed but by the looks of it this is pretty big news. Nice!

Serious progress when you can now get your car purchase through bitcoins ...

edit: good TED talk also ...

Wow!

This is amazing! Both Wikispeed and their acceptance of Bitcoin!

Pretty cool...

"You guys are awesome".

Huge news, awesome. The bitcoin address is shown in the press release, but doesn't accompany the "bitcoin accepted here" logo elsewhere on the site, as far as I can tell.

Site store kinda messy. Could be done better.

hopefully they don't pull BFL on MPG

Wow!

I've first checked wikispeed few months ago and thought they will need at least year or two for a finished product... and now this... and Bitcoin... AWESOME!

Big news.  I imagine this is the most expensive product you can buy with Bitcoins outside of mining rigs from BFL.

OMFG THIS IS HUGE!!

Pirateat40, you going to pick one of these up with your profits from yesterday?

OP here.

We are very excited about this. And we really hope this will be greatly rewarding for Bitcoin and for WIKISPEED alike.

Finally, some competition for Lazslo's pizzas! Who will make history and be the first Bitcoin WIKISPEED car buyer?

Personally I see this as the moment when tunnel-drilling machines meet in the middle after years of working on their own: WIKISPEED and Bitcoin share a vision of a world that is made by us, for us. WIKISPEED on how to make complex stuff collaboratively, Bitcoin on solving the riddles of decentralized money.

I will be glad to answer any questions, just go ahead and ask.

The home page has a bitcoin graphic, but no click on it yields the address.

The press release is hosted on their site:
 - http://www.wikispeed.com/wikispeed-team-blog/wikispeed-first-car-maker-in-the-world-to-accept-bitcoin-press-release

The page isn't protected with SSL ( https:// ) though, which makes it vulnerable to a man-in-the-middle attack (in which the attacker replaces the bitcoin address and nothing else, and pockets the free bitcoins).

Looks like a few bitcoins contributions have occurred:
 - http://www.blockchain.info/address/12JiynsQcfNLbeWnM7cdnYGo3axPXDcwCV

You work for wikispeed?

This is an awesome project, good job. You should work with bitcoincard to create a mesh network to get stats on the car use, as well as help out the bitcoin network. I checked the site, might have missed it, but how much will one of these cost?

I have some questions.

It looks like only 5k out of 50 was raised on the crowdfunding website linked in the article. (It appears closed/deadline over?)
What now? Are you guys still working on ways to raise money?

What engine is being used in the demo vehicle ? Why isn't it mentioned anywhere? Is there going to be a different one used in production?

Will there be a kit available for the X-prize car?

This is awesome. I particularly like the following qoutes from their blog post:

For the first time in history, it is now possible to purchase a car manufactured by a distributed, collaborative corporation using currency issued by no bank.

and
A world where an open source car can be purchased with open source money is already a new world with new and exciting potential.

I want one of them cars!

It shows that you can purchase a $25,000 car which is a replica of the Project X vehicle.

But everywhere else on the page it shows how Wikispeed's strength is in its agile development and the fact that the car gets better each week.

So, will the $25k car be the same as the Project X vehicle or will it be an updated version based upon all of the new development?

Pretty soon you'll be able to buy a Moller SkyCar for bitcoins!

LOL.
I'll sell you one. You send me 100k Bitcoins and I'll buy you a Moller car just as soon as they are in production.

Oh god, I'm regretting having offered to answer all questions.

I was thinking more about Bitcoin related questions, not technical details about the cars .I am in charge of Bitcoin-related aspects. I don't know the answers to these technical questions. But, I will get WIKISPEED founder Joe Justice to the forum as soon as possible to do an AMA, he will answer technical questions for everyone interested.

Sorry about this, and thanks for the patience -all the answers will come soon!

Still, I'll continue to answer all questions I can.

Rocky, your work in support of Bitcoin and the P2P economy is fantastic.

I see that one of the principles of Wikispeed is equitable distribution of wealth.  (with interest paid to those "investors" whether the investment is in the form of "money, time, cookies or supplies").  How does Wikispeed gauge each person's contribution once there is wealth to distribute?   (Is there some ledger?)  

I have an idea that I wonder if there would be interest in.

Raise $18K USD worth of funds for the purchase of a completed Wikispeed C3 using GLBSE.  So this is no different from pre-selling, like what you see on Kickstarter, except that because the amount of money involved, individuals would pay in advance for just a fraction (share) of a Wikispeed C3.

Then once that vehicle is ready for delivery, it is sold by auction.  The first opportunity for bidding is given exclusively to those who bought shares directly pre-IPO (they can sell their shares through the exchange after the IPO but they retain the ability to enter the auction, that right does not transfer with the shares).  If that auction results in no bids above the $18K USD purchase price (in terms of USDs) then the vehicle is auctioned off to the public.  Shareholders then receive the proceeds of the auction.

This is a bit further down the rabbit hole than the simple pre-selling like what you see on Kickstarter because it is not a direct 1:1 consumer-supplier relationship.  So I doubt this approach would be possible without going the GLBSE route (at least not for a quantity 1 and a relatively smallish total amount ($18K) involved).

I wouldn't be the right person to set this up on GLBSE, but I'ld be willing to buy a few "shares" in this.

No, I actually work for the P2P Foundation. I was the person who got their salary paid in Bitcoin a few months ago. I also wrote an op-ed for Al Jazeera about Bitcoin called "Understanding Bitcoin".

I volunteered to help WIKISPEED accept Bitcoin. I contacted WIKISPEED with the idea and they encouraged me to join the team to make it happen. I am doing this as a volunteer, volunteering as much for Bitcoin as for WIKISPEED.

About your bitcoincard idea: hell yes! send me your email or your skype name and we will do all we can to do it, with your help...

The prototypes are $25k, but there is a 3% discount for Bitcoin-paying customers!

This is a brilliant idea. Thanks! I think I know the right person to help us get it done...

About the distribution of wealth within WIKISPEED, I am as curious about that as you are. But I have a long-view outlook. For me the most important reward is that we change the world.

Also, thanks for the acknowledgement! It means a lot.

Yes, there still needs a lot of money to be raised for safety tests of the new model. The faster we raise these funds, the faster the WIKISPEED C3 commuter cars will be ready. The proceeds of selling the current prototypes will go to this goal, as well as all donations! It is worth mentioning here that "Our Bitcoin address for donations is 12JiynsQcfNLbeWnM7cdnYGo3axPXDcwCV". This is VERY important!

For your more technical questions, stay tuned: Joe Justice will be in the forum as soon as possible (although I am not sure exactly when because I think he is in New Zealand at the moment). But he'll be here, I promise.

I would be happy to help out with this, setting up IPOs has become something of a expertise for me :P
I think I have setup about 7-8 IPOs either completly or partially :)
//DeaDTerra

I asked for a shirt :D
Let's see if I can buy in BTC!

This is happening

This.
is.
completely.
AWESOME !

If I had 25 000$, I would buy it immediately. And it's coming from a guy who consider cars as the ultimate money waster and debt-trap. It means a lot  ;)

don't sell all shares pre-IPO!

Wow this is a great news! Being able to buy a so wonderful and special car with bitcoin!

WIKISPEED:  I'd like to know how are you achieving 100MPG? Was it tested and proved or just in a conceptual design that you will try to meet sometime in a future?

Another point, since you're claiming to be doing things wiki style, will Wikispeed be completely transparent publicly with development and budgets and monthly or quarterly reports?
Are your car models going to be "open sourced"?

I will get this aspect rectified. Will work on it later this evening. Got to get back to the warehouse(s) now.

~Bruno~

This is phenomenal on so many levels...

Beyond the single vehicle share plan, a general equity listing on GLBSE might be good - it should provide a better way of handling donations than just through the address on the site, especially regarding this:


That also has to be one of the most admirable and socially-responsible promises I've ever seen.

Are you in Seattle?  Could the CoinLab team get a factory tour or test drive?

Ohhh... I'd love to be the first to buy wikispeed with bitcoins... unfortunately i am a bit short : )

But i can donate few coins! Done.

Can anyone tell me:

- what fuel does it run on?
- is the high mpg with the roof down? If so, that's a record
- does it have a windshield under the car to help efficiency?
- in general... anything concrete and interesting

I've taken an interest in fuel efficiency for a while now but I haven't been able to dig up much info on this

Those are just toys for the rich.  This wikispeed commuter car does have me interested, though.

wat

Bruno, they have a BitPay account.  If they need any help plugging it into their site, have them contact me right away. 

It's on the main page now.

They are toys for the rich in imagination and an unlimited appetite for unfulfilled promises and an empty wallet.  For those rich in the usually understood sense and want something that actually flies, there's Cessna, Cirrus, Gulfstream, Lancair, etc.

Someone who wants a 100mpg commuter vehicle can buy a motorcycle today.  Leaps and bounds in automotive technology are unlikely to come from someone barely figuring out how to integrate a door and a roof into a mass production run of their car.

Impressive.

I have always liked the idea of a modular car.   If a serious market develops, you will have alternative engine and body kits all made mostly interchangeable. 

/sub

I see you claim to use SCRUM in a huge distributed team but the paper scrum wall implies you only scrum locally. Did you consider using Kunagi? I would love to show you around in Kunagi (the first steps can be confusing but it all makes sense after minutes) as I find it near perfect as an online solution replacing what I did in my local scrum teams with paper, planning poker cards, …
I would even prefer using Kunagi over paper on a local team.

This is great. I really like the fact that it's modular and you can swap pieces around. They should make computers like this. I'm thinking about the Retina MacBook.

The question needs to be asked....Could you take the principles used at wikispeed and apply them to aircraft manufacturing ?

Im thinking here of a wikispeed personal aircraft...

They don't make computers that you can swap pieces?

Apple doesn't :P.

Is anyone familiar with the early model Honda Insight? The most fuel-efficient, mass-produced consumer vehicle in history? (Yet?)

Anyone remember the technology that went into making the most fuel efficient consumer car in history?

1.0 liter 3 cylinder engine?
Lean-burn with stoichiometric gas/air ratio of 1/25.8?
Hugely plastic chassis and seats 2 comfortably plus some groceries?
It's a hybrid?
Manual transmission or a CVT?
Looked HORRIBLE as far as appearances went?

So, where the hell is all this stuff on this supposed 100mpg vehicle?
And why aren't they selling it for $150,000+?

I think anyone can tell you the answer to that...

I guess they just like making them out of solid pieces of aluminium.

Have you read Steve Job's biography? It talks about that. He would always insist that the inside look pretty, and that nobody ever see the inside. Look up the NeXT as well.

The first person to buy a car with Bitcoin is totally gonna be more famous than that pizza guy :)

The Insight no AC manual tranny is the MPG king but it is real close now.

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/calculatorSelectEngine.jsp?year=2000&make=Honda&model=Insight

The Insight is 53 combined rating under the new ratings, the Prius C is 51.  The Insight with AC/auto is about 50 mpg under the new ratings.

The high mpg rating (70mpg highway) on the original Insight was done on an easier test. 

The Insight chassis was actually just plastic covered in some spots, it was mostly aluminum and often said to be 'hand assembled' at a loss. 

Meanwhile, the Volkswagen Lupo 3L TDI got 78MPG, but was never (as far as I know) available in the US. It had a 3-cylinder turbodiesel with direct injection.

What principles are used at Wikispeed that would help manufacture aircraft better than what we're doing now?

The hardest part of designing an aircraft isn't designing it, 90% of it is passing all the damn tests to get it certified and getting certification on every damn little thing you want to do.  Sadly, a major part of what makes an airplane design "great" is how long it's been flown without any problems, as safety is on more people's minds than features.

Um, maybe the ~1,400 lb. weight helps just a smidge.

Here's where you start:
http://www.faa.gov/licenses_certificates/aircraft_certification/airworthiness_certification/

Sure, it would take capital to do the paperwork, but you can crowdsource the tests to people who are building prototypes along with you.  You each specialize in one area and send parts around.  That's how.

Is there already an existing modular aircraft design ?

So the Wikispeed secret is to find qualified unpaid volunteers willing to risk their lives as test pilots all begging to be the first to climb into some untested contraption and hit the throttle?  I could see how this might work for space travel (moon or bust!) but not for a new personal aircraft paradigm.

It worked for the US Air Force ?

Soooo awesome.

And, finally, the main business-case for Bitcoin has been vindicated...

"Because Bitcoin transfer fees are dramatically lower than those of conventional systems, we are offering a 3% discount in all our prices when payed in Bitcoin."

^ get ready to see that on most online retailers within a couple years (this would double the profit margin of a company like Amazon, btw).

Not passing the savings on would double their margin right? Passing it on would increase sales by some unknown amount.

The Insight weighs ~1800 pounds. The difference is big for a car, but not 50+ MPG different. Like sedan to SUV different...
It would weigh a lot less without the huge battery pack as well...

Hrm.

that good news,what time chinese company receiving bitcoin?

The entire Insight (2000) battery pack with controllers and fan weighs less then 80lbs.  People have rebuilt the packs with newer lighter batteries as well. 

Well I'll be damned. Still, it's a bit lighter that the 3100 lb sedan I drove to and from work this morning...

I'll stop being skeptic when this car is delivered...

this is really cool.

that said, these people, like all who see the power and benefit of Bitcoin, are really about 10 years ahead of their time.

I call vaporware.

Can't wait to see this on the news...when the first person to take this on the road gets crushed like a paper cup by a truck. Sounds like a piece of shit.

I would seriously consider buying this.

be nice.....

Let me guess, you drive a big truck and like to text while you put on your makeup. 

I somehow also have the feeling their project is running out of money and they desperately hope for some early adopter willing to chip in some of his coins really fast or else Wikiwikispeed is history.
Maybe I'm wrong. I hope I'm wrong but somehow if Bitcoin and wikiwikispeed is such a perfect match, why so late?
Lets see.



I lolld :)

sooo, just how real is this thing??

Have any working prototypes been built yet?
How long has the project been going?
How much capital have the owner(s) invested into it?
Can we see the quotes from testing facility to show how much that actually cost?

etc, etc??

I am waiting to buy a new car - make one that doesn't let the water in and I'll buy it!

Same here.  I understand why they would want to remove the doors and the structures that they require on a car, but the thing has to have a roof of some kind where I live; which is no where near the West Coast.

I think we are at the beginning of a new world. Wikispeed represents a new way of manufacturing and delivering high quality products to customers at a very affordable price. Bitcoins represents a new way to conduct commerce across the globe. I'm excited about all the possibilities that this new world will bring. I think Bitcoin and companies like Wikispeed are building a new platform where a new revolutions will take place. Something like the industrial revolution but at global scale and in a way we can't imagine.

+1

The exact analogy I was going to pen, using the industrial revolution with Henry Ford as the primary example.

~Bruno~

Actually, Wikispeed doesn't represent the first company to successfully do this kind of crowdsourcing design & manufacturing in the auto industry, that honor undoubtedly belongs to Local Motors Corporation with the Rally Fighter.

http://rallyfighter.com/

And this is most certainly not vaporware.

I noticed that Rally Fighter has a cool swag page: http://swag.localmotors.com/, one thing missing on Wikispeed's site unless the following counts: http://wikispeed.com/Store

It sure would be nice to see some of their swag using one of their logos below.

http://gainlight.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Wikispeed2.jpg

My understanding is that the OP pitched the idea of Bitcoin funding to the existing Wikispeed people and they said "sure, that sounds like it wouldn't suck, you handle that" or something. Late will be the realm of major car companies, I'd say.

Way to fail.

If that's the case, they did a mighty fine job pulling the alpaca sock over everybody's head over in Detroit.

~Bruno~

Show me a sale. Seems everything which touches Bitcoin is announced years ahead of time and never arrives, or arrives very lates.

If you're too dumb to click on the video link to see the guy driving one of the prototypes, which is for sale right this second, why should I bother? And now you're bashing Bitcoin? /ignore.

I'm not bashing Bitcoin, I'm bashing the vaporware which happens way too often. Just "because Bitcoin" doesn't mean people should announce every thought that pops into their heads.

In any case, it has no roof. Like I said, show me a sale. It doesn't even have to be paid in bitcoins, and I'm betting that it won't be.

Not to bicker but it is still just a prototype.
Few would cash out for an unfinished product.
It is at least progressing towards a finished product.

I do wish them the best of luck,
but I figure the RSA (Road Safety Authority) and other countries' equivalent would have something to say about any Tom, Dick and Harry building their own car in the backyard, over a few beers.

This is why normal people with a little persistence are called "visionary" in retrospect, after they toil away with the meager resources they can pull together on their own. Fools engage in emotional negativity and knee-jerk reactions, often without bothering to investigate further before rejecting anything out of the ordinary.


Some of the first cars didn't have brakes. Early computers had no graphical interface. Bitcoin doesn't have idiot-proof client software yet. Should they all have been abandoned?

Those are all revolutionary; Wikispeed is an incremental improvement - a mashup. At the very least, the initial idea (http://www.gizmag.com/the-erockit--50-mph-pedal-electric-hybrid-motorcycle/9528/) of applying rapid development methods may influence others (http://www.bloomberg.com/video/92951213-audi-develops-50-mph-smartphone-controlled-bicycle.html) who will refine it and lower production costs.

• Visionary (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Jobs): Hey, I have an idea that might be cool. Want to help me try it out?
• Fools: NO NRRRGHGNGNN VAPORWARE GAAAAH!!

Another version:

• SW: Let's see if we can add sound to moving pictures.
• HW (http://thinkexist.com/quotes/harry_m._warner/): Who the hell wants to hear actors talk?

So, do you still want to stay mired in unwarranted negativity? After all, in your infinite wisdom and knowledge, it can't be done - right (http://nocamels.com/2012/07/recycled-cardboard-bicycles-for-9/)?

One of the comments on the last link you provided above.


A naysayer's comment: Who the hell is going to buy that piece of shit. The first time it rains, all you'll have left is a pile of wet paper.

But a visionary replies with: I developed a sealer that I believe would solve that problem.

Naysayer: Of course now the damn thing is going to cost more than $9.00.

Visionary: You mean 1 BTC, for that's the only way you can purchase these now. If you don't mind, would you get out of our way? We have work to do.

No. I just don't want people announcing stuff which doesn't exist. Sure wikispeed has prototypes, but I bet they won't sell one before June of next year. I don't really care to know about it right now. I'm not a venture capitalist. Same thing with BFL, Bitcoincard, Ellet, etc. Maybe if any one of these people set an ETA which was anywhere near on time (does wikispeed even have an ETA?) then I'd be interested.

Really, I'm bashing the unrealistic ETA's. Some of these products won't ever exist, even though they were supposed to come out months ago. There's a saying that it's better to be 15 minutes early, so that even if you're 12 minutes late, you're still on time. Really, once I left middle school, I stopped being late.

I'm starting to think I can make money on this. Every announcement of a big product in this forum, I'll ask for an ETA. Then I'll make a bet that they won't hit it. We can do a negative interest thing: for every day before the eta that they ship, I'll give them 1% extra. For every day late, they give me 1% extra.

I think BFL should do this.

I've set aside 100 bitcoins for this or another similar car project if one comes along. Whenever I can buy a car with those 100 bitcoins I will.

You'll have a car within 2 years.

Nice backpedal. We don't want a lot of things to happen, but they still do. Don't make a mountain out of a molehill. For that, put your efforts toward human trafficking or child abuse.

I want to know about ideas and things being developed. I want to be able to gauge potential trends. I want to have an estimate on production, even if it isn't guaranteed or absolutely accurate. As do many businesses, which is part of the reason that a lot of them are even in business.

At least be genuine and start off with the proclamation that you want to speculate and make bets like a rote gambler. Otherwise, stop killing hope: live and let live. We can all do with less negativity.

I'll bet money against any optimist. That way I'm either proven right or pleasantly surprised.

I think you'll find automobiles have been around for awhile and they all have a roof of some kind. This piece of crap is a step backwards if anything. Oh, but you're the visionary genius and only you can see the holy light that the infallible wikiturd casts. 

actually, generally speaking "roadster" style cars don't have a roof of any form.

If I ever buy a brand new car it will be a WIKISPEED and I will obviously pay with BTC!

I don't care much for the car or it's components. Even the fact that they claim to not worry about making a profit is ... offputting. To me that means it's a hobby and hobbies change.

But seriously, the fact that someone is willing to sell a car and accept BTC means a lot more than the car itself. That is a real good you can use everyday to do something with. It's not a bag of roasted coffee or a video card, it's a essential part of life for many people.

That's the nice part.

IF they can get it refined, add more body styles (ie roof) and ensure delivery they will have a market.


The killer app for this mod car would be easy body style changes + affordability.  What will hurt them is a crappy interior and instrumentation package.

Kit cars aren't for everyone, but they do have a market. I don't think he really needs to change anything. If you want something more polished you should probably look elsewhere. Maybe try and get Local Motors to accept Bitcoin.

As far as delivery, the prototypes that are being offered for sale are already built.

I can't find the open source car plans though. Is it downloadable?

Well, they are building for customer orders, and have a backlog apparently:


 - http://www.reddit.com/r/Bitcoin/comments/xig8o/im_joe_justice_founder_of_the_wikispeed_my_team/c5mn9xn

Joe Justice did an AMA on reddit

"I'm Joe Justice, founder of the WIKISPEED. My team invented a carbon-fiber ultra efficient 100mpg car and we've decided to accept Bitcoin. AMA"

 - http://www.reddit.com/r/Bitcoin/comments/xig8o/im_joe_justice_founder_of_the_wikispeed_my_team/


That was discussed:


 - http://www.reddit.com/r/Bitcoin/comments/xig8o/im_joe_justice_founder_of_the_wikispeed_my_team/c5mmw99\

Okay - thanks!  ;D It wasn't Google-able though, and they should put that link on their site.

One day you will be able to entirely print a  car using a 3d printer.

 :o

I'd love to print more time...

I just want one that prints cotton candy nipple tassels...

mmmmmm... nipple tassels....

a wikispeed review you will like to watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuMc9ul3fv4 (by Nixie Pixel)

YES !!!! this is 100 MPG of awesomeness. I'lll take two.

Uh... You have to actually pay for them with Bitcoin. Their address is 12JiynsQcfNLbeWnM7cdnYGo3axPXDcwCV.

(mod note: edited to prevent confusion.)

Yeah, I seen that.. spot me 2000 BTC ? I could put them together myself.

Address on their webpage and in the OP is 12JiynsQcfNLbeWnM7cdnYGo3axPXDcwCV - who owns the address you posted?

lol.. I do!

sexy car pic for a wiki bump

Call 425-312-3996 to purchase.

Customers are invited to pay $25,000.00 at once or in up to 25 monthly payments. Customers may pay ahead at any time, and their prototypes are built as the funds arrive. Customers are sent photos of their car in progress every 2 weeks and are invited to visit their car in progress during the build. When the car is complete and after teh final payment has been made, customers are emailed a photo of their complete car and invited to pick up the car and meet the build team, or arrange vehicle transport (vehicle transport is at the customer's expense). Customers may cancel at any time. If purchase is cancelled or payment is skipped for 3 or more months, WIKISPEED will make reasonable attempt to return half of the custoemrs payments made to date. The car will be completed for the next customer in line.

http://wikispeed.com/Media/WIKISPEEDCAR/Page/aggresive%20body%20assembly.jpg

Accepting deposits (pre-selling) is not likely a good idea, at least not for U.S. customers and definitely not using PayPal.

The PayPal payments are sent to the finance@wikispeed.com PayPal account.  This is likely registered with PayPal as a U.S. business account (shows as verified since 2011).  

At some point PayPal's compliance group is going to see amounts too large for their taste, and will decide that "contributions" are not really donations but instead made with the intention that there is a car delivered once the $25K of donations is completed.  That's a pre-payment and not "donation".   Even if there was a car being built for this pre-sale buyer with all components already procured (or the car already built and sitting in a warehouse or showroom somewhere) it would still violate PayPal's usage agreement.  

 - https://cms.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/?cmd=_render-content&content_ID=ua/AcceptableUse_full


So this is a near guarantee that PayPal will at some point freeze the funds (take existing balance from Wikispeed's PayPal account and claw back from bank withdrawals if the amount to freeze exceeds the PayPal balance).  Frozen funds sit for 180 days.  The disposition from there might be that funds are returned directly to the buyer.

This would probably be quite disruptive to WIKISPEED.   It is probably best to not challenge the PayPal beast, as their track record is fairly consistent.

Thanks for this Stephen, I will forward this important concerns to Joe Justice. The new website is almost ready an I am hoping we will have a better solution.

BTW, that is a sexy body shell. I can't wait to hear from someone that has tried it out when they are delivered.

This thing looks great and I am really excited for it.  I just hope I actually see one of these driving down the street in California some day.

Don't they have a real one built that they can take a picture of instead of using a computer rendering?

I'd like to see a turbo-biodiesel option powered with hempseed oil ofcourse. :)

How about an omni-fuel, external combustion engine (http://www.cyclonepower.com/)?

http://www.cyclonepower.com/images/Mark%20V%20Exploded%20Pic.jpg

They have the little video showing a running prototype:

http://www.wikispeed.com/NotableFacts (http://www.wikispeed.com/NotableFacts)

But, it looks like they haven't made a real body yet, just the plug to make a mold for the body.

This is the first i've heard about these. Very, very cool.

I have heard of these external cumbustion engines before but they are not within typical consumer reach just yet. Another interesting technology around the corner is micro-turbine powerplant.


But in the mean time, I'd would rather just love to drive around listening to a big turbo spool maybe even with this decal over the fuel cell/door.

http://hempnews.tv/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/hemp-bio-fuel-300x300.jpg

I wonder what producers of hemp fuel do with all the waste product (everything but seeds)... SR?

Only the seed is used to make the fuel, then the leftovers goes to feed pigs, etc.

Similar to how cannabis plants are bred for lots of cannabinoids, hemp plants are bred for attributes suitable to industrial purposes, and have very little cannabinoids. You won't be getting high at all (or at least very much) off of hemp.

Unless you're making fuel from the seeds of cannabionoid varieties. But we stray from the topic.

So what happened to the GLBSE prototype aquisition plan? ??? ??? ???

Except most high cannabanoid varieties have few to no seeds since their production uses the same resources as the drug production.

Industrial hemp will only give you a headache.

I can't wait until I can afford this!  :D

Alrighty, I'm convinced. The odometer on this car is what makes me really want it.  ;D

Did I miss something about the odometer or is it just the fact that its modular and could be adjusted?

"Only 300 miles, granny-owned for shopping trips!"

It looks like an analog clock from the 90's. Or now. Almost frighteningly plain.

It would drive the teenagers wild. So new and impressive!

Any new vehicle of mine is going to be modular, whether wikispeed or some future competitor.

Pay a someone to service and fix your car? Pay them to assemble it? Pay for an entriely new car when new technologies become available?

Hell no. Go wikispeed!