Electric Cars: A Definitive Guide
Electric Cars What Is An Electric Car?
An electric car is powered
by an electric motor instead of a gasoline engine. The electric
motor gets energy from a controller, which regulates the amount of
power—based on the driver’s use of an accelerator pedal. The
electric car (also known as electric vehicle or EV)
uses energy stored in its rechargeable batteries, which are
recharged by common household electricity.
Unlike a hybrid car—which is fueled by gasoline and uses
a battery and motor to improve efficiency—an electric car is powered
exclusively by electricity. Historically, EVs have not been
widely adopted because of limited driving range before needing to be
recharged, long recharging times, and a lack of commitment by
automakers to produce and market electric cars that have all the
creature comforts of gas-powered cars. That’s changing. As battery
technology improves—simultaneously increasing energy storage and
reducing cost—major automakers are expected to begin introducing a
new generation of electric cars.
Electric cars produce no tailpipe emissions, reduce our
dependency on oil, and are cheaper to operate. Of course, the
process of producing the electricity moves the emissions further
upstream to the utility company’s smokestack—but even dirty
electricity used in electric cars usually reduces our collective
carbon footprint.
Another factor is convenience: In one trip to
the gas station, you can pump 330 kilowatt-hours of energy into a
10-gallon tank. It would take about 9 days to get the same amount of
energy from household electric current. Fortunately, it takes hours
and not days to recharge an electric car, because it's much more
efficient. Speaking of convenience, let's not forget two important
points: charging up at home means never going to a gas station—and
electric cars require almost none of the maintenance, like oil
changes and emissions checks, that internal combustion cars require.
Electric motors develop their highest torque from zero rpms—meaning
fast (and silent) zero-to-60 acceleration times.
Note: In the illustration, we show the relative features of
electric cars and gas-powered cars. However, it doesn't have to be
an "either-or" situation.
Plug-in
hybrids offer many of the benefits of electric cars while
mitigating most of the drawbacks, such as limited driving range.
1Up and Coming Electric Cars
Just as the major car companies were crushing their electric car
programs in 2004 and 2005, the perfect storm was brewing on the
horizon: Hurricane Katrina, growing acceptance of global warming,
runaway Prius sales, oil price spikes, green marketing galore…The
major auto companies went right back to the drawing board and
emerged with big plans for electric cars early in the next decade.
BMW City
BMW is working on a small electric car that could launch in
2012. The City is a low-slung three-door four-seat hatchback
coupe. The car is smaller than the Honda Fit, and will have a
projected range of 100 miles. The BMW City, which could be sold
either as a BMW or Mini, is not much more than a concept at this
stage, but pressure on BMW to meet California's zero emissions
vehicle requirements might bring the car to life—albeit in small
numbers.
BYD E6
If China’s BYD can deliver on its big promises for the E6
all-electric crossover, then it could take the US by storm.
(Investment guru Warren Buffet is betting that BYD will come
through.) Unlike the small city-oriented electric runabouts on
slate from established carmakers, the E6 is a five-passenger
wagon capable of carting a typical American family. Moreover,
the E6 has a range of 200 to 250 miles and boasts a 0 to 60 mph
time of less than 10 seconds. Top speed is 100 mph. The vehicle
can be fully charged in about 10 hours by plugging into a
standard household outlet. BYD says that it takes only 10
minutes to charge to 50 percent capacity and 15 minutes to the
80 percent level. BYD has been in the battery business only
since 1995, and started building cars in 2003. Considering that
the company maintains an R&D department with 8,000 engineers,
it’s not surprising that the initials BYD stand for “Build Your
Dreams.”
BYD showed the E6 at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show along with its F3DM and
F6DM plug-in hybrid sedans. It announced plans to sell the F6DM
in the US within a few years, although it didn’t set a firm
schedule for any of its electric-drive vehicle—probably wise,
since the cars have not yet been certified for sale, and face
questions on quality, crashworthiness, and equipment.
Dodge Circuit
Underneath the sleek lines of the Dodge Circuit, planned for
2011 or so, is a vehicle based on the Lotus Europa, just as the
Tesla Roadster uses basic structures and components from the
Lotus Elise. It’s a good formula: Start with a lightweight,
mid-engine Lotus sports car, remove the engine, and add a large
battery pack and electric motor. In this case, the Circuit has a
200-kilowatt (268-hp) electric motor powered by a lithium ion
battery pack of unspecified size. Like the Dodge Viper it
alludes to, the Circuit is a “halo vehicle” that’s all about
performance. It’s said to do 0 to 60 mph in less than 5 seconds,
with a top speed of more than 120 miles per hour. The quoted
range is 150 to 200 miles; as with all cars, range depends on
how aggressively it’s driven.
The Ford Focus EV, due out in late 2011, is the first
electric car designed for the generic aisle of the dealership.
Ford’s plans for the Focus EV are not aimed at buzz and sizzle.
Instead, the company is focused on addressing the biggest
obstacle between EVs and the mainstream: cost. By choosing an
existing platform—the Focus—and using technology developed by
auto supplier Magna, Ford will save the expense associated with
developing a unique design. The Ford Focus EV is targeted to
have a range of 100 miles between charges, courtesy of a 23 kWh
battery pack.
Mercedes BlueZero
In late 2008, Mercedes-Benz unveiled its BlueZero concept
vehicles—the core idea is to build electric, plug-in hybrid, and
fuel-cell cars on a single platform. Daimler had previously
announced that its next generation FCV fuel cell cars will be
built on a subcompact (B-class) chassis in 2010. Migrating to
the BlueZero would only be a minor adjustment. Daimler’s future
electric cars could also shift to the BlueZero—because the guts
of its electric cars already fit in the smaller Smart and
A-Class. Sharing platforms and technology architectures could
allow Daimler to telescope development and production timelines,
and save money on rolling out new electric models. At this
stage, it’s still a concept.
The limited edition Mini E car is based on the Mini Cooper
platform. The car's 380-volt battery is comprised of 5,088
individual cells, and can be recharged using a standard 110-volt
electrical outlet. The battery pack has a maximum capacity of 35
kilowatt hours. BMW will offer a specialized high-amp
wall-mounted device that will allow a full replenishment of the
battery in less than three hours. The Mini E will have a
cruising range of 150 miles. Approximately 500 cars are slated
for production and lease to select customers in Southern
California and the New York area. Pricing, as well as production
beyond the first 500 units, is not yet determined.
Mitsubishi is now taking advanced orders for electric cars in
Japan, with production planned for Summer 2009. The production
vehicle will be a derivative of the iMiEV (Mitsubishi in-wheel
Electric Vehicle) Sport Concept. The production will likely use
a single 47 kW motor and 16 kWh lithium ion batteries—to yield
about 75 miles of range and a top speed of 80 miles per hour.
The vehicle will be a four-seater with a real usable back seat.
Nissan is calling its new electric car—the Nissan Leaf—the
"world's first affordable, zero-emission car." And they could be
right. Unveiled on Aug. 2, 2009, the Leaf is a medium-size
all-electric hatchback that seats five adults and has a range of
100 miles. Pricing was not announced (although the company
previously hinted at a price around $30,000.) The Nissan Leaf’s
closest comparable future all-electric car is the Ford Focus EV.
The distinguishing characteristic between the two vehicles could
be design—pitting the established look of the Ford Focus against
the purpose-built Nissan Leaf, which will go on sale in late
2010.
Pininfarina Blue Car
Legendary Italian sports car designer Pininfarina will begin
production of its small all-electric four-seat five-door Blue
Car in 2010. The Blue Car is powered by a 50 kW electric motor
getting energy from a lithium polymer battery pack with 150
miles of range. The company began accepting reservations from
European customers in spring 2009. The lease will be about $500
per month. The body of the car is designed as an elastic shell
resting forcefully on the four wheels, providing more room than
the average city car. Techno-goodies include solar panels on the
roof, and the ability to use a smart phone to monitor battery
state-of-charge, and to start AC or heat from a distance.
Pininfarina will start slow, only in Europe, and aim to ramp up
production up to 60,000 units per year by 2015.
Renault Fluence
Patrick Pelata, executive vice president, said that the
all-electric Renault Fluence will launch in 2011, starting with
at least 20,000 units in the first year. (The gas-powered
Fluence debuts in 2009.) The company will produce a smaller
compact electric car in the following year. No more details at
this time, although its sister company Nissan will introduce its
yet-to-be-named electric-only model also in 2012. That’s
probably not a coincidence.
Smart ED
Despite considerable media buzz for Daimler’s
Smart ForTwo, microcars have not taken American roads by
storm. Perhaps consumers may be more forgiving of the lack of
size and power if the Smart is offered with an electric drive.
The first models will likely go to Europe in about 2010.
Availability in the US is uncertain. The car will provide 70
miles of range and 70 miles per hour on the freeway. Recharge
time from 30 to 80 percent capacity is about three and a half
hours. The gas version of the Smart ForTwo has earned low marks
for handling, especially at higher speeds.
The Achilles Heel of electric cars has been the limited range
they can travel between charges. The Subaru R1e could help
change that. The diminutive two-seater, about 20 inches longer
than a Smart ForTwo, has a top speed of 65 miles per hour and a
range of 50 miles. More importantly, the time to recharge the
346-volt lithium ion battery pack has been reduced to about 15
minutes. Here’s the hitch: To get the faster charging time, you
need a special stationary charger. Using the onboard standard
charger puts the electricity refueling time back to about eight
hours.
Toyota introduced the FT-EV electric concept at the 2009
Detroit Auto Show, hinting that it might offer an urban
all-electric commuter vehicle in the next few years. The FT-EV
concept shares its platform with the company’s Japanese and
European minicar, the Toyota iQ. The iQ is larger than the
quintessential minicar, the Smart Fortwo, but not by much. Its
wheelbase is a little more than five inches longer, and on the
whole, the car is only about a foot longer than the Smart—11.4
inches to be exact. The electric version on display at the
Detroit Auto Show, the Toyota FT-EV concept, offers driving
range of 50 miles, according to Toyota. The company is expected
to launch 10 new hybrid gas-electric models globally by 2012,
but has not made firm commitments to bring a full
battery-electric car to market.
What makes the Model S so cool? First of all, the visual
design is gorgeous. Second, it seats five—or seven if you count
the two side-facing rear seats for small children. There are
killer features, like the 17-inch touch screen that provides all
of the vehicle’s interface components such as climate control
and entertainment, but also offers 3G or wireless connectivity.
But most importantly, the Model S is way more affordable than
the company’s $109,000 Tesla Roadster. The current price target
for the Tesla Model S is $57,900 (minus a $7,500 federal tax
credit)—still not in range for most mainstream buyers but moving
in the right direction. The Model S is planned for release in
late 2011.
The following companies have announced intentions to produce
electric vehicles, but have not discussed specific vehicle details:
Volkswagen and Peugeot Citroën.
2Limited Run Electric Cars
Not content to follow the slow timelines from the major car
companies, a number of entrepreneurs have taken the bold step of
building mainstream highway-capable all-electric vehicles. The
payoff could be big—but the logistical hurdles, such as federal
highway crash testing, are daunting and very expensive. Those costs
will get passed on to customers—those that are willing to wait for
months or years for innovative companies to roll out models even in
small quantities.
The poster child of the independent electric car movement has
been Tesla Motors. When the company launched, it promised to
reinvent the auto industry in the mold of a Silicon Valley
start-up—and leave Detroit in its dust. Unfortunately, some of
Silicon Valley's worst venture capital culture undermined its
efforts: bloated egos and overstated high-tech promises. The company
has had four chief executives in its short history, and has
experienced a series of ongoing delays in delivering vehicles on
schedule with advertised features.
Coda Automotive
Southern California automaker Coda Automotive announced plans
to bring a new electric car to the US from China in 2010. The
all-electric sedan is based on an existing gas-powered
four-door car, known as the Hafei Saibao 3, built in Harbin,
China. Re-engineered with a lithium ion battery, the Coda sedan
promises a driving range of 100 miles. The MSRP for the Coda
sedan is $45,000. he development of this vehicle is a joint
venture between Coda Automotive—a spin-off from Miles
Automotive—and Lishen, a Chinese battery maker. Miles Automotive
is the brainchild of Miles Rubin, a mega-millionaire
octogenarian. Rubin spent $35 million of his own money, and he
expects to double that figure to get a highway-capable car to
market.
The Tesla Roadster is a screaming-fast, all-electric
two-seater sports car built on the frame of the Lotus Elise. The
specs, if they can be delivered, are impressive: 0 – 60 mph in
less than four seconds, 135-mpg equivalent, 200-mile range, and
a brilliant tech design that wires together nearly 7,000
mass-commodity rechargeable lithium batteries. The price? Just
north of $100,000. Tesla has faced serious technology and
corporate hurdles in delivering its first vehicles. Only a few
Tesla Roadsters have been shipped so far, but the company plans
to expand production to 1,600 annually for 2009 and 2010. And
Tesla is planning a more affordable electric sedan, the Model S,
expected in the range of $50,000.
Th!nk—formerly owned by Ford—had big plans to become a leader
in the emerging EV market in the United States. Those plans are
unlikely to come to pass, as the company moved to the brink of
bankruptcy in late 2008. Before falling into a financial crisis,
the company was on its sixth generation of the Th!nk City, a
$28,000 two-seater car with a maximum speed of 65 miles per
hour—and a driving range of 125 miles. Recharge time is about
four hours. Th!nk City is loaded with all kinds of safety
features and creature comforts—as well as a choice of battery
leasing plans. In July 2008, the company said it was producing
cars for the European market at a rate of three to five a day.
Now, its future is uncertain.
Within the Limited Run category, a number of companies are
converting existing gas-engine models into electric vehicles:
Your first stop in buying AC Propulsion’s eBox is a visit to
your local Scion dealer to purchase a 5-speed Scion xB wagon,
for about $15,000. Or AC Propulsion will coordinate the purchase
of an xB near their San Dimas, Calif. headquarters. Then, their
engineers will remove the internal combustion engine and related
components, and install AC Propulsion’s electric drive and
battery system composed of more than 5,000 small cells. The cost
of conversion will add another $55,000 to the purchase price.
The company expects to build about 20 to 25 eBoxes a year.
Also, limited runs of the following all-electric sports car are
extremely limited: the UEV Spyder, Mullen L1x-75, UK's Lightning and
the Venturi Fetish, selling for about $75,000, $125,000, $200,000
and $300,000 respectively.
3Low-Speed and Three-Wheel Electric Cars
The arduous road to delivering a new highway-speed electric
vehicle to the market can be bypassed in two primary ways: limiting
the electric vehicle to three wheels (so it can be legally
classified as a motorcycle) or limiting the vehicles legal top speed
to 25 miles per hour (so it can avoid highway crash testing). Those
strategies lower the “barrier to entry,” opening the gates to scores
of fledgling companies offering some mighty funky machines. It’s a
long list, so we’ll keep our descriptions to a minimum. We’ve also
eliminated companies that do not provide a base-level of information
about products and prices—and products not directly selling in North
America.
Aptera 2e
Winner of the funkiest EV design award, the Aptera 2e
(formerly Type-1), looks like a cross between a motorcycle and
ultralight single-occupant airplane. Built near San Diego, and
selling for approximately $27,000, the Aptera 2e is competing in
the Automotive X Prize competition. Thousands of potential
buyers paid a $500 refundable deposit in anticipation of
production scheduled for late 2008, which was delayed at least
to late 2009. The Aptera 2e will only be available in
California, to allow the company to service the vehicles. A
plug-in hybrid version is also being developed.
http://www.aptera.com
Bad Boy Buggies
Bubba Kaiser and Joe Palermo of Natchez, Miss. developed the
Bad Boy Buggy as a hunting tool. The $10,000 off-road
all-electric vehicle takes advantage of an EV’s quietness to
creep up on prey. (The Los Angeles Times quips that the
Bad Boy Buggy is an electric vehicle that even Sarah Palin could
love.) The vehicle maxes out at 20 miles per hour with 35 miles
per charge—but it travels on all terrains. The 1,650-pound Buggy
uses lead-acid batteries to turn two 13-horsepower motors with
130 foot-pounds of torque, giving it a payload of 1,000 pounds
to haul off your kill. The entry level model sells for about
$10,000 and a stretch version goes for $11,500. The buggy comes
in four color choices–green, red, black and camouflage.
http://www.badboybuggies.com/
BG C100
Barry Bernstein, a steel wholesaler from Philadelphia,
founded BG Automotive Group with the dream of building an
affordable electric car in the United States. The chassis and
body of the BG C100 are currently imported from the Far East,
with the rest of the components coming from US suppliers.
Assemble also in America. The current neighborhood electric
model, the BG C100, is imported from Asia. The C100 promises a
driving range of 60 to 80 miles from a pack of eight lead acid
batteries. The four door, five-passenger hatchback—available
from $16,000 to $18,000 depending on the option package—comes
with dual airbags, climate control, CD stereo, power
doors/windows, an iPhone docking station on the dash, and
100-percent money guarantee. The first models are expected to
ship in May 2009.
http://www.bgelectriccars.com/
Dynasty IT
Dynasty Electric Car Company, formerly based in British
Columbia, Canada, offers five different variants of its
low-speed electric vehicle, including a sedan, mini pick-up, van
and two open-air versions. The “It,” which has a range of about
30 miles and a top speed of about 30 miles per hour, sells for
approximately $20,000. In May 2008, the company was purchased by
Pakistani automaker Karakoram Motors.
http://www.itiselectric.com
Flybo or XFD-6000ZK
The electric Chinese Smart Car knock-off, measuring just
102.3 inches long on a 71-inch wheelbase, has a reported top
speed of 45 mph and a range of 70 miles. Articles on the web say
that this neighborhood electric vehicle comes up short on build
quality, and is not recommended for winter use. The
rear-wheel-drive Flybo, primarily marketed towards gated
communities, has a price tag around $10,000.
GEM
Global Electric Motorcars (GEM), a Chrysler corporation, is
the granddaddy of neighborhood electric vehicle companies. GEM
offers approximately six models, ranging in price from about
$7,000 to $13,000, and primarily sells to resorts, universities
and retirement communities. GEM models aren’t the most exciting,
but they're here now and they work!
http://www.gemcar.com
Kurrent
The Kurrent, an electric car originally designed in Italy,
was being produced in small quantities by American Electric
Vehicle in Ferndale, Michigan. The car continues to be made in
Italy, but according to EVFinder.com, US production has stopped.
The vehicle uses lead acid batteries to deliver a range of about
40 miles. The price of the Kurrent was competitive with GEM
products at approximately $10,000—but offers more “amenities,”
such as windshield wipers, doors, headlights, seatbelts and a
trunk.
www.getkurrent.com
The Myers NmG is a funky, single-occupant three-wheeled
electric vehicle made by Myers Motors in Tallmadge, Ohio. The
“personal electric vehicle,” which features two wheels in the
front and one in the back is $36,000. It uses thirteen 12-volt,
lead acid batteries that can be charged through a standard
110-volt outlet. Six to eight hours of charging will carry you
approximately 30 miles.
www.myersmotors.com
Reva / G-Whiz
The Indian Reva Electric Car Company wants to bring
environmentally responsible motoring across the globe. The
company is set to launch its next electric vehicle in 2009. The
new version promises 75 miles per charge—a boost of 25 miles
from the switch to lithium ion batteries and the addition of
roof-mounted solar panels. The company is eyeing a sales target
of 4,000 vehicles, about half of which will be exported. It is
also building a new assembly plant in Bangalore, India with a
capacity of 30,000 units per year. The current model, REVAi, is
marketed in the UK as G-Whiz. There are more than 2,000 Reva
electric cars already on the roads in London and Bangalore, with
a distribution network being built up across Europe, South
America and parts of Asia.
The Tango T600 electric car, from Commuter Cars in Spokane,
Wash., is 102 inches long and only 39 inches wide. In other
words, it’s as tall as most conventional cars, not quite as
long, but only half the size from side to side. That means
driver in front and passenger in back—like a tandem bicycle. The
price exceeds $100,000. (Note: Technically, the Tango T600 is a
highway-capable four-wheel vehicle; however, the vehicle's size
limits its practicality.)
www.commutercars.com
The Venture One $20,000 three-wheeled, two-seater
tilt-a-whirl motorcycle-car gizmo is expected in 2009. The fully
electric version, featuring two in-wheel 20 kW electric motors
and a 17 kWh lithium ion battery pack, delivers approximately
120 miles on a single charge. Plug-in hybrid versions are also
in the works from Venture Vehicles in Los Angeles.
www.flytheroad.com
The ZAP Xebra sedan will never be described as luxurious,
smooth, or extremely well built—but unlike much of the
competition in the electric car market, it’s real, affordable,
and available. For about $12,000, you can bring home the
Chinese-built all-electric four-seater and begin enjoying the
benefits of a zero-emissions vehicle. The Xebra is the least
expensive three-wheel road-ready electric vehicle on our list.
www.zapworld.com
ZENN Car
Made in St-Jérome, north of Montréal, the ZENN is a
neighborhood electric vehicle with a range of approximately 35
miles and a full recharge time of 8 to 9 hours from a
conventional electrical outlet. A base-level ZENN—no air
conditioning or radio—sells for approximately $13,000 or with AC
for about $15,000. The company has future plans to launch a
high-speed model called the cityZENN, offering 80 mph top speed
and 250-mile range. ZENN headquarters are in Toronto.
www.zenncars.com
4Discontinued and Rare Electric Cars
The most promising recent period for electric vehicles was the
1990s—at least it seemed so at the time. In September 1990, the
California Air Resources Board mandated that 2 percent of all new
cars sold by major automakers in California would be “zero emission”
vehicles by 1998—growing to 10 percent by 2003. That sent automakers
scrambling to produce electric vehicles for the mass market.
Obviously, things didn’t work out as planned. (See “Who
Killed the Electric Car” for details.) Very few units were ever
produced, and nearly all of them were destroyed. The remaining units
are extremely hard to find and very expensive.
RAV4 EV
From 1997 to 2003, Toyota made approximately 1,500
all-electric versions of its popular RAV4 model. From the
outside, the RAV4 EV looks the same as a gasoline version of the
vehicle, and has all the versatility of a small utility vehicle.
The top speed is approximately 80 miles per hour—with a range of
about 100 miles, and a full recharge time of five hours. Most of
the vehicles were destroyed, but miraculously, Toyota allowed
328 RAV4 EVs to be sold. The suggested retail price, at the
time, was $42,000. A rare used RAV4 EV can sell these days for
$70,000 or more.
EV1
Time Magazine named it one of the 50 worst cars of all time,
but the customers who leased the EV1 had a quasi-religious
devotion to the zippy two-seater. General Motors made fewer than
1,000 EV1s by the time the company canceled production, claiming
that demand was too limited for a two-seater with a range of
about 120 miles, and a recharge time of approximately eight
hours. GM crushed nearly every single EV1, so even its biggest
devotees cannot find a used EV1 to purchase.
Honda EV Plus
The Honda EV Plus was a two-door model, but could seat four.
Driving range was approximately 100 miles. Only about 300 EV
Plus units were made and sold—and the purchase price was a hefty
$53,000. Most were destroyed, leaving a non-existent market for
the vehicle.
Ford Electric Ranger
Ford produced the Electric Ranger from 1998 to 2002. Most of
the 1,500 units were leased to fleets, although a handful of
vehicles were sold to individuals. Nearly all leases were
terminated between 2003 and 2005. Ford made a few Ford Electric
Rangers using nickel metal hydride batteries, which yielded 65
miles in range. Most used lead acid batteries, with a more
limited range. The rare used Ford Electric Ranger has appears on
eBay for anywhere between $10,000 and $25,000.
Nissan Altra
The Nissan Altra was produced between 1998 and 2002—although
only about 200 vehicles were made. By appearances, the Nissan
Altra EV looked like a regular mid-sized station wagon. The
Altra offered ample cargo room and numerous amenities, such as
power mirrors and windows, keyless entry, and four-wheel
anti-lock brakes. Top speed for the Nissan Altra was 80 mph, and
it could travel about 100 miles between charges.
Chevrolet S-10 Electric
Fewer than 500 Chevy S10 Electric vehicles were produced.
Range was 90 miles. Most were leased to fleets (and subsequently
destroyed), but approximately 60 were sold and could appear in
auctions. (Photo by
Mike Weston.)
Chrysler Epic Electric Minivan
Chrysler released the all-electric no-frills Chrysler Epic
minivan in 1998. The acronym EPIC stands for Electric Powered
Interurban Commuter. Driving range was approximately 80 miles,
with recharge times of four to five hours. Performance was
modest, with a 0 – 60 mph time of 16 seconds.
Phoenix Motorcars, based in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., had big
plans to shake up the EV world, but fell short and finally
sputtered into Chapter 11 in April 2009. Its fate is
undetermined but the prospects are not high. The company had
planned to use engine-less vehicles supplied by Ssangyong,
Korea’s fourth largest automaker, as the basis for its electric
vehicle line in the US. (Ssangyong doesn’t sell cars in the
United States). Analysts questioned Phoenix's business model for
years and its capacity to deliver a $45,000 SUT in any
quantities. It now appears that the few models that were
produced will become collector's items.
Solectria Force
In the early 1990s, the Solectria Corporation of Wilmington,
Massachusetts (now Azure Dynamics Corporation), managed to
convert about 400 Geo Metros into an electric vehicle called the
Solectria "Force." Top speeds are about 70 mpg, and 13 12-volt
lead acid cells provide about 40 miles of range. Solectria Force
owners (http://portev.org/solectria/ ) rarely let go of these
vehicles.
The
electric Dodge EV sports car, previewed last fall by Chrysler’s
ENVI advanced technology group, has been renamed the
Dodge Circuit. Heavily based on the Lotus Europa (just as
the Tesla Roadster uses basic structures and components from the
Lotus Elise), the Circuit has a 200-kilowatt (268 hp) electric
motor and can do 0 to 60 mph in less than 5 seconds.
