McClatchy's Columbus Ledger-Dispatch:
"Gas was killing us," Chris said.
In more ways than one.
"This is not a highway car," Chris said. "It's a Neighborhood Electric Vehicle. We discovered that practically all that we need in our life -- shopping, work, medical -- is within seven miles of the house. That's what we use the electric car for."
Never occurred to me to connect "local" to electric vehicles, but yes.
The car is a ZENN, which stands for Zero Emission No Noise.
The maximum speed is about 35 mph. At first, Chris was concerned his slow driving would anger other drivers, but he said the only finger he sees from others is a thumb up.
The car is approximately 10 feet long, 58 inches wide and 55 inches high. It weighs 1,360 pounds. A Toyota Camry is a little over 15 feet long, 70 inches wide and 59 inches high. It weighs over 3,200 pounds.
The ZENN runs on six 12-volt sealed lead-acid AGM batteries. When the Maynards get home at night, they just plug in the bright green cord.
"Just like recharging a cell phone," he said.
Eighty percent of the recharging is done in the first four hours, the other 20 percent in the next four. When charged, the electric car is good for 30-50 miles.
"You can charge the car anywhere there is a place to plug in," Chris said. "It just takes the 110-volt electrical outlet."
According to ZENN, the electric car produces the equivalent of 245 miles per gallon. "It costs about one or two cents a mile," said Chris. "About $10 a month for us."
The car has no air bags but does have air conditioning, radio, CD player and sunroof.
"It's very quiet," Chris said. "When stopped, you'd almost swear the car was off. I just listen to birds chirp."
Nice.
NOTE Fortuantely, America's ingenuity, combined with our manufacturing base.... Oh, sorry. The car's Canadian. Well done, all.
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This would be perfect for me
I wonder how long before there are some used ones for sale?
Our school district
took delivery last year of the world's first hybrid school bus. While it still uses some fuel, it has a large enough range on batteries only that it could nearly cover a typical route here (around 50 miles IIRC) and still recharge between the morning and evening runs.
Electricity is under 3 cents a kWh here and the county owns the dams that generate it, so it makes a lot of sense for us.
At the moment, the cost is about double what a traditional diesel school bus costs, but the performance (top speed, starting power - like on a hill) is the same or better than a diesel bus.
And while the school bus was American made and designed, I wouldn't find that a reason to take a gratuitous slap at Canadian ingenuity or manufacturing. The fact is, in both cases, that the technology for each was probably developed globally.
I don't think nationalism or anti-nationalism has any place in promoting solutions to climate change, unless your intention is to provide more motivation for right wingers and deniers to continue their obstructionism, or at least not become enthusiastic about solutions.
That answers a question
I saw one in the grocery store parking lot last week. I walked around it and couldn't find a brand name on it anywhere, so have been wondering ever since what it was. I knew it was an electric car, but had no idea what kind or where to get one.
i wonder if it was still
i wonder if it was still available. Zenn saves hundreds per month in gasoline and oil changes.. and talking about public approval, it's great with very well built tail light covers, exteriors and interiors.