Is the world yearning for an affordable electric car? Electric vehicle enthusiasts believe so, maintaining that the electric car is the answer if we really desire clean, sustainable mobility. In recent years, low volume electric cars have come and gone amid much controversy and speculation. The problem now, as then, is the battery. Storing the energy needed to propel something as large as a passenger car for any distance requires serious battery power…and despite intensive research and development, a powerful but inexpensive battery does not yet exist. Full Article
Here's a website with loads of electric cars that are available right now! http://www.hobbytron.com/RCCars.html
Except in Canada, where most of them are not registerable (if that's a word ). Funny because some of them are made here.
I wish they would bring back the EV1. It seemed like a great option for just in-city needs. Maybe the oil companies (specifically Texaco) will release the price jacking they implemented on the batteries essential for making such cars possible. Of course the batteries are expensive -- they've been intentially done that way for Big Oil.
I'm pretty sure I saw one of these cars (see attachment) today in southern California. It was kind of metallic mint green in color, westbound on Foothill Blvd. in Azusa, CA, about 8 a.m. After searching several websites I found the attached picture. The car was in cross traffic in front of me, and I couldn't see what kind of plates, and whether it was right hand drive or not. It was way smaller than a Smart, about 1/2 the size of a Mini. I've never seen anything like it around here before. I'm sure it was electric. I think its called the G-Wiz.
It is made in India and in Australia it is called Reva. Unfortunately not legal on the road because if fails to meet safety standards for cars. If it had 3 wheels it would be legal. An Adelaide company "The Solar Shop" tried to have the vehicle accepted by authorities but failed so there is one here in Adelaide. The owner sometimes drives it on the road, I think he has a special permit. I wanted one because it has the right range for me to drive it to work and back.
Hog SAYS he saw the movie, in his post prior to the one above. He rants that, "It sucked" He never says why he thinks what he thinks. But, as with all hog posts (if you go back and read them), when confronted, no response. Must be looking for tissue.
Why would you want to use out of date battery technology? I'm sure a better battery could be used today and an even better one will be available in the future. But essentially, you're right. Bring back the EV1 or a better equivalent. We need an affordable car that is street legal and can do freeways for commuting.
Isn't is sickening, that GM at one time (though they were forced to build it) would go to all the expense to build the EV1 (got a ton of public tax / research $$$ thus partly paid on your backs and mine), a wonderful car, probably have all the tooling still in some bone yard, could be up and running in a year or so, not even have to do crash tests because they were already done, and BOOM, they could recover their lead. But they won't. That is inexplicable. But now, they can't get 40 miles electric.
The article linked to by the OP lists only NEVs. Curiously, they fail to mention the Xebra, which you can buy now (I bought mine about a year ago and drive it most days and they still sell them). They also fail to mention the eBox from ACP, but you can only buy that if you live in CA. So maybe they're right to leave it out, since most of their readers cannot buy it today.
Didn't Chevron buy the EV1 battery patent? I don't understand why plain old electric golf carts aren't in the list, a golf cart with a locking box on the back would be as good as some of these. It is pretty cool that there is a pickup to keep the truck drivers happy.:rockon:
The op's article doesn't mention the Tesla either ... but it's an old thread anyway. Similarly, the ebox conversion is freeway speed. Next year (model release maybe this September?) Mitsubishi is supposed to release a compact freeway all electric, but they, like Toyota, are low key about what they're going to spring on us. .
