Car History: January 2009

2008 Electric Vehicles Available

The innovative electric car is here to stay. And really, what’s not to love: Clean, quiet and easy to use, an electric car gets the job done with efficiency and ease. From reduced dependence upon foreign oil to zero emissions and economical cost-of-use, electric cars offer many pros. Currently, one of the biggest cons is limited driving range (and recharge time) -- but those kinks are being worked out as you read this.

Here's what's currently available in electrics for 2008. Please drop us a line if you find more companies that offer clean motoring options, or check out these all-electric conversions.

Phoenix Motorcars

Check out these zero-emission, freeway-speed fleet vehicles. Phoenix has been producing fully functional electric trucks and SUVs for commercial fleet use since 2001. Based in Ontario, California, Phoenix Motorcars uses the Altairnano lithium titanate battery. They state that it’s a “non-toxic, all-battery solution to eliminate noise and toxic vehicle emissions that contribute to air pollution.” Phoenix Motorcars is slated to release a consumer version of its electric vehicle in late 2009. By mid 2008, a limited number of vehicles will be available for select consumers in California.

Reva Electric Car Company

Here’s a two-door hatchback that can provide a ride for up to four (2 adults, 2 kids)—and it’s available in over 2000 colors. Driving range is stated to be up to 80 km (about 50 miles) on a single charge, depending on usage. Con: currently available only in Bangalore, India.

Smart EV

Currently only available in Switzerland and the United Kingdom, the diminutive Smart EVs shine with clean zero emissions. Smart UK has deemed their availability to blue chip companies who can meet the renewable energy source power requirements, although conversions for a standard Smart are also available. Easy to park and eye-catching, hopefully this version will become available in the U.S. soon also.

Tango

Showcased as the "World’s Fastest Urban Car," the Tango is 5 inches slimmer than a Honda Goldwing and can accelerate from 0 to 60 in 4 seconds. Touted as combining the speed and agility of a motorcycle with the security and comfort of a sports car, the Tango uses lead acid batteries. The current model T600 kit is priced at $108,000. The T200 and T100 can also be pre-ordered by deposit and are slated for future production, with expected prices at $39,900 and $18,700. Fully refundable deposits are currently being accepted to confirm market interest and secure investment funding.

Tesla Motors - Tesla Roadster

An electric car that goes zero to 60 mph in less than 4 seconds? One that touts a top speed of 125 mph? Yes, this is the company that’s caught everyone’s eye with the Tesla Roadster’s enviro-style. Driving range is between 170 to 267 miles, depending upon driving conditions, with impressive fuel economy numbers: 221 GGE EPA combined. Interested? With the 2008s all reserved, the 2009s are available to interested buyers for a base price of $98,000.

TH!NK

photo © Think

This little urban car powers up overnight and offers a range of 124 miles in city driving with a top speed of 62 mph (100 kmh). Choose sodium or lithium batteries depending upon your driving requirements. General Electric has invested $4 million into this Norwegian electric car manufacturer, and $20 million into A123 systems, the battery manufacturer used in these little zippers, and it probably won’t be long before we see these across the Atlantic. Concepts in development include the TH!NK Ox crossover 5-seater and the TH!NK open convertible. TH!NK city is currently available in Norway and next in Denmark and Sweden. Production and marketing plans include main European cities in 2009, hitting London first.

ZAP - Zero Air Pollution® - Xebra Car

Offering an interesting range of electric vehicles, from off-road 4x4s to scooters, the on-road ZAP vehicles start at $11,200 (Xebra Sedan) and go to $60,000 (for the stylish ZAP-X electric car shown here). The popular 3-wheeled Xebra offers speeds up to 40 mph with seating up to 4 (303 lbs.) and a range of 25 miles (40 km) per charge with standard 110 Volt AC.

ZENN Motor Company

The ZENN – Zero Emission No Noise – it’s a sporty NEV that can go up to 25 mph and 35-50 miles on a single charge on roads with limits up to 35 mph. It offers comfort, convenience and utility in an all-electric car that can plug into any standard electrical outlet and charge up in about 4 hours.

2008 Electric Vehicles Available

Aptera

Developed from the get-go as an electric vehicle, the Aptera’s body styling, interior design and engineering all play into maximizing efficiency with the lightweight composite shell. Price for all-electric version: $26,900, and for the plug-in hybrid: $29,900. The Aptera is currently only being sold in California, although plans to expand are in the works. Production is slated for late 2008.

This eight-wheeled wonder is the next generation creation of Keio University and Professor Hiroshi Shimizu. Eliica stands for Electric Lithium-Ion Car and it reached 230 mph (370 kmh) at the Nardo test track, Italy. The goal is to build a limited run of 200 production units and capture the title of being the fastest electric car in the world AND the fastest production car. Seating includes the driver and three passengers, and price will be in the limousine price range. The prototype rang in at $320,000. Full charging time: 10 hours for a range of 124 miles (200 km).

G-Wiz

Manufactured by the Indo-US Reva Electric Car Company, GoinGreen, this is a best-selling EV in the UK. With a new quadricycle safety package, the 4-seater hatchback G-Wiz costs $13,627 to $16,158 (£8,299 to £6,999). Full charging time for the 8 lead acid batteries is 8 hours. In England, there’s tax exemption(s), plus some free parking and charging stations available too. GoinGreen is all about encouraging responsible, affordable green driving, and they sell directly to customers—no dealers, no showrooms, no advertising involved—to maximize savings and minimize added costs. Shop their website to see what’s available—prices are listed for each vehicle.

GEM - Global Electric Motorcars

Available in six different models, GEMs are handy dandy neighborhood electric vehicles (NEVs) that are street legal in most states and on public roads with speed limits of 35 mph or less. Their top speed is 25 mph and they have a range of up to 30 miles per charge and offer a zippy ride to get around industrial or housing complexes or college campuses. List prices start at $6,795.

Kurrent

This 2-passenger NEV (neighborhood electric vehicle) is the only model currently available in the US, and is delivered straight to your home since it’s restricted to roads that have a posted speed limit of 35 mph or below. The lead-acid batteries offer a 40-mile range on this 2500 lb. vehicle. Prices start at $9,800 and standard features include doors, a windshield, wipers and roof. Cost to operate: less than 2¢ per mile.

IT - Dynasty Electric Car Corporation

Dynasty Electric Car Corporation IT Sedan

Available in five different models, the IT is a low speed vehicle for use on public roads with speed limits of less than 35 mph. Choose the Sedan, Utility, Sport, Tropic or Van. With a maximum speed of 25 mph, the vehicles are equipped with a windshield, turn signals, mirrors, wiper blade, head and taillights, and seat belts.

L1X-75 GT from Mullen Motor Company

The Mullen L1X-75 GT offers a 100-mile range on a 4 to 6 hour charge. This one is certainly eye-catching—and so is the price at $125,000. This all-electric, 120 mph carbon fiber body car definitely screams sports car. Contact the company directly regarding placing orders.

Miles Automotive - ZX40

Founded in 2004 by Miles Rubin, Miles Automotive is committed to developing all electric vehicles that use no gas and produce zero tailpipe emissions. The vehicles currently available are low speed NEVs, with several models of the ZX40 Car and an extended cab ZX40ST Truck. The XS500 sedan is currently under development and will travel at freeway speeds (topping 80 mph) and will be able to travel 120+ miles on a single charge—to the equivalent cost of about one gallon of gas. Base retail prices start at $14,900 for the ZX40 Car, but this can vary depending upon state incentives or special fleet pricing.

Milner Motors ElectriCar

A four-door, four-seater, this plug-in electric car maximizes aerodynamics to make the most of battery power. With a range of 100 miles, capable of speeds up to 85 mph, the batteries can be recharged in 110 or 220-volt outlets. For trips greater than 100 miles, batteries can be charged en route with a small gasoline-powered generator. Not yet available as a production vehicle or in kit form, a drive-able prototype is being used to test handling and practicality.

NmG (No more Gas)- Myers Motors

Myers Motors Electric Car - NmG No More Gas - Personal Electric Vehicle - NmG EV

A single seater, this all-electric highway-legal vehicle can travel at speeds to 70+ mph. It offers a 30-mile range, the average amount that half of all drivers travel in an average day. Although the company says that it drives like a "funky car with a low center of gravity," it's actually rated as a three-wheeled motorcycle and insures and parks like one too. Myers Motors calls it a Personal Electric Vehicle. Price: $36,000. According to company spokesperson Kammy Willis, "Myers Motors is using this experience to develop a high production, highway electric vehicle that builds on the success of the NmG. The goal is to design that vehicle for mass production, enabling us to bring the purchase price to a level appealing to more consumers."

Electric Vehicles Recent Years (1990 to 1998)

U.S. Electricar S-10 Electric Pickup Truck Electric Vehicles

Several legislative and regulatory actions in the United States and worldwide have renewed electric vehicle development efforts. Primary among these is the U.S. 1990 Clean Air Act Amendment, the U.S. 1992 Energy Policy Act, and regulations issued by the California Air Resources Board (CARB). In addition to more stringent air emissions requirements and regulations requiring reductions in gasoline use, several states have issued Zero Emission Vehicle requirements.

The "Big Three" automobile manufacturers, and the U.S. Department of Energy, as well as a number of vehicle conversion companies are actively involved in electric vehicle development through the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles (PNGV). Electric conversions of familiar gasoline powered vehicles, as well as electric vehicles designed from the ground up, are now available that reach super highway speeds with ranges of 50 to 150 miles between recharging.

Some examples of these vehicles are the Chevrolet S-10 pickup truck (top image), converted by U.S. Electricar and no longer available. It was powered by dual alternating current motors and lead acid batteries. It had a range of about 60 miles and could be recharged in less than 7 hours.

Ford Ecostar - Electric Vehicles The Geo Metro, converted by Solectria Corp., is an electric-powered 4-passenger sedan powered by an alternating current motor and lead-acid batteries. It has a range of 50 miles, and it can be recharged in less than 8 hours. During the 1994 American Tour de Sol from New York City to Philadelphia, a 1994 Solectria Geo Metro cruised over 200 miles on a single charge using Ovonic nickel metal hydride batteries.

Ford Ranger - Electric Vehicle The "Big Three" automobile manufacturers also developed electric vehicles. An early 1990s vehicle was the Ford Ecostar utility van with an alternating current motor and sodium sulfur batteries. The top speed was 70 mph and it had a range of 80 to 100 miles. While about 100 Ecostars were produced, it was considered an R&D vehicle and never offered commercially.

Ford offered an electric version of its Ford Ranger pickup. It had a range of about 65 miles with its lead acid batteries, had a top speed of 75 mph, it accelerated from 0 to 50 mph in 12 seconds, and it had a payload of 700 pounds.

General Motors EV1 General Motors has designed and developed an electric car from the ground up instead of modifying an existing vehicle. This vehicle, called the EV1, was a 2-passenger sports car powered by a liquid-cooled alternating current motor and lead-acid batteries. The EV1 had a top speed of 80 mph, had a range of 80 miles, and could accelerate from 0 to 50 mph in less than 7 seconds.

In addition to the EV1, General Motors offered an electric vehicle Chevrolet S-10 pickup. This vehicle had a range of 45 miles, it accelerated from 5 to 50 mph in 10 seconds, and it had a payload of 950 pounds.

Toyota RAV4 - Electric Vehicle Other electric vehicles that were available during 1998 included the Toyota RAV4 sport utility, the Honda EV Plus sedan, and the Chrysler EPIC minivan. These three vehicles were all equipped with advanced nickel metal hydride battery packs. Nissan placed limited numbers of their Altra EV station wagons in California fleets during 1998. The Altra was equipped with a lithium-ion battery pack. In addition, both Ford and General Motors during 1998, made the Ranger, the EV1, and the S-10 pickup available with nickel metal hydride battery packs.

While the vehicles in 1998 satisfied the driving requirements of many fleet operators and two car families, the cost of $30,000 to $40,000 (1998) made them expensive. However, this cost was considerably lower when tax credits and incentives were included.

Large-volume production and improvements in the production process are expected to reduce prices to the range of current gasoline-powered vehicles.

The Middle Years of Electric Cars (1930 - 1990)

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Electric vehicles had all but disappeared by 1935. The years following until the 1960s were dead years for electric vehicle development and for use as personal transportation.

The 1960s and 1970s saw a need for alternative fueled vehicles to reduce the problems of exhaust emissions from internal combustion engines and to reduce the dependency on imported foreign crude oil. Many attempts to produce practical electric vehicles occurred during the years from 1960 to the present.

In the early 1960s, the Boyertown Auto Body Works jointly formed the Battronic Truck Company with Smith Delivery Vehicles, Ltd., of England and the Exide Division of the Electric Battery Company. The first Battronic electric truck was delivered to the Potomac Edison Company in 1964. This truck was capable of speeds of 25 mph, a range of 62 miles and a payload of 2,500 pounds.

Sebring-Vanguard Citicar - electric cars Battronic worked with General Electric from 1973 to 1983 to produce 175 utility vans for use in the utility industry and to demonstrate the capabilities of battery-powered vehicles. Battronic also developed and produced about 20 passenger buses in the mid 1970s.

Two companies were leaders in electric car production during this time. Sebring-Vanguard produced over 2,000 "CitiCars." These cars had a top speed of 44 mph, a normal cruise speed of 38 mph and a range of 50 to 60 miles.

The other company was Elcar Corporation, which produced the "Elcar". The Elcar had a top speed of 45 mph, a range of 60 miles and cost between $4,000 and $4,500.

Elcar - electric cars In 1975, the United States Postal Service (see top image) purchased 350 electric delivery jeeps from the American Motor Company to be used in a test program. These jeeps had a top speed of 50 mph and a range of 40 miles at a speed of 40 mph. Heating and defrosting were accomplished with a gas heater and the recharge time was 10 hours.

The History of Electric Vehicles

The Early Years - Electric Cars (1890 - 1930)

Between 1832 and 1839 (the exact year is uncertain), Robert Anderson of Scotland invented the first crude electric carriage. A small-scale electric car was designed by Professor Stratingh of Groningen, Holland, and built by his assistant Christopher Becker in 1835. Practical and more successful electric road vehicles were invented by both American Thomas Davenport and Scotsmen Robert Davidson around 1842. Both inventors were the first to use non-rechargeable electric cells. Frenchmen Gaston Plante invented a better storage battery in 1865 and his fellow countrymen Camille Faure improved the storage battery in 1881. This improved-capacity storage battery paved the way for electric vehicles to flourish.

France and Great Britain were the first nations to support the widespread development of electric vehicles in the late 1800s. In 1899, a Belgian built electric racing car called "La Jamais Contente" set a world record for land speed - 68 mph - designed by Camille Jénatzy.

It was not until 1895 that Americans began to devote attention to electric vehicles after an electric tricycle was built by A. L. Ryker and William Morrison built a six-passenger wagon both in 1891. Many innovations followed and interest in motor vehicles increased greatly in the late 1890s and early 1900s. In 1897, the first commercial application was established as a fleet of New York City taxis built by the Electric Carriage and Wagon Company of Philadelphia.

New York City Electric Taxis - electric vehicle The early electric vehicles, such as the 1902 Wood's Phaeton (top image), were little more than electrified horseless carriages and surreys. The Phaeton had a range of 18 miles, a top speed of 14 mph and cost $2,000. Later in 1916, Woods invented a hybrid car that had both an internal combustion engine and an electric motor.

1918 Detroit - electric vehicle By the turn of the century, America was prosperous and cars, now available in steam, electric, or gasoline versions, were becoming more popular. The years 1899 and 1900 were the high point of electric cars in America, as they outsold all other types of cars. Electric vehicles had many advantages over their competitors in the early 1900s. They did not have the vibration, smell, and noise associated with gasoline cars. Changing gears on gasoline cars was the most difficult part of driving, while electric vehicles did not require gear changes. While steam-powered cars also had no gear shifting, they suffered from long start-up times of up to 45 minutes on cold mornings. The steam cars had less range before needing water than an electric's range on a single charge. The only good roads of the period were in town, causing most travel to be local commuting, a perfect situation for electric vehicles, since their range was limited. The electric vehicle was the preferred choice of many because it did not require the manual effort to start, as with the hand crank on gasoline vehicles, and there was no wrestling with a gear shifter.

While basic electric cars cost under $1,000, most early electric vehicles were ornate, massive carriages designed for the upper class. They had fancy interiors, with expensive materials, and averaged $3,000 by 1910. Electric vehicles enjoyed success into the 1920s with production peaking in 1912.

The decline of the electric vehicle was brought about by several major developments:

By the 1920s, America had a better system of roads that now connected cities, bringing with it the need for longer-range vehicles.
The discovery of Texas crude oil reduced the price of gasoline so that it was affordable to the average consumer.
The invention of the electric starter by Charles Kettering in 1912 eliminated the need for the hand crank.
The initiation of mass production of internal combustion engine vehicles by Henry Ford made these vehicles widely available and affordable in the $500 to $1,000 price range. By contrast, the price of the less efficiently produced electric vehicles continued to rise. In 1912, an electric roadster sold for $1,750, while a gasoline car sold for $650.

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