Xebras Deliver Pizza in Las Vegas
by Jacob Gordon, Nashville, TN on 05.17.07
Domino’s Pizza franchises in Las Vegas have been testing Zap Xebra electric vehicles for pie delivery. Part of a new pilot program, Domino’s wants to lessen its carbon footprint and save on gas for the untold number of miles it clocks delivering pizzas to the hungry mouths of the world via its network of more than 8,000 franchised shops. "Today it is not uncommon to have your Domino's pizza delivered by bicycle, scooter or car around the world," said Jim Stansik, Domino's executive vice president of Franchise Development. "Looking toward tomorrow, Domino's is committed to also being a responsible consumer of our planet's natural resources by testing the feasibility of using electric vehicles in our stores." The Xebra is a three-wheeled, all-electric city car (40 mph maximum speed—probably a good thing in this case), that can charge off of a typical 110 Volt outlet. We're waiting for word on how widespread the use of EVs will be by “the recognized world leader in pizza delivery.” :: Autoblog Green via Hugg (Linton)
BRILLIUNT!!!!
Didn't Dominoes have a delivery vehicle in the 80's that looked something like a cross between a jet fighter and a recumbent tricycle?
I'm not a fan of the paint job. It's too camouflagey. The car, being of an unexpected shape and size, is already less visible on the road. The paint job adds to the hazard. That being said, it is adorably cute lilttle car, like a little animal delivering you cheesy goodness.
Someone on the corporate ladder is stealing sheep:
(Minneapolis') Galactic Pizza's electric vehicles:
http://galacticpizza.com/3.html
Very good idea. This all electric vehicle costs less than $10,000!
Add cargo trikes and bikes to the mix, for in-town deliveries, and you've got an even better idea.
in response to the comment about delivering via bicycle, that would be a hard sell here in vegas to convince a guy working for less than $10 an hour to ride a bike in 120 degree desert heat. Its not impossible, i have been commuting 25 miles a day for over a year in vegas, but it isnt the kind of thing that i suspect you'd be able to convince most people in town to do for their job unless they were hippy diehards.
Thats one cute ride :)
Xebra, Domino people, kudus for your good work. Great stuff.
The fly in the ointment is that lead acid batteries
could cost 2X-4X or more than gasoline, because of the
cost of battery replacement.
More than one Vancouver EV owner was shocked by the
very short life of flooded lead acid batteries: Around
1,000 kms., in one case. That's $1,300 in new
batteries for a tiny car. One our GMC electric pickup,
had we bought new batteries, it would have been
$3,500.
However, since we are using Revived Batteries, the
cost was practically nothing. (Works on our electric
pickup well, because of two other breakthroughs, not
just battery revival.)
Cheers,
Rob Matthies
I just wish the Xebras were built a tad better. I've been inside loads of econoboxes, old and new, but when I sat in one at the car show, I was surprised at the really poor quality and bad fit-and-finish. Half the knobs were broken off already. And I was able to sit on the seat, but not able to get in and close the door, because at 6'2", I could not get my knees inside no matter how I tried. After getting out, I realized that closing the door was a foolish hope, anyway as the latch was already broken.
But I did meet a guy recently who owns one and likes it (he was about 5" shorter than me).