Affordable Electric Car Beating Major Manufacturers to Market

I know I've BEEN ready for an electric car. I better start saving now. =]

We don't need another NEV.

If you are going to be going at NEV speeds, ride a bike. ITs cheaper, better for you, less pollution, and faster in traffic.

Well, that's just darned cool. I hope it works out.

I hate NEV's, it's basically pulling the wool on the general public and media.

- fools people into thinking a real car is available
- fools people with the price
- fools investors

To me, a NEV should not be highway capable, but 40MPH capable at the very least.

It's the reason why the ZENN isn't "out there" selling like hotcakes.

I like the range, but who is going to drive 150 miles at 25mph? Check out Solectria if you want to know about retrofitting heavy steel chassis. I'll look forward to the 2009 model.

My next vehicle purchase is going to be an electric bicycle - I only need to go a few miles to work.

I test drove the Zenn and the Zapp Their body styles etc would be acceptible. They need to travel 45 mph for me to maintain the speed limit on the streets that take me across town.

I was hopeful till I saw that it was NEV with 25 mph top speed I CANT even drive it out of my driveway!!! let alone get to any of the neighborhood stores, all the streets here in los angeles are 35 to 40 mph!!

While I certainly admire the efforts of Mr. Bernsten, I think I'll be patient a bit longer and wait for EV technology from the more established auto-makers. The $18,000 price tag he's advertising for the highway-capable version isn't a fortune by any means, but it's not pocket change either. Personally, I'd like to know that my investment is backed up by a company that's likely to be around five years down the road, and that there will be a network of qualified service technicians available when in need of repairs.

Mark, I'd normally agree with you, except for the note in the article. He intends to release a highway-ready version for $18000 by 2009.

I love seeing things like this happen because it shows just howeasy it is to con the gullible public.
I see that the speil is the same one used by that discredited seller of unreliable Chinese three wheeled cars, ZAP, which advertises one thing and then prices it another. Their "50 mile range"
which they advertise doesn't go with their price point that they also advertise, nor does the power nor speed. "Affordable" here means bare bones cheap, with a cheap, weak-kneed battery. No other automaker on the planet is dumb enough to use the obsolete battery technologies this amateur automaker is offering. And the cars will be made in China, where the quality of their car is only slightly better than India's. Wait till these enthusiastic owners learn just how slow and short-ranged these cars really are. And the wonderful thing about these vehicles is that you have to own at least two of them, at least one of which had better have a gasoline engine aboard, or you won't be visiting any relatives (distant or otherwise) or going on vacations either. Buying , insuring, garaging and maintaining two cars is NOT "affordable." It's just dumb. But there are those who only learn one way. Now you buyers will shortly learn all of the many negatives about owning a battery-only electric car, and why only those manufacturers who lack the engineering know-how build these little useless vehicles rather than a practical plug-in hybrid, with a battery with a 10 year warranty like the Volt. I doubt that you will get a 3 year warranty on these batteries. We could build electric cars just as good as these before 1900. They are that simple. Unfortunately, without a practical battery, the technology is oxymoronic.

the problem seems to be the cars that cost 10,000 to 20,000 are bins on wheels (sorry but they are) and have a range of about 20 miles.

When we go over this we are talking about a decent range of 100 miles but prices of about 50,000. We need family cars with a decent (not huge) range and a decent price.

What I don't understand is that it seems not to be a problem for manufacturers to produce new cars, but none are electric?

Kudos for calling him up but what is your source for the story in the first place? Same place you "sourced" the picture?

I think the future is in electric and plug in hybrid vehicles, but Arthur is right, this is a scam.

We will have EV that can go 300 miles and plug in hybrids that can go 600 miles or more, but not using the batteries BG is trying to pawn off on us. ( I am not including hyper-milers)

The only problem I have with electric cars is that they won't work in my neighborhood unless the city puts electrical outlets on every street. I don't have off-street parking, and I rarely find a parking spot near my house. How are electric cars going to fit in a walkable, urban neighborhood?

The NEV is not like a bicycle, it IS a bicycle. (just a little safer).

As an entry point for a new mfg, this is a great idea. As a second car, it is a great idea. As a "grocery getter," or "work-commuter" it is a great idea.

As a fully functioning car, it misses a lot on the top end.

We still need to see an affordable, highway capable, safe, electric car ... In production and available.

I've been waiting for plug in electric car for more than five years such as Subaru Re-1 but non yet.

Here's what I like to buy a car that meets the following specs;

Vehicle weight: 1500-2000 Lbs
Wheel base: 100 Inches
Height: 58 Inches
Max speed: 60 M/H
Range: 50 M/C
Capecity: 3 or 4 seater
Aero dynamic sporty look compact hatchback style but not a golf cart look.

What no one is asking about electric cars:

HOW LONG DO THE BATTERIES LAST?

My guess? 2 Years or ~600 charges. That is about Average for a battery. Laptop, iPod, Segway or otherwise. About 2 years. And expect it to cost $10,000 of that $15,000 car. That is right, you will be expected to pay $10,000 every two years to drive your car. Some people do that anyways, but most people don't. Electric cars are facades. There is no way around this energy crisis. We need better mass transit, and we need it fast.

NEV = worthless.

If 25 mph is a speed that works for someones commute, they might as well ride a bike (or a scooter for that matter).

I applaud the initiative to push the EV, but it will take a highway capable vehicle to bring around the general public.

As one poster mentioned: "We need better mass transit, and we need it fast." YES! One simple and amazingly flexible solution I don't see anywhere is commuter trailers pulled by trucks. Why not create a passenger module similar to a commuter rail car, the approximate size of a standard container, that is hooked up to a standard truck rig. This will be far more flexible and more efficient than buses. These can be quickly and easily deployed as needed, where needed. They will be quick to design and build and should be easy to maintain. The motorized portion will be separate from the commuter portion for easier maintenance. They can drive through neighborhoods (like school buses) to collect commuters. Trucks are very fuel efficient when they are pulling 30 people. Very low capital costs (as compared to any type of rail system), quick ramp-up, total flexibility and quite efficient.

America needs to stay FOCUSED, AWARE and EDUCATED.

History reminds us that every time oil prices peak and the North American market/consumers start to discuss alternative energy sources, the oil exporting countries start to trim down their prices. History also tells us that the oil exporting nations have been very successful in the past and in fact, we have lost our enthusiasm and dropped many of our alternative energy initiatives after oil prices are reduced.

WE need to stay focused this time.

1) Al Gore and his energy initiative is on course.
2) T. Boone Pickens and his wind power initiative is on course.
3) BG Automotive Group’s mass production electric vehicle program is on
course.
4) The Gas Reduction Act of 2008 might not be the most environmentally sound
solution, but yet it shows that Congress has finally realized that we have an
energy crisis (again), and a real threat to our national security.

The continued dependence on foreign oil is a threat to our long term democratic values. We must become an energy independent nation, and with this, some sacrifices will have to be made by the American consumer.

Be aware!!
We are exporting approximately USD $700 Billion dollars per year of U.S. currency. The majority of this money is being transferred to the Trillion dollar “sovereign wealth funds”. This is USD $700 Billion not being spent on America’s educational system, health care and security.

The “sovereign wealth funds” are directly buying major interests (large blocks of stock) in U.S. companies, including most of the major banks. Also, billions of dollars of “sovereign wealth fund” money is being invested in our hedge funds, private equity firms, and the investment banking industry. A few of these firms are directly and indirectly investing large sums of money into our “gas combustion” automobile industry. Do we want our auto industry in the direct or indirect control of the firms that are supplying us oil? This is an interesting topic for an investigative reporter.

There are automotive consulting companies in Michigan (heart of our auto industry), lobbying States and our Federal Government, NOT to subsidize the Electric Vehicle industry. The latter seems to be contradictory to what the American public would like to see from our automobile industry. After the billions (excess of $20 billion) the automotive companies have lost in the past 6 months producing gas combustion vehicles, you would think they too would change course. Changing course is not adding 2-4 miles per gallon w/Hybrids. Drastic measures in our auto industry must take place and NOW!

Do not let the temporary reduction in oil prices push us of course….AGAIN.

Read, Read, Read- Stay on top of the issues. Let’s not be fooled again.

STAY FOCUSED, AWARE and EDUCATED!

I might as well borrow a golf cart from the course near my home. Appreciate that people are thinking outside that old tiny box of the model t but come on we need highway speeds and a greater charge range. Keep thinking folks they will arrive!

One word (or maybe two) - VAPORWARE

This has all the ringings of Zap and all the other EV wannabes, who will happily sell you a NEV, but keep you waiting years for the real thing.

C'mon guys - it's right there in the article... a NEV for $16k, and a highway capable EV for $17k a year later - bull...owneee!

someone give me an electric, street legal dune buggy style car that can go 50mph, and has a range of about 40 miles and I'm happier than I would be getting any NEV. Either way it is a second car that is only going to be used for close-range driving and errands, so why not at least make it fun too?

I want to know, is any Affordable electric car using Nanosafe batteries.??

10 minutes charge is too sweet to be missed!

Don't think we need any more NEVs, especially at 25 mph. They're nice if they work for you, but there are already several models out there.

Freeway capable BEV that can do 70-80 mph safely would be better.

Why would you fail to consider a Extended-Range add on option (small ICE generator, fuel cell, turbine, or other)? Short range BEV will require second car for many in USA. E-REV does it all and still radically reduces gas use.

People, this guy is way behind. Check out the Tesla Roadster...they already have an electric sportscar out there that outperforms a Porsche (elec. energy is much more efficient that combustion).

And they are planning on getting family sedans out soon. I believe them more than I believe this guy and his 25 mph joke cars.

Teslas are expensive. If BG puts a highway ready EV on the roads for under 20K, this will be a breakthrough.

And even if range is limited, many families have two cars today and most day-to-day trips are easily within range of an EV. I know our family has a little, fuel-efficient econobox for everyday use and if we need a larger car for a vacation or when visitors come, we rent a car. The annual savings in gas, not to mention the environment, easily covers the occassional rental. I would gladly switch to an EV and do the same thing.

there is only one problem with the whole concept with the electric car. people claim that it doesn't creat pollution but you have to plug in you're car don't you? that in turn takes electricity from a fossil fuel or coal or nuke or whatever other pollutant utilitys plant that STILL pollutes the atmosphere!!!

Please read-Americans need to know!!!!!!!!

NHTSA Hearings 8/4/08

I just returned from the NHTSA hearings held today (August 4, 2008) in Washington D.C., regarding the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for NEW Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards (CAFÉ) for years 2011-2015.

IMPORTANT FACTS: You will not believe what you are reading.

1) The 414 pages DEIS analysis was based on an average gasoline price of USD $2.16/gallon for 2011-2020. A calculation approved by the NHTSA administrators/managers. Would you believe it???????????

2) The new CAFÉ rules were also established, negotiated and pre-approved by the NHTSA’s management along with the influence of domestic automotive companies and their lobbyists. We have now established fuel standards for 2011-2020 that presently met in the rest of the Western world (see below)
As one guest speaker said today “are they on another planet?”

NHTSA “NEW Fuel Standards” (2011-2015) decision:

Automobiles are to achieve 31.2 mpg by 2011 and 35.7 mpg by 2015. Light trucks are to achieve 25 mpg by 2011, and 28.6 mpg by 2015.

The NTHSA is also setting a goal of 35 mpg on average for 2020.

America needs to know:

The European Union is currently establishing standards, with a goal of reaching 48.9 miles per gallon for new passenger vehicles as early as 2012. The current EU standard already requires more than 40 miles per gallon about 15% higher than the U.S. goal set for 12 years from now.

Japan currently has a standard of about 40 miles per gallon. Japan aims to further improve fuel efficiency by 17% by 2015, reaching 46.9 miles per gallon.

China has a current average of slightly under 35 miles per gallon. Chinese fuel standards are on target to reach the government’s goal of 35.8 miles per gallon by 2009. China will not only meet, but exceed, the goal just established by the United States for 2020 — more than a full decade earlier.

Australia is targeting 34.4 miles per gallon by 2010.

Canada is targeting 34.1 miles per gallon by 2010.

Under the current administration, purchasing an electric vehicle is becoming more of a necessity rather than an alternative.
BG Automotive Group, Ltd. (www.BGelectricCars.com)

WOW! I can't believe people actually buy into this nonsense. Has anyone read the specs for this thing? It's a golf cart! I converted my putter in my garage into an EV for exactly $4596.32. I get 10MPH more (avg 55MPH), and get about the same miles per charge (approx 80 and will get an additional 100 with newer battery technology). Come on guys......there's already a movement for garage built EV's that are much better than these toys. Treehugger should really look into doing a story on them. Those of us with bigger budgets ($10-15K) can build a really nice EV that costs less than $0.05 per mile to operate and runs at least at twice the specs of this thing.

(15 thousand dollars) for electric vehicle is not affordable for a neighborhood vehicle. You can us a electric bicycle for ($1500 )
in your neighborhood for all of the same thing you use an electric car for.

Ride your bike if you work close to your place. If you commute farther then get one of these electric cars. I have a really nice bike that I ride to work, and its paid for its self numerous times already.

25mph??? I can't drive on most streets at that speed or I'll be pulled over. Why don't they take it a little higher?

The main point of many of the comments is that this will not come close to competing with other technologies.
-Batteries die need to be replaced and are not green. (How about a little more NiCad and lead acid in your water supply)
-Electric cars can not move the masses at speed or distance yet.
-Electricity is still generated by Nuke and Coal (not green just a green glow from spent rods)
-Many better alternatives ...Natural Gas, Hydrogen, and Flex cars coming soon. Maybe..

The real answers are in infrastructure, build good public transportation, bike lanes and please start to green up the power grid, with wind, solar, hydroelectric and geothermal. (This is a crisis of corrupt government.)

MMMM let me see, if we all go EV like so many want to would we not need more Power Plants to support the demand. Just a thought but seems to be logical to me. Now since the "Eviro Wakos" don't want any more Power Plants please explain to me how this will work.

Public transportation is a total non-starter. Most of the country is not laid out for it and in most cases the extra commute time required makes the effort worthless. Most current public transportation is heavilly subsidized and lightly ridden and this won't change even if rides were free.

From the current state of hydrogen power and batterie technology, the best we can hope for are hybrids and plug in hybrids for years to come. (Even though they deny it, the Volt is basically a hybrid, still having a gas engine on board.)

At first I was excited about natural gas ala Pickens plan but the more I've thought about it the less I like it. It is cheaper now per gallon but what happens when demand goes up? Will we be right back to where we are now with gas? The problem is that the amount of gas we use is truely monumental and to replace even a small percentage of it takes a huge amount of infrastructure and capacity. Since Boone has a large steak in nat gas it would be great for him, of course!

We've been working on battery technology for decades and we still aren't there yet. We've been working on Solar cellsfor decades and they're still way too expensive. Perhaps in 5 years or so we can start thinking about alternative energy seriously. Before then there will have to be huge subsidies or you'll have to have money to burn to go beyond the hybrid technology we already have.

The latest poll shows 70% of the public wants to open up drilling so they are on the right track. While we should continue to persue alternative energy, we also shouldn't be blinded by optimism to the point of fostering a real energy disaster.

Can we really hang our future on something that's 'only a couple of years away'? I'll get excited when I can go down to the local dealership and test drive one then put my money down. In the electronics industry I've heard 'just around the corner' one too many times and desparate times call for every type of huckster to come crawling out of the woodwork, "double your mileage now with HHO gas, the technology big oil doesn;t want you to know about!!!!!", (despite the fact that it's all over the internet).

why has no company mass produced a tesla roadster with half the performance (still more than enough for everyone). Even if the car was still 25K I'd buy it. Beats $4 a gallon anyday.