Entrepreneur  at work ...  again

[Kento-Moto]

Hey gang, I need your opinion plz... I am allways open for new biz opp's I have taken a fancy to " the goin green rage "  I am not a full blown enviromentalist yet, but I am interested in each of us doin our part ... and with gas & oil prices being thru the roof... well u get my drift. My interest in alternative fuels and vehicles has been sparked lately and I am thinking of opening up a dealership here in Northern Calif.

I am serious about this and will be in Vegas next week for this :  http://www.afvi.org/NationalConference2008/contact.html

For starters I am looking only at LSV  ( low speed vehicles ) but am open to the higher speed ones as well.

My question to you guys and gals is :  anyone know where I could find a genuine source for such vehicles? Most of the suppliers want too much $ for their cars or franchise. Southcoast auto wants $50K just to get started. I have driven several of the cars lsited below and wasnt that impressed. Most of these cars prices start at $10K and up to $20K which is kinda high but hell, a Bike can cost more ... these cars only do about 25-35 mph and the range is only 30-50 miles. The good thing is they can plug into a regular 110 outlet and cost to operate is about 1 cent per mile!  Great for short commutes or quick trips to the market or pick up the kids ...  

Here is what I have found so far :

www.http://www.gemcar.com/

http://www.zenncars.com/

http://www.daviselectriccars.com/

http://www.southcoastauto.us/index.htm

Any and all comments are appreciated.  Thanx - K

 

[TheAtomicAss]

Only thing I liked was the Xebra truck, and the only one that had a real vehicle there was South Coast.

I forever more do not understand the need for these slow, short range, non-aerodynamic cars. Just boggles my mind. The proliferation of these things is probably the biggest reason why we don't have REAL electric cars on the road. Everyone sees these toys, and assumes that all electrics are toys as a result.

When are we going to have a mass-produced version of This?

<div class="iF-Passage"><div class="QUOTEHEAD">Quote:[/Quote]<div class="QUOTE clearfix"><span class="quoteBegin"> </span>
Q. Why are the motors in the wheels?

A. We've chosen the very best drive system technology available anywhere in the world. This advanced motor technology now has phenomenal torque and power capability which is integrated within a wheel assembly. There are no gearboxes, differential, axle, drive shafts or propshafts to contend with. All of the power is generated at the wheel, the point at which it's required, which eliminates mechanical complexity and power losses experienced in standard sports cars. These lightweight and ultra powerful motors don't add significant extra unsprung weight and are therefore ideal in that position. [/quote]

That right there is where too many of these electric car builders go wrong. You just can't apply the same old ideas from gas cars to electric.

 

[TheAtomicAss]

Even without wheel motors it can be done right.

PROOF

 

[FastBusa]

I know its early yet but how can you save gas and oil by buying a $100,000.00 plus car?

 

[Spudley]

I like it. The dealio would be not needing another vehicle for twenty years, so to speak. At that point, it's roughly $5,000 a year. To me, that sounds like the way to go. Breaking it down further, you're looking at about $250 a month over twenty, so to speak. How many of us pay that in fuel alone

.....I definitely want one. Awesome...

 

[GSXRFANN]

They still have alot of improvements to make. For one, if everyone, or say, 60% of the vehicles on the road were electric, our power companies would not be able to handle it, and we would have brown outs. The power grids just aren't setup that way.
#2 The batteries need to last WAY longer than they do. Take a golf cart for example...you can drive those things all day on a charge. Why couldn't they design a car to do the same thing? Then there is the battery recycling program...you always lose SOME lead and plastic during the recycling process.
#3 The charging time on batteries for these vehicles takes too long. For a day of shopping, every parking space in every parking lot would have to have a power outlet....which would require more power....which in turn would cause the price of goods to go up.

Now, I am a supporter of all of this stuff, so don't get me wrong. This is just some of the stuff that I have thought about.

I like the bio-diesel and the ethanol fuels. They are much easier to produce, and would create more jobs (like putting the farmers back in business). There are varieties that you can make at home legally (in small batches). There are very few (especially in diesel engines) modifications that need to be made to existing engines to make the fuels work correctly, which would not require buying yet another vehicle.


Just my useless opinion!!

 

[thrasherfox]

Kent,


This is what I am looking at getting the end of the year when they go into full production


www.aptera.com


minimum 130mpg for the hybrid.

will do up to 90mph

For me it will be a perfect commuter, someting the wife and I could even use to go to the coast or somewhere else.

 

[JR'S BUSA]

Kent,


This is what I am looking at getting the end of the year when they go into full production


www.aptera.com


minimum 130mpg for the hybrid.

will do up to 90mph

For me it will be a perfect commuter, someting the wife and I could even use to go to the coast or somewhere else.

That is freaking awesome thraser, I want to move to cali just so I can buy one of those.

 

[Kento-Moto]

Thanx for the input guys, this helps me get a feel for what the public will think. I will know more about the direction to go next week after the expo in Vegas. I am looking at the lsv for now as a place to start with possibly going into a variety of alternative vehicles and fuels later... One of the problems with the higher speed eletrics or Hybrids is they need to pass all of the safety features of regular cars. Impact / crash test's, air bags ... where as the lsv or "scooter" types dont fall under those classifications.

 

[ToyKraz]

Don't know squat about LSVs, but would be happy to buy you lunch when you are in Vegas next week.

We can drive my Dodge Dually with 35's so you can experience what it is like to get 12mpg

 

[Kento-Moto]

Brad, that would be cool. I am only there from 7 pm monday to 5 pm tuesday. I'm not sure how long it will take to walk around and gather info at the expo could be hours or done in 45 minutes ...

I'll pm ya my cel #

Thanx - Kent

 

[99'busa]

 

[Mr Bogus]

I think you get a vehicle that will run a solid 100 mile day and does not look like an escape from PlaySkool and price it under 15K, you will be getting a lot of interest... I would sure like one...

I liked the Tesla design but I can build a gas version of that car for under 40K and that leaves a lot of headroom for fuel costs.. We may start building one of the Factory Five cars after I secure a donor car (late model Vette) for the drive train..

 

[99'busa]

 

[Powers739]

Rock and I got to see that car first hand at Maxton
...

View attachment 1407672

 

[Powers739]

View attachment 1407673

 

[Mr Bogus]

just trying to get all my ducks in a row for the build... the donor car is presenting the biggest issue...

 

[Powers739]

It's just money...

 

[99'busa]

 

[Mr Bogus]

It's just money...

I need a salvage vette or one that has been retired... Just can not bring myself to commit a perfectly good car..