AutoblogGreen

1. Sounds a little fishy to me. If I was a prospective EV buyer with the $30k/$45k cash and didn't need a new car immediately, I would wait a couple of years (and maybe earn interest on the money) b/c there's a lot of possible choices coming up in the near future from major automanufacturers (iMIEV, R1e, or if PHEVs will do: Prius PHEV, Volt, Volvo Recharge). We just have to get them to make the cars in significant enough numbers and sell them in the US.

Posted at 10:04PM on Mar 28th 2008 by jake

2. Hmmm. Given what Google searches can reveal about the characters at Zap, Spark EV, and Hybrid Technologies, it makes sense to issue a caveat emptor --at least for now.

I suspect that Satyenvra Gripatia is actually Satyedvra (S.T.) Tripathi in Parker, Colorado, who two years ago was the owner of "Elizabeth RV and Automotive Center," but a year ago opened the "Colorado Auto Connection." Just two months ago he announced the Current via that company (http://denver.yourhub.com/Denver/Stories/News/General-News/Story~425390.aspx). Perhaps he has since established a subsidiary with the name "Electric City Motors" to exclusively handle the EV business...?

A Denver Post story shows Tripathi next to a ZENN in his showroom (http://origin.denverpost.com/headlines/ci_6172612), yet his business doesn't appear in ZENN's map of retailers. Maybe they haven't updated it...?

Most interesting of all, however, is that Colorado Auto Connection's web page about the Current claims that "It's here! Come and test drive one today!" (http://www.coloradoautoconnection.com/the_current.asp).

So... all you Green Autobloggers in the Denver, Colorado, area should tootle right over there and let the rest of us know how well it drives! We'll be waiting to read your reports!

Posted at 10:36PM on Mar 28th 2008 by Yanquetino

3. Hmm... something smells fishy here. Up to a 200-mile range with a charge time of no more than 2 hours and 0-60 mph in 4.9 seconds. How did they manage to outperform every other company developing EVs?

Posted at 11:26PM on Mar 28th 2008 by Wave54

4. anyone else notice it has first gen ford focus head lights?

Posted at 1:13AM on Mar 29th 2008 by stevefazek

5. @stevefazek
I'm quite sure those don't look even remotely like first gen focus headlights because I'm a focus fan:
http://www.edmunds.com/used/2000/ford/focus/11751/photos.html#

The focus's headlights are triangular while this one's is more of a trapezoid.

Posted at 1:38AM on Mar 29th 2008 by jake

6. Yes i agree with all post above me . It does sound to good to be true . How can they outperform everybody else with piratically developing their batteries in their back yard.Unless there is something they are not telling us (such as the battery manufacturer) then i will believe it when i see i !

Posted at 2:14AM on Mar 29th 2008 by Kevin

7. Sound a bit pie-in-the-sky to me, believe it when i see it.

Meanwhile ZAP, even though some of their vehicles, and not all have three wheels is the only viable EV on the roads today. Take a look at all their EV options at http://www.zapworld.com (you WILL find four wheels there, since there appears to be an aversion to three wheels)

Posted at 4:59AM on Mar 29th 2008 by Niralisherni

8. Niralisherni:

Huh??? ZAP has "the only viable EV on the roads today"? I thought that the only ZAPs available were NEVs (the Xebra that they import from China). And if I were in the market for an NEV, I would rather have a ZENN (http://www.zenncars.com/): they are MUCH more "viable" than Xebras, believe me!

All the other vehicles ZAP touts in its web pages and press releases, all those four-wheeled, highway-capable EVS, are only vaporware at this point. I suggest that you read this article at Wired: http://www.wired.com/cars/futuretransport/magazine/16-04/ff_zapped.

If you know anybody, ANYBODY, who actually possesses a ZAP Obvio 828 or Zap-X or Alias... hey, let us know!!!

In the meantime, I think that the Tesla Roadster and AC Propulsion's eBox are both "viable" EVs, aren't they? And in Europe the Th!nk City is already rolling off the production line.

Posted at 12:04PM on Mar 29th 2008 by Yanquetino

9. Sam,
Either this guy is BSing or your chinese is no so good.

Posted at 1:39PM on Mar 29th 2008 by Henry

10. The clip below is from their website:


February 2007: Electric City Motors becomes a U.S. distributor of the Current by Quanxing Transport Equipment Company.

December 2007: Electric City Motors receives the first shipment of the Current. Now available for purchase!

The cars seem to be the same old Chinese NEV.

Posted at 1:07AM on Mar 30th 2008 by sai sankar

11. I have contacted Electric Motor Company and they said that are ready to roll within 90 days. They have the inventory and they are currently looking for dealers.

The have an attractive offer for potential dealers only $25,000 investment. I send an email to them for more information about this and I got a phone call within an hour!!! While the conversation went pretty well I need to do some more research.

I'd hate to investment my money, quit my job, and venture out into an industry that I know nothing about only to find out it was all a sham! So, if anyone has any more information on these guys (either about their vehicles or their business practices) please let me know. I'm VERY interested.

-Derrick Williams

Posted at 4:28PM on Apr 4th 2008 by dmw183

12. Derrick: I would advise a generous helping of prudence, garnished with a sprinkling of skepticism. A con man is just as capable as a legitimate distributor (nay, moreso) of calling you back within the hour (consider Zap or Spark EV or Hybrid Technologies, for example).

On the other hand, this might very well be a bona fide startup. Were I in your shoes, I would want the following reassurances before investing anything:

* Ready to roll "in 90 days" doesn't cut it for me: the distributor has to already be rolling.
* I would have to see that EV with my own eyes, and thoroughly test drive it.
* I would also want to verify that this outfit has several of those vehicles on the lot --not just one. WHERE is that so-called "inventory" that they claim to already "have"?
* I would want to make sure that the DOT has approved of the EV as safe and meeting all federal requirements.
* I would want to know the EV's specs. If it doesn't have lithium power (but rather something like lead-acid), if the motor isn't at least as powerful as those in an RAV4-EV, if it doesn't have regenerative braking, etc.... I'd pass, thanks. The point is, quite a few EVs that meet those standards will start appearing within the next 1-2 years (Th!nk City, Subaru R1e, Mitsubishi iMiEV, Phoenix, Aptera, etc.); you don't want to end up trying to sell an inferior product.

Good luck! Just PLEASE keep us posted about what you find out.

Posted at 10:07AM on Apr 5th 2008 by Yanquetino

13. Thanks for the response. Yes I am approaching this thing with some skepticism. Both as a consumer and as a possible business man. After putting some thought into it I am drafting up a list of questions for my friends out in Colorado. That's the first step. But before anything, I believe the best thing for me to do is wait until these vehicles hit the market. And see how well they do as far as their reliability and performance.

And if it means that I have to fly out to Colorado (from Pennsylvania) to see verify this myself then, I might just have to do that. I'd much rather spend a couple hundred dollars for a plane ticket verses paying in the $1000's for a vehicle that doesn't live up to it's billing or, worse yet, spend even more money in a business venture that is doomed to failure.

So definitely, I'll kAeep you guys posted. Thanks for your input.

-Derrick Williams

Posted at 5:11PM on Apr 6th 2008 by dmw183