Thursday, October 16, 2008

Electric Car


I finally did it...I finally made my way over to EcoMotion, the car dealership that brings us all electric cars. I have been interested in the Zap Car, but they look so small, I've wondered if I would fit. That daydream of an electric car has been intruding into my thoughts more and more lately, so I decided to see if those daydreams are were worth my time.

It's not very far from my home, this dealership, but it takes at least 2 buses to get there...thus the daydreams...for trips like that.

Well...I did fit in the sedan, but barely. I'd like to stretch my legs out just a tiny bit more. It would be possible to live with it, considering I wouldn't drive for long or far with one of these. The seat belt does not fit; if I wanted the car badly enough, I could get that fixed. Actually, the seat itself was not bad. Since these are bare-bones, seed-of-the-future cars, there's not much invested in cushy things. Often in nicer cars with bucket seats I am more uncomfortable. These reminded me of old truck seats...just some cloth over a flat spring-loaded seat.

The saleslady apologetically explained these are made in Asia, so they haven't been designed for Americans (and large people like you, she couldn't quite bring herself to say). She also explained that the nice thing about the Zap Cars, with their 3 wheels they get classified as a motorcycle, so they are allowed to go their full 45 mph. Other electric vehicles (basically souped-up golf carts) with 4 wheels are limited to 25 mph due to some arcane less-than-real-car laws, even though they have the capability to go 45 mph.

Well, if I had the kind of money that I could drop 15 grand and have it paid off in a half a year, I'd buy it. I guess that's how much that car would be worth to me--something I could pay in full in 6 to 9 months. More than that, I can live without it. As it is my transportation cost to me = zero. That's a sweet deal. Ah well, I got that out of my system.

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