The Zen electric car seems to be now shipping its NEV for $12,000 for the standard but they offer the bells and whistle trim pack for $15,000. The Zen is manufacutured in Canada. The Max speed is only 25 mph with a range of 35 or so miles. Seems like a pretty nice little car. I will still wait for something that goes a little faster as I travel about 25 miles round trip on the freeway at 65 mph. So still a little to slow but for a nice little Neighborhood electric. Not bad.
It’s too bad (for EVs in general) that these cars, although they fill a niche well, further exacerbate the concept that EVs are just golf carts - and not a serious mode of transportation.
Not too bad if it only cost $4000, but $12-15,000 with that performance?
Yeah, what annoys me is that it’s generally the bad EVs that get publicity (Zenn) while others (ones running on AltairNano Nanosafe batteries) don’t get any. In addition, Zenn has WORLDWIDE EXCLUSIVITY on the E-Stor battery for vehicles under a certain mass, basically depriving more deserving Electric car companies the opportunity to put 15 minute charge batteries in their products.
The company is trying to convince people that they’re making cars, not street legal* golf carts which is exactly what they are. Finally, the assembly plant is located in Québec, and the headquarters in Ontario, both of these places make the use of an NEV illegal, so why set up a company in a territory where you can’t sell your product?
*(except in most areas of Canada and about 7 US states)
Not too bad if it only cost $4000, but $12-15,000 with that performance?
The bodies the company uses are shipped from Europe and the “cars” are built in Canada. There’s no outsourcing (except for bodies) to my knowledge, which I find very admirable.
if they had a better top end speed i would be all over one, but at 25mph, i might as well just get a golf cart… because thats basicly what it is…
they should offer them to go at a minimum 40mph which would work great in cities and all… they dont need much range… just need them to go about 20 miles minimum…
[QUOTE=DeLorean_4;693]
There’s no outsourcing (except for bodies) to my knowledge, which I find very admirable.[/QUOTE]
I’d pay a premium for no outsourcing (I’m not Canadian, but Canadians are good neighbors), but not a premium that is twice what I think the vehicle is worth. I wouldn’t pay $60,000 for a $20,000 Chevy if it was 100% made in the U.S.A either.
I cannot understand these companies who come up with such products.
If a person using standard tools , in his/her garage , and using up his/her free time can setup a vehicle with a range of 60miles and capable of doing highway speeds then we expect something better from companies.
The only reason I see is perhaps that the limited range and the charging difficlties might make people not buy EVs. But reading forums like this one and many other resources it seems that people want EVs!
These companies simply ridicule the EV.
Joseph
As a recent buyer of a Zenn, I can tell you that the 25 MPH limitation cited in this thread is no longer necessarily true. Mine, a Zenn 2.22, has a maximum speed of 42 MPH and a range of 35 miles. The battery pack consists of sealed AGM batteries that require no maintenance and emit no fumes. Some of the other options included with my Zenn are an electrically operated sunroof and an AM/FM/CD radio.
It takes me on all of my local errands without burning a drop of gas, and cost me $13,000 delivered to my home, including tax and title. There were no extra costs beyond the $13,000 at all.
I love it.
Hello all, Just a couple things to keep in mind…
These are sold as “neighborhood cars” This is not their marketing niche, it is the legal description. Any car sold without airbags, crash testing, ETC. must go no faster than 25mph by law. I have heard that the law may be changing soon top 35mph. This isn’t fast, but makes these much more usefull (i don’t even know where a 25mph zone is near my house)
I certainly agree that seeing Ev’s on the shoulder doing 25mph is bad PR for electric cars, and since the government of the U.S. has proven itself to be anti EV, this may be exactly the idea.
I do have to defend Zenn, and others, that are doing their part to produce EV’s. These companys are doing all they can to work in a corrupt system. Obviously cars need to be safe to go on the highway, but the regulations have been pushed so high, that it is essentially impossible for any other manufacture to start up (exactly as the big auto manufactures would like it, I assume) As for price, with such low production numbers, there is simply no way to build for much cheaper. I will be $20,000 into my little EV by the time I am done, and some of the materials were given to me. I have sourced great deals, and bought half my parts on ebay. This does not include one penny for my labor, and I am building everything. I doubt I could sell my car at a profit for $40,000, unless I could buy, and build in considerable volume.
Just my two cents… Eric
There are several, maybe 6 GEM NEVs in Martinez, CA all for for less than $10k. I’ll get info soon on the exact models and contact, YOU find the shipping cost from 94553.
Hello, friends,
Do you want to have a all-closed two-seat e-car with EEC certified made in China to save your expense? We have to tell you its max speed is up to 70km/h, and continuous range is 120KM, and its FOB china price is about $6000/unit, is it interesting to you? please contact Eva Wu electroautoe-v@hotmail.com for more of the details.
[QUOTE=tom25;11]The Zen electric car seems to be now shipping its NEV for $12,000 for the standard but they offer the bells and whistle trim pack for $15,000. The Zen is manufacutured in Canada. The Max speed is only 25 mph with a range of 35 or so miles. Seems like a pretty nice little car. I will still wait for something that goes a little faster as I travel about 25 miles round trip on the freeway at 65 mph. So still a little to slow but for a nice little Neighborhood electric. Not bad.
Zen Cars[/QUOTE]
Do you want to have a all-closed two-seat e-car with EEC certified made in China to save your expense? We have to tell you its max speed is up to 70km/h, and continuous range is 120KM, and its FOB china price is about $6000/unit, is it interesting to you? please contact Eva Wu electroautoe-v@hotmail.com for more of the details.
[QUOTE=MJWU;2043]Do you want to have a all-closed two-seat e-car with EEC certified made in China to save your expense? We have to tell you its max speed is up to 70km/h, and continuous range is 120KM, and its FOB china price is about $6000/unit, is it interesting to you? please contact Eva Wu electroautoe-v@hotmail.com for more of the details.[/QUOTE]
Don’t you have a website? That’s where most of us want to go to read the specifications, FAQs, and see photos.
According the the CEO of Zenn, the new cityZenn is supposed to be hitting the roads in Europe in (early) 2010. This car is supposed to travel at 80mph and be rechargeable in ten minutes. I don’t see any “affordable” vehicles even coming close to that if now. I am really interested to seeing how these new Eestor batteries will change people’s attitudes towards electric vehicles. I will be posting information and discussion about what’s happening with Zenn on my Zenn Car Blog.
The US version [B]WAS[/B] supposed to be available in late 2009. Now I have to wonder, because usually European versions of just about any vehicle get released [B]BEFORE[/B] the US versions. Anyway, those of us that are “chomping at the bit” for the cityZenn may have to wait a bit longer.
The Eestor batteries, if they are successfully developed and produced, will revolutionize the automobile industry.
[QUOTE=jsawvel;4926]According the the CEO of Zenn, the new cityZenn is supposed to be hitting the roads in Europe in (early) 2010. This car is supposed to travel at 80mph and be rechargeable in ten minutes. I don’t see any “affordable” vehicles even coming close to that if now. I am really interested to seeing how these new Eestor batteries will change people’s attitudes towards electric vehicles. I will be posting information and discussion about what’s happening with Zenn on my Zenn Car Blog.[/QUOTE]
I have read that Zenn plans on going to Europe first, because it is easier to get a car certified there. I can understand why, half their cars already look like toaster ovens. I think they are used to the idea of making smaller, fuel efficient vehicles.
Zenn announced to be sold in Canada finally,
the launch event will mark the first day of sales operations and the company will be taking orders and deposits on a first-come, first-serve basis for the first Zenn deliveries in Canada.
“The all-electric Zenn is proudly manufactured in Quebec and it is certainly fitting that its Canadian debut is in this highly progressive province that is committed to supporting zero-emission transportation solutions,” says Ian Clifford, CEO of Zenn.
Anyone had experience of driving zen electric cars.If you have can you share it will be useful to everyone.
If you have “what its like to own a zenn car” questions, you could try emailing Deb at Debs Going Green. She left a comment on my blog and said that she was driving a Zenn and was really excited about it. Here is the blog
http://debsgoinggreen.blogspot.com/
A truck is rated by its gross vehicle weight (gvw), which is the combined weight of the vehicle and load. Trucks are classified as light-, medium-, or heavy-duty according to gross vehicle weight. Although a variety of models and designs are available in each category, there are two basic types of vehicles, the straight truck and the truck tractor. The straight truck has the engine and body mounted on the same chassis. The truck tractor is essentially a power unit that is the control and pulling vehicle for truck trailers such as full trailers or semitrailers. A full trailer has a front axle and one or more rear axles and is constructed so that all its own weight and that of its load rests on its own wheels. A semitrailer has one or more axles at the rear, and is constructed so that the front end and a substantial part of its own weight and that of its load rests upon another vehicle.