Foster City, CA decides to not lower speed limits for NEVs

The biggest challenge NEVs (neighborhood electric vehicles) face in most American cities is that people don't feel they are "real" cars (and, in a lot of ways, they are not). The biggest challenge that Foster City (CA) faces is politicians who are more than willing to discuss NEVs without there being a compelling reason to do so.

As we learn from the San Mateo Daily Journal, the Foster City city council voted last month to drop the speed limit from 40 mph to 35 mph on three main streets. The reason is that NEVs, with an imposed maximum speed of 25 mph, cannot drive on streets with speed limits above 35. By lowering the speed limits, drivers in NEVs will have easier access to major shopping centers.

This week, Councilwoman Linda Koelling changed her mind on the speed limit vote, and got the council to rescind last month's decision in favor of studying what the speed limit drop will mean for residents who don't have an NEV. This brings us to there surprise ending to this story: the only known NEV in Foster City is a Ford Th!nk owned by the Foster City Police Department that is used less than once a month for promotional events.

[Source: Dana Yates / Santa Meteo Daily Journal via EV World]