Another EV startup surfaces, but for how long?

Yet another electric vehicle start-up has popped up on the ABG radar, this time with a home base in Parker, CO. Electric City Motors has created a four seat, four door hatchback called, surprisingly enough, the Current. We spoke to company owner Satyenvra Gripatia, who lays claim to the design of the Current. The Current appears to be the same car produced by Zhangjiagang Elecars Manufacturer Co in China. Service/R&D technician Ron (he declined to give his last name) said the car was being assembled in the U.S. Make of that what you will. According to the Electric City Motors website, the Current is electronically limited to 65 mph and has a range of 65-200 miles depending on which size of lithium polymer battery pack is installed.

For $28,995, your commuting distance will be limited to the lower end of that range. An extra $15,000 will buy you enough battery to, theoretically, at least, approach that magical 200-mile barrier. The company site says the car has been crash test rated. However, that does not actually mean that the car has been physically crash tested. According to Gripatia, they have done computer crash simulations which the design has passed. The site also claims a 0-60 time of 4.9 seconds with the 40kW motor. Even with a weight of only 1,600lbs, and the torque of an electric motor, 53hp just doesn't seem like quite enough to actually approach that kind of acceleration. The weight also doesn't seem to go hand-in-hand with meeting safety standards, especially when you factor in the weight of batteries. Gripatia claims they will be ready to start delivering cars in about 3-4 months. At least unlike Zap's conveyances, this one has four wheels. All I can say is caveat emptor.

[Source: Electric City Motors, thanks to Zerothlaw for the tip]