Surge of electric vehicles on the horizon

New technology and record gas prices spur innovation

By FRITZ MAYER

WOODRIDGE, NY — Turn the key in a Miles electric vehicle and you encounter an unexpected sound?silence under the hood. The car is ready to move as soon as you step on the accelerator, but when the vehicle is at rest, there is no such thing as idling.

Press the accelerator and the vehicle moves forward, picking up speed at about the same rate as a gas-powered car. But, the gas-powered car costs about 40 cents per mile to operate and spews harmful byproducts into the atmosphere. The electric vehicle costs an estimated four cents per mile to operate and produces absolutely no emissions during operation.

But this car, along with a compact electric truck, which are both on sale at Buzz Equipment Company in Woodridge, are not for every driver. These are low-speed vehicles, which have a governor that limits their speed to 25 mph.

According to Joseph Conway, the proprietor of Buzz Equipment, a Federal low-speed vehicle law allows the Miles car and truck to be operated on any road with a speed limit of 35 mph or less. While not suited for many drivers, this is practical for organizations that require fleet vehicles such as colleges with large campuses, factories or hospitals. The vehicles, of course, would also be practical for urban situations. The retail cost of the electric car is about $18,400, or the same as a small, internal-combustion driven car. But without paying for gas, the savings over the life of the car is substantial.

The Miles company, which is based in Santa Monica, CA, is also developing a model called an XS500, which is a mid-sized sedan that will be able to travel at a top speed of 80 mph, and will come with a range of 120 miles on a single charge. The car, which will be built in China, will cost less than $30,000 and is expected to be available in 2009.

Miles is hardly alone in its pursuit of a new, more practical and powerful electric car. Advances in technology and the soaring price of petroleum have spurred several companies to take a serious look at the mass production of electric vehicles.

Mitsubishi is beginning to test an electric car in the United States this year, as is Subaru. Nissan has announced it will offer an electric car beginning in 2012. GM plans to offer an electric car called Volt, probably in 2010.

And if you can’t wait for the big car companies, there are at least 27 electric cars being produced and offered by small companies around the globe with prices that range from $10,000 to more than $100,000. Many of them, however, look more like the futuristic daydream of a youthful inventor rather than a working automobile. To get a look, go to venturebeat.com/2008/01/10/27-electric-cars-companies-ready-to-take-over-the-road.