Four Wheel Electric Car Revolutionizes Economical Driving (VIDEO)

New laws make cheap, long-range, four wheel electric cars the hot ticket, and this busy Salem electric car dealership's new, high tech battery packs are even being used to power Neil Young's new LincVolt hybrid project.

Photos and video by Tim King Salem-News.com. Custom image above by Austin King shows the Revolution under blue skies.

(SALEM, Ore.) - There is a quiet revolution taking place on the streets of America. Gas prices are rising out of sight and into view comes the vision of the future: a conventional electric car that has four wheels, a realistic range, and a price tag of $10,500.

The use of the word Revolution here is both figurative and literal; because is the name of the new, four wheel electric car offered for sale at Electric Wheels in Salem, Oregon.

The fact that the car is manufactured in China means the price stays low, but it doesn't appear entirely Chinese. The car has an influence from Suzuki, a company noted for bringing us one of the smallest useful 4x4 vehicles; the Samurai.

The steering wheel and other aspects of the vehicle are adorned with the Suzuki "S" adding a somewhat familiar touch to this new age electric car.

The owner of Electric Wheels Inc., Larry Dye, is watching an industry take hold in America that represents real economical change for people hard pressed when it comes to coping with soaring gas prices.

It is no surprise that in his first few years of selling electric cars and motorcycles and scooters in his dealership on SE 12th Street in Salem, Larry Dye has seen frustrations rise over the simple cost of commuting to work.

This naturally drives people seeking an alternative to the pumps into his dealership, often seeking answers to questions they have never asked about the reality of driving a car without a traditional engine.

Dye explains that particularly when it comes to in town commuting, many people simply don't need a lot of room, and the amount of savings can be so dramatic that the cars pay for themselves in a relatively short amount of time after the costs of gasoline, deducted from a driver's budget, are calculated into the mix.

It takes a visionary to grab an idea and run with it before others are willing to, and it seems that Dye's ideas a few years ago were very much in line with the current needs of Americans.

He also brought something to the state and area that could have gone many places, and many see his refurbishment of an existing building into a brand new showroom and support facility for the various electric vehicles as a positive upgrade for this area of south Salem.

It is not uncommon for Dye to handle sales and requests from out of state residents in Washington, California and beyond. His first few years of business have seen one development after another in technology, laws, and outright popularity.

Another view of the Revolution electric car available at Electric Wheels Inc. on SE 12th Street in Salem, Oregon

The new four wheel car called the Revolution is a real advancement over previous models, and one reason is that is has an AC motor rather than a DC motor.

Dye says this is state of the art technology for electric cars and with this type of motor it has better ability at keeping its speed going up hills and better overall power and range. "I drove this one 15 miles the other day and it only dropped one volt, these will go sixty miles on a charge."

The car is governed to go only 25 MPH and it is officially registered as a "Low Speed Vehicle" and carries an identifying LS on the Oregon license plate. Apparently they have the capability of driving faster, but they are limited to 25 MPH by Oregon law.

He says the low speed vehicle classification does help with the car's insurance rate too. Even better, this four wheel electric car's buyer receives a federal and state tax rebate, and the federal government does not apply theirs to cars that are three wheelers, which are licensed as motorcycles.

You might be surprised at what is inside the car/ In addition to the standard ignition/steering wheel/accelerator pedal/brake pedal and turn signal arrangement, you have a two speed fan, emergency flashers and a place for a stereo.

Larry Dye lets people have radios installed after they purchase the car but it does accommodate a standard car stereo system.

Neil Young Connection

As one of the leading electric dealers on the west coast, Larry Dye has the attention of electric vehicle and environmental leaders throughout the world.

When Neal Young needed an expert to convert a Lincoln Continental to electric power for his new “Linc Volt” project, his team needed the best battery system available.

They came to see Larry Dye at Electric Wheels in Salem, Oregon to help transform yesterday’s American dream… into tomorrow's. Imagine a gas guzzler like a late 50's Lincoln blasting down the road without using a drop of conventional fuel, sparing bio diesel that's required to recharge the batteries. It sure doesn't add up to a car that could easily cost seventy dollars to fill when it is empty.

Neil Young's Lincoln is experiencing another mechanical rebirth, a conversion to bio diesel; another part of the evolutionary stage. The car is featured on CNN and apparently as a hybrid, they predict that the car will record a remarkable 100 MPG.

Finally, the four wheel electric that people have been asking for for so long has arrived and progress continues in all directions. Neil Young’s LincVolt conversion helps move us through the evolution of this new frontier in transportation.

As always, we appreciate the services of our video server. This online version of our special ten minute report on electric cars in Salem, Oregon and the connection to the four wheel car called the Revolution, Neil Young and the Electric Wheels dealership, comes to you courtesy of Salem-News.com and YouTube:

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For more information about Larry Dye and Electric Wheels Inc. in Salem, Oregon visit: electricwheelsinc.com