Salem Electric Car Dealer Feels Effects of Sagging Economy (VIDEO)

Times are tough even for green businesses in Oregon, but a little help could get this one over the hump.

Larry Dye of Electric Wheels Inc. Salem-News.com photo and video by Tim King

(SALEM, Ore.) - Salem, Oregon has a dealership for the greenest cars in existence. Electric Wheels Inc. has been open for over four years and over that time period technology has made rapid advancements.

Electric Wheels owner Larry Dye keeps up on the latest developments in this industry and he has traveled to China eight times over the last two years, making inroads and gaining contracts necessary to stay on top and keep the Pacific Northwest in a good position for electric cars.

As the economy slumps and trends toward green products become more directed, there is no doubt electric cars will be a large part of the American future. Right now Dye needs assistance to get to the next level, and he is poised and ready to begin importing vehicles that would actually be built in Salem, Oregon.

The creation of jobs at this time is critical as we all know. Another extremely important need is the continued improvement of the technological level of electric cars.

Larry Dye has it all figured out, and the vote of confidence comes from customers like Neil Young whose Lincvolt conversion project has attracted national attention; supplied exclusively by modern high tech batteries.

One of Larry's customers is an Oregon state legislator and Salem restaurant owner. State Representative Kevin Cameron has been sold on his car which is called a Zap. These are the cars Larry has been selling. They represent a useful step forward from earlier models, but are not as appealing as the new lineup Dye wants to import from China.

Cameron said about his Zap, "These vehicles just need to be plugged in for 7-8 hours in order to give you a driving range of about 25 miles with factory batteries."

The newer cars go faster, have four wheels, and are roughly equivalent to a small Honda crossover vehicle in size.

Legislation that is currently pending, Oregon's House Bill 2542, was created in order to define a "medium-speed vehicle" for the Oregon Vehicle Code.

Medium speed vehicles will be the next hot electric item you will see around Oregon soon.

Cameron explained, "These are larger vehicles, are not considered motorcycles and will be allowed to be operated at 40 miles per hour when the bill passes."

He says the vehicles can be driven on more major roads such as Kuebler and Cordon Road, "so you could take it to work from county areas into the city limits."

Electric cars make a great alternative to using fossil fuel vehicles for around-the-town driving, but Larry Dye's dealership needs help in order to get to the next step. In the interview below, Larry Dye discusses the road traveled so far, and the future needs of electric vehicles for our roads.

Video