Oregon Dealer Says There is No Killing the Electric Car in Salem

“Marketing electric cars is a very different ball game than selling gas powered cars. It’s selling a concept. The customer has a different motivation. Most of our customers are already environmentalists or are just rebelling against gas prices,” -Larry Dye of Electric Wheels

(SALEM) - Oregon’s only exclusive electric vehicle dealer has reported earnings of one half million dollars in the first nine months of 2006.

Most gas powered car dealers would scoff at this amount but for an electric car dealer – it’s a milestone. “Larry Dye, CEO of Electric Wheels has set a record,” says Gary Starr, Chairman of the Board of ZAP, the importer of the Xebra. “Electric Wheels is the #1 Xebra dealership in the country.”

EWI has sold Xebras to customers in Salem, Eugene, Portland and as far away as Montana and Connecticut. 86-year old senior citizens, to a pizza delivery guy in Cannon Beach, are riding around in this three wheeled electric in-town car.

“With the fuel prices so high, we couldn’t afford to continue pizza delivery service to outlying areas. We don’t like to disappoint our customers but the fuel costs left us no choice,” says Dave Johnson of Fultano’s Pizza in Cannon Beach, Oregon.

Technology advances, environmental concerns and high fossil fuel costs have compelled consumers to seek alternative modes of transportation. At least 19 companies are building or importing electric cars, according to the Electric Drive Transportation Association.

The same group estimates that about 70,000 electric cars are driving the U.S. roads, that number is up 25 percent from 56,000 in 2004. “They're used in planned communities, in large office complexes, on university campuses and for parking enforcement”, said Jennifer Watts, spokeswoman for the association.

ZAP, Zero Air Pollution®, has been a leader in advanced transportation technologies since 1994, delivering 90,000-plus vehicles to consumers in more than 75 countries. ZAP is at the forefront of fuel-efficient transportation with new technologies, including energy-efficient gas systems, and hydrogen, electric, fuel cell, alcohol, hybrid, trybrid and other innovative power systems. For more information, visit zapworld.com

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Edward November 25, 2007 12:45 am (Pacific time)

Given the fact that nobody has posted anything here since last year, I doubt that "Curmudgeon" will read this. You can't go on that logic. It takes electric power which by your very own words, is mostly produced by fossil fuel burning power plants, to MAKE gasoline! The "well to wheel" on electrics is excellent! It seems silly and stupid in my humble opinion to say that hybrids are a better choice in eliminating emissions more so than electric cars. They still burn gas! Duh! One thing we agree, and that is we must move away from fossil fuel burning power plants to cleaner options.

Tracy Ansell February 5, 2007 10:23 am (Pacific time)

I like this car, which vaguely reminds me of my Mini in Germany (size wise). The great thing is that we also now have solar options for our home which would mean you could charge the car using energy you produce at home from the sun. You can't get a whole lot cleaner then that. Check out www.jointhesolution.com/goingsolarnow for an affordable solar solution. No more buying a solar panel system.

Anonymous November 4, 2006 4:19 am (Pacific time)

Maybe Curmudgeon has to die first. He killed the electric car, after all

stan November 1, 2006 8:30 pm (Pacific time)

the facts are that even counting emmissions from power plants evs are 90 percent less polluting than gas cars..finally an affordable electric car!

kingmcginty October 30, 2006 10:16 am (Pacific time)

this car is ugly.... just thought id let you know

Henry Ruark October 30, 2006 7:53 am (Pacific time)

C-M et al: Points well-taken. Where would we be now if we had demanded and made damned sure monies manipulated into war costs had been devoted to determined research for atomic-based power replacement s --sure to come eventually since they are only possible refuge left to us.

Curmudgeon October 29, 2006 1:09 am (Pacific time)

Well Sherry, I guess we'll have to agree to disagree on the subject. Actually, there is a large amount of data and evidence that does agree with me. The only way to be terribly enthusiastic about electric cars is to ignore the negative aspects, and the fact that a majority of our electricity is still generated using fossil fuels, probably half from coal alone. I think electrics are where hybrids were 10-15 years ago. I have no doubt their time will come, and the sooner the better. But it's not likely to happen until it's possible to buy one that's comparable to a REAL car at a comparable price, and I think that's realistically at least five, and perhaps ten, years in the future. This thing isn't even a real car. It's a three wheel motorcycle with a cab on it. Unless something has changed in the law, I think you'll find that the state of Oregon considers it a motorcycle and licenses it as such.

Duane October 28, 2006 10:36 am (Pacific time)

Any vehicle collision is a crap shoot. Don't worry about it.

Paul October 28, 2006 1:50 am (Pacific time)

I doubt that car is very safe in a head-on collision... or any collision for that matter.

Sherry Boschert October 27, 2006 6:30 pm (Pacific time)

Actually, the data don't agree with you, Curmudgeon. The reason: gasoline is just so darn polluting that even electricity looks good. Plus, the electrical grid gets cleaner as we add more renewables, but oil just gets dirtier as we resort to harder-to-get sources. For an overview of more than 30 studies on well-to-wheels emissions that I researched for my new book (Plug-in Hybrids: The Cars that Will Recharge America) see the FAQ at my website, www.sherryboschert.com.

Curmudgeon October 27, 2006 11:17 am (Pacific time)

Claiming electric cars as zero pollution is a fallacy. As long as a majority of this country's electricity is generated using fossil fuels, as it currently is, the pollution is merely moved from where YOU are to where the generator is. Electric cars are certainly a step in the right direction. But let's tell the whole story, and not just the feel-good part. There are huge inefficiencies in generating electicity at one location, then transmitting it to point of use. Once we solve that problem, and eliminate fossil fueled generating facilities, electric vehicles will come closer to being a real solution. In the meantime I see them as mostly a novelty. Currently, the hybrids seem to be the better choice than a straight electric vehicle. I would like to see that change in my lifetime, but I'm not confident.

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