To make a long story short – I would buy a Xebra since it is here now, parts are abundant: and the City-el showed me insurance, no smog tests, cheap operation, and low-cost registration are extremely cheap on a 3-wheel vehicle.

Thank God I arrived safely and on-time to work this morning. Certainly was nice not waiting on the side of the road with scratched paint and a broken-off side mirror anticipating the arrival of a Florida State Trooper. Unfortunately a few of my fellow commuters experienced a very different start to their day.

Remember that combining the latest espresso or energy drinks with tardiness on the roadways can be a dangerous mix. Four-wheel drive crew cabs and Honda Civics don't mix well either. Not always a good idea to pass two cars at once with oncoming traffic & I'm sure the state-trooper is giving the same good advice in the form of a traffic ticket as we speak.

When the dust settled I could only give a Sunday wave and move along. No doubt that I'd prefer they go ahead and pass me since it creates a nice draft for to follow but I'd like to ask ; was it really worth it? Was I really going all that slow for you? So slow that you were willing to risk an accident.

Amazing how one minute I'm alone on the open road then suddenly the Nascar racing team is coming on fast. Anyone knows that you can't go three-wide when CR 475/466 has just two lanes.

You see I drive an all electric Zap Xebra truck on a daily basis with a top speed averaging 40-45 mph. Some motorists don't mind hanging with me most of the way & it might be so they can see what's cruising before them, who can tell? Before the Xebra, I didn't have the turtle mentality to know that with a little patience I would cross the finish-line just behind the jack-rabbit. I'd always pass a slow poke but embarrassment would start to settle in when I'd see the turtle coming up behind me. It only turned out that I was creating a seamless path for him having raced to trigger the traffic signal just before he'd follow me thru the intersection. So I'd ask myself: Was it worth it? If I'd just stayed behind the turtle my arrival time would have been the same.

There is a dividing line though or else why not only do 25 mph the whole way. There certainly is a difference between 55 & 25. For long trips greater speed reduces time driving over distance. But around town it's not so. The electric vehicle industry is striving toward transportation with fantastic horsepower but in my opinion, they can keep 'em. I'm in my own happy envelope with the limited speeds. There's no "showing off" & "road-rage" isn't in the vernacular. If I'm irritated with a fellow driver I wouldn't dare tailgate 'cause without power brakes I know it takes space to get stopped.

Now I haven't started hugging trees yet but you certainly get a better perspective on life when you don't have 300 bhp @ your disposal. Besides it's not like we have an autobahn to enjoy anyhow. I consider the collateral benefits of this type of transportation. Just imagine if high-school students drove these: Maintain less interior weight & you go further which means fewer friends can accompany & influence your child at a time. Very low-speed racing {if any} & of course the efficiency with low overall expenses.

If you ever find yourself following close behind me don't worry, I'll waive you around, on a curve, up a hill, on a solid double-line, we'll be sure and get you where you're going as quickly as possible but please don't take me too seriously, just relax and consider what I'm driving.

The Zenn is a Neighborhood Electric Vehicle, limited to 25 mph. There may well be a Full Speed highway Model coming out sometime, but you can’t buy one now. If the Big Five automakers and the oil companies have there way, ’sometime’ will be ‘never’.

In the meantime, we’re stuck with a transportation system that requires large amounts of oil (mostly for internal combustian engines) just to move people around within cities, even knowing what we know about peak oil and climate change. Greed, shortsightedness, and denial seem to be the operative words of the era.

And here’s a dealer from their US network. The manufacturer sold 250 last year I think.

And there’s a full speed highway model coming soon apparently.

Interesting?

I wouldn’t be surprised if Zap is toast after this.

That’s pretty much my experience, too.

You have to be kidding.

It is a very practical for Newport Beach as parking is a big problem. All the streets are 45 mph or less so travling at high speed is not needed.
The Zap has enough range to drive all around during the day on a charge.

I own a 560SL & a Chevy Capirce Estate wagon that I use when I need to go long distance or to haul 8 people. But They stay parked in the garage most of the time. I do drive them once a week to keep the batteries up.

Due to the ZAP PK’s small size I never have a hard time finding a parking place.

The Pick up bed allows me to take all my gear & my dinghy down to the dock If I go sailing or load up with groceries at the store.

For my lifestyle the ZAP PK is a perfect fit. I recommend it to anyone who lives in the Newport or Balboa area.

“I swore an oath I would never own a car.”
-energyscholar

Why? And if that’s what it takes to sell a Xebra, isn’t our skepticism warranted?

“It’s a simple, primitive conveyance which can boast its’ ability to keep the occupant dry.“

And even that ability would seem to be questionable, given the rather fragile electrics involved. I sure wouldn’t want to take a Xebra out in the rain, let alone on a sunny day.

“An individual buying this at the “bong hit” price of $11,000 for personal use really needs their head examined.“

There is probably a certain amount of caché involved in rolling around in a Xebra, the same type of individualistic attitude that will surely entice many new smart fortwo buyers.

For a few early adopters, making a bold statement, no matter how ill-advised it might actually be, means a lot, and would have no problem laying down at least $11k for a new Xebra. But I can’t imagine their numbers being much higher than the 150 trailblazing ‘pioneers’ that ZAP seems to have sold Xebras to since they began importing them from China’s Youngman Automotive.

FWIW, I thought it was interesting that the guys that came up with the DeLorean DMC-12 (with all of it’s flaws), Lotus Engineering, are the same people that ZAP is touting as the designers of the still-on-the-drawing-board ZAP-X.

First, in the interest of full disclosure, I’ll say that I own a Xebra and use it daily. I acknowledge that it’s a cardboard cheese box on wheels. It’s definitely NOT a ‘real car’. I put about 500 miles per month on mine. I use it for moving around town in situations where a bicycle is not adequate. I do not, and will never, own a car.

Second, I have an extensive background in Physics with a specialty in Global Energy Resources. For those of you who don’t already get it, we (Industrial Civilization) are in Big Trouble. Google ‘Peak Oil’ or ‘die-off’ for details. The age of the automobile is nearly over. I have no illusions that using an electric car will do anything to prevent the impending collapse of our intertwined complex systems.

Third, I’m a lifelong transportation cyclist. I’ve bought, built, and used every type of bicycle useful for practical transportation. I chose to live in Corvallis, Oregon, largely because it is very ‘bicycle friendly’. I currently own and use several electric and recumbent bikes. I swore an oath I would never own a car.

OK, with that said (stuff which must seem pretty alien and weird to people interested in cars), here’s what I want to add to this discussion.

1. You can actually buy a Xebra. I am not aware of any other enclosed electric vehicle, that carries multiple people, and that can exceed 25 mph, for even TRIPLE the cost. It rains in Oregon, a lot. There are LOTS of ‘alternative vehicles’ that will be available ‘in the future’, but hardly any one can actually buy RIGHT NOW.

2. It’s a BIG upgrade from a bicycle. I can move multiple people, in heavy rain, at night, across distances that are not practical by bicycle.

3. It’s an enclosed motorcycle, not a car. Zap! obviously did this to get around the $100 million ‘barriers to entry’ that make it nearly impossible to market a new car for anyone besides the big five automakers. And they (the ‘big five’) seemingly cut a deal with the oil industry to not produce any non-gasoline-powered cars.

4. Regarding ’safety’ issues: Driving any kind of car is more dangerous than riding a bicycle. Cyclists experience about twice as many violent deaths per distance traveled than do drivers. However, drivers experience about ten times as many deaths from coronary heart disease than do cyclists. The positive health effects of cycling outweigh (pun intended) the additional risk of violent death by about a factor of 10x, according to the various published medical studies . Driving a Xebra is the worst of both worlds, because you don’t get the exercise from cycling, and you don’t get the protection (and risk to others!) of riding in an armored steel box. However, I bet a Xebra is still a LOT safer than an ordinary motorcycle, since it goes slower and has an enclosure.

5. The thing is a total chick-magnet. Seriously. Much better than a puppy.

http://www.teslamotors.com/blog2/?p=57

See the other article posted in the news here. The sister car (4dr hatchback) to the $11000 vehicle depicted here sells for >$2500 elsewhere. At *that* price it’s fine, at the price Zap is asking, it’s beyond a ripoff and well into the realm of insanity.

Amen, to that statement.

I don’t get that at all. This is a smaller version of what we drove.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piaggio_Ape

http://www.piaggioape.co.uk/range/details_TMpanelvan/default.aspx

According their specs the military APEs must have had the larger 125cc engine. It gets about 42 mpg. 40 mph. ~$8500 at current exchange rates. YOW!

The ZAP Zebra seems to be an updated version of the classic (?) Piaggio Ape…

I still want either four or two wheels. Three is just a bad compromise.

It was loud, everything did vibrate a little, and the exhaust manifold heater always smelled funny. It did have lights and a wiper. It did have a padded seat. The only really problem was that it was designed for two guys that were about 5′8″ tall and us taller American boys all rode along looking out of the top of the glass with our necks bent forward. Later we got the same vehicles with four wheels and seatbelts and they were MUCH better. We “speed tested” them both and the 4-wheelers would see 45+ mph. The 3-wheelers would go about 30+ mph but it was not a confident 30+ mph. Tippy to say the least with two grown fellows in the front and no cargo to hold the back end on the pavement. The four wheeled version was much better. To operate one for any real distance would require a bit more headroom and earplugs. We would run around in them and maybe put 20 miles on them per shift.

They would have been improved (for our needs) with electric drive I think. Less vibration and noise anyhow. Good and bad is all relative to what you were operating before you bought one of these micro-haulers. If you were operating an oxe or one of the Italian gas powered tillers pulling a trailer like we saw from time to time near the farms, this would be a step up. You didn’t get rained on, it had good brakes, a bit of a heater, a windshield wiper, rollup windows (actually it was a spring loaded handle in a toothed groove that locked into a doen positions), and lights. They were reliable.

The bad was the three wheeler part. I clipped a curb during a turn and put it up on two wheels for 50 feet or so. No damage but some heart-pounding fear. A couple of buddies had one running at 25 mph+ and rolled it about 5-6 times. Engine almost fell out, leaking fuel, all the corners were rounded, broken glass, bent doors, bent suspension, cuts and bruises, etc. Imagine two guys flopping around in the cab unrestrained.

Getting hit by a compact car would be certain death I think so I wouldn’t even consider taking one out on the streets.

Compared to these micro-haulers our plain-vanilla compact cars seemed quite spacious and comfortable. I’m comparing the Ape to a vintage Fiat 500, worn out Fiat 128, my ‘65 Beetle, an 80s Rabbit, a Dodge Horizon, a Fiat Panorama van. All good and all very basic transportation.

I think we Americans are really going to have to face reality if gasoline prices continue to climb. Maybe folks will burn gas to look prestigious just like they drive $40K vehicles they can’t afford now. I’m not saying we’ll see Apes around here but I do expect to see more and more super-mini classs cars. Fine by me.

We can complain and call all of these alternative vehicle pieces of **** or complain about their lack of quality but as long as their prices reflect what they offer (or don’t offer) then I don’t see why anyone would complain so loudly about them. Basic but cheap at $4K-$5K.

Heck if I could buy a “new” 1985 VW Rabbit at prices that reflect the fact that the design paid for itself 20 years ago, that tooling and overhead have been minimized by keeping an old design alike for so long, I’d be happy. Especially if the new parts prices were also cheap. If I could buy that same 80’s Rabbit with electric drive that would haul me and mine around for 50-75 miles per charge and have a battery pack that either lasted 130K miles or was cheap to replace every 45K miles then I’d be quite satisfied.

Cheap car = nice car on standby for the weekend or more money to spend on our house or it’s contents.

No, I don’t want a neighborhood electric car. I need something that is a real car that will run 60 mph safely in all weather just like that 80’s Rabbit. My ‘84 Rabbit had nearly 190K miles on it when I sold it. I don’t need all the heavy safety equipment designed into the current round of cars. My ‘97 Cabrio is 1K lbs heavier than my ‘84 Rabbit ‘vert. I’ll take the light weight car please…

There’s a market for these vehicles in Europe, especially for the Diesel engined models. The Xebra, however, looks really cheap and badly made compared to European microcars, but costs the same.