Category Archives: -Other EVs-

Eagle G-car

On the Electric Eagle G-Car

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Eagle G-Car

Personally I find this to be one of the most exotic electric vehicles out there.  This is the Eagle G-Car from G Car Motors Inc. of the Philippines. It made some news about a year ago, and I haven’t really found any updates on the NEV. The top speed is about 25 mph and is capable of running 50 miles on a charge. Charging takes about 4-6 hours. What intrigues me about this car is the price. Prices range from 140,000 to 280,000 pesos, about 3,300 to 6,600 USD.  I would buy that car right now! If the street laws permitted me to drive around town in zones under 50mph. Apparently, it can be registered as a Low Speed Vehicle (LSV) in Canada and the United States. Click on picture below to read the official brochure.

Check out the G Car Motors site, where you can find some more info and possibly order one. It hasn’t been updated since January and I emailed them see if there were any developments. No response, but I hope they are doing well, because these are very economical electric vehicles. However, I imagine they would have a tough time passing many safety standards in most countries.

Here is a video of the car in action:

BG C100

Very Informative Video of BG’s C100

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BG Automotive is currently manufacturing America’s first mass produced electric car, the BG C100. Here we see the first known footage of the vehicle in action. The car has extensive safety features, a steel body, and is priced under $20k. Keep in mind this car is only allowed in speed zones up to 50 mph depending on your local laws. But hell, the way things are going in Detroit, by the time these cars are ready for delivery in February 2009, they might be the only mass produced cars in America.

-Other EVs-

On the eBox

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eBox

The eBox has been around a while, but I haven’t written an article on it yet. Mainly because the eBox is not necessarily a complete car, but an AC Propulsion electric drivetrain that is installed in a Scion xB. AC Propulsion is responsible for drivetrain technology used in the GM EV1, Tesla Roadster, Venturi Fetish, and the West Philly Hybrid X Team’s Attack, to name a just a few. Visit the AC Propulsion site for a complete list of cars utilizing their product now.

The eBox continues the AC Propulsion legacy of superior electric drivetrain technology as the only car you can actually buy from AC Propulsion itself. With a 0-60 of 7 seconds, a top speed of 90 mph, and an ev range of 120-150 miles, the eBox is one of the most advanced electric cars on the market. All of this is installed in a Scion xB that you have to buy beforehand, and give to AC Propulsion for the conversion. So the Scion will set you back $15,000 and the conversion is a pretty steep, $60,000. Undoubtedly, if AC Propulsion made this a larger operation, the price of the conversion would go down.  This is the car that Tom Hanks so proudly touted a year ago:

The Scion xB body is anything but aerodynamic. Its funny to see so many electric car makers sacrifice appearance for a lower drag coefficient. The drivetrain of the eBox has so much power, it compensates, but at a price.

It is unfortunate larger auto companies don’t put money into EV projects like this one. The GM EV1 (Who Killed the Electric Car?) is a close drivetrain relative to the eBox and was discontinued in 1999. Unfortunately, we really haven’t seen any mass produced ev’s close to the standard set by the EV1 and Toyota Rav-4 EV of the 1990’s. The eBox is the closest thing we have on the roads today.

Amp

On the Amp: Saturn Sky EV Conversion

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I kind of found out about this great electric sports car on a whim.  Here is the Youtube video I came across a moment ago:

I went to the Amp Motorworks website and found out the EV conversion had impressive specs, 0-60 in 5.7 seconds, top speed of 90 mph, and 150 mile EV range. All you need to do is provide them with a Saturn Sky and $25,000 for the conversion. Really, this is a deal for a fully capable, electric sports car that could give the Tesla Roadster a decent scare on the track. The entire EV is less than $60,000 when you factor in the $26,000 retail value of a Saturn Sky. They will also “warrant the batteries, drive motors, and conversion components for 3 years or 36,000 miles, whichever comes first.” Amp Motorworks is limiting this initial project to 300 buyers only, and are only accepting orders in the Greater Cincinnati, Ohio area.

BG C100

Update on BG Automotive

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I have some more info on BG Automotive and an official press release. The official name of their upcoming NEV will be the BG C100. While the first C100 will be available in November of this year, the vehicles will not be ready to be delivered to the mass market until the first quarter of 2009. The BG 100 will be a low-speed vehicle, but it will be the safest NEV on the market, with duel airbags and a heavy steel body, as opposed to fiberglass, plastic, or carbon fiber. For more information go to www.bgelectriccars.com.

Official Press Release: Oct. 3, 2008

First Mass-Produced Neighborhood Electric Vehicle Available for Sale in North America

PHILADELPHIA, October 3, 2008 – The future of transportation has arrived, and the outlook is even greener than before: it’s safe, affordable and electric. With the release of the new neighborhood electric vehicle (NEV), the C100, BG Automotive Group, Ltd. (BG) is giving a hopeful solution to the energy crisis in today’s economy. As gas prices rise people are forced to choose between buying gas and food or prescription drugs. A solution is now available to curb our dependence on foreign oil, and BG Automotive Group, Ltd. is now ready to market the C100 for delivery first quarter 2009.

“Rising gas prices and the state of the economy make it the right time to introduce the C100, America’s first mass produced Neighborhood Electric Vehicle,” said Barry Bernsten, president of BG Automotive Group. “There is a growing demand for fuel-free vehicles and the C100 addresses those demands.”

These cars are both environmentally sensitive and cost-efficient, starting at just $15,995 and ranging up to $17,995 depending on options and battery configuration. The C100 is a four-door, five-passenger hatchback that produces no noise, no emissions and no pollution. Currently, no other company offers NEVs that will be mass-produced and can be purchased by consumers at such a low price.

Depending upon the state, the C100 is legal to travel on roads with posted speed limits of 35-45 mph. It takes approximately eight hours to charge using a 110-volt outlet (four hours with a 220-volt outlet), meaning it can be plugged into any outlet without special equipment. BG also offers a rapid-charging device that reduces charging time by 50%. The car will be able to travel 50-120 miles per charge depending on the vehicle’s battery configuration and driving conditions.

This NEV can seat five passengers comfortably and is available in black, white, silver, red, blue, yellow, olive green, lime green and copper. In addition to dual airbags, each model comes fully loaded with modern comforts such as climate control, AM/FM stereo and CD player. Each car will also have an in-dash 8G
i-Phone (upgrade to 16G is available) for music, navigation and hands free telephone capabilities. Other similar branded devices will be available for installation in the C100 in-dash charging units.

The C100 is ideal for individuals that reside in shore and golf communities or other suburban areas with travel needs that are close to home. Parking authority attendants and other governmental agencies also find this as an ideal eco-friendly vehicular alternative. In fact many states are adapting new legislation that require a specific percentage of their fleets to be electric.

At the current cost of gas1, if consumers drive 10,000 miles in an EV they will save an average of $2,000 per year. Hybrid vehicles are currently priced around $23,000 to $75,000—and require gas to operate and consequently still emit pollutants into the air. Not only are hybrids more expensive, but also are more harmful to the environment. As far as paying for electricity—electric cars cost 2-3 cents per mile to operate. If a consumer travels 20 miles per day for 30 days at $0.03/mile, that is equivalent to paying $18 in electricity costs per month.

The C100 is both cost efficient and safe. If a customer is not completely satisfied with the C100, BG Automotive Group will offer a full money-back guarantee on all its NEVs.

BG is committed to the manufacturing, continued development and advancement of the world’s safest NEVs. Equipped with dual airbags, the C100 is the safest Neighborhood Electric Vehicle currently in production, exceeding all Department of Transportation/National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (DOT/NHTSA) requirements.

“BG did not want to meet the minimum safety requirements, we wanted to exceed them,” said Bernsten. BG is committed to producing the safest NEV in the world.

The first C100 will be available early November 2008. For more information and to reserve your car, visit BGelectricCars.com. A schedule of where to test drive and view the C100 will be available on the website in the near future.

BG AUTOMOTIVE GROUP, LTD.: BG Automotive Group, Ltd. is committed to the manufacturing, continued development and advancement of the world’s safest electric vehicles. The company has leveraged 33 years of International Trading and Industrial Project Development to secure manufacturing contracts and financing necessary to make NEVs an affordable, mass-produced reality for the US consumer. For more information please visit BGelectricCars.com.

BG C100

BG Automotive Starts Essembling Electric Cars

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BG Automotive, a young Philadelphia company, has already started assembling low-speed (25mph max) electric vehicles that will be available as soon as, well, now.  The company website states their 4-door hatchbacks will be available “Oct/Nov/Dec 2008”.  The BG NEV will be roughly $16,000. However, it will not be legal in Pennsylvania until the state senate breaks from its election recess and passes Senate Bill 152.  This bill will make low-power cars street-legal in the state.  This Pennsylvania Enquirer clipping has more info. Company owner Barry Bernsten, says their NEV will have a steel body, unlike a lot of other NEVs, so it shouldn’t have trouble meeting safety requirements. If the bill is not passed, BG will have to ship its vehicles out of state. With a lot of states allowing tractors and other farm equipment on their roads, there really is no reason why NEVs should not be allowed.