The Tazzari Zero is a “high performance” Micro EV. They keep saying, 0-31 mph in under 5 seconds, the key number there is 31, as apposed to the customary 60, so it’s not too incredibly quick. With a top speed of about 56 mph, the car might not win any quarter mile races, but should be very capable of getting you from place to place with a 93 mile ev range. You can go to the Tazzari Zero website, but you will be hard pressed to find any info behind all the flash animation (seems to be an Italian thing, see Venturi) unless you sign up for their monthly newsletter. A November 2008 edition is below.
Also check out this video of a prototype being “driven like it’s stolen” without the body attached. The car appears to have a fair amount of pickup at low speeds so I can imagine it would still be very fun to drive.
This is ZERO NEWS, the electronic newsletter, which brings you all the news about the ZERO project, the eco-sports brand.
Loyal to the initial concept
The idea for ZERO dates back a few years. It stems from the desire to give the car market a true alternative, something completely new, so as to break with the past. Electric vehicles just had to evolve, so it was only by making a series of innovative decisions that this was going to happen. The idea was to create an electric sports car, a trendy vehicle with an Italian heart and distinctive Italian design and prime performance, incorporating state-of-the-art technology.
Born electric
ZERO exists as a totally electric vehicle. She is not the conversion of an internal combustion vehicle, as are many. This means that from the very first sketch, everything has been designed according to an all-electric concept. No rearranging around an existing vehicle, no restrictions with regard to design or technical aspects, no compromise.
New technical solutions
Indispensable and innovative the choice of lithium batteries, primarily because they hugely increase the roaming range and the number of recharge cycles that are possible with respect to the battery types that have been available up until now. They guarantee unmatched performance levels for electric vehicles at an affordable price. Moreover, they allow a significant reduction in weight and volume, meaning the vehicle is spacious and perfect for 2 occupants and provides 2 separate boot areas with over 130 litres storage capacity.
The lighter the vehicle, the more you get out of electrically powered propulsion, so the lightweight aluminium frame is ideal. In the hands of experts in the field of cast aluminium parts, this alloy’s structural characteristics, together with the specially developed geometry of the car’s design, have enabled the expert technicians to create the dynamic, ultra-light frame which makes ZERO an exciting car to drive.
The motorsport attributes belonging to ZERO are enhanced by the extremely low centre of gravity, rear-wheel drive and the centrally positioned motor. The wide wheelbase, 15″ wheels and wide tyres all make for first-rate road holding and maximum safety is achieved thanks to electro-assisted braking with 4 oversized disc brakes, giving power and balance when you need to stop fast. Last, but not least, regenerative braking, stable handling and that motor sport feeling are the objective and unprecedented features of this urban electric vehicle.
ZERO comes from Imola, right at the heart of Italian “sports car territory”. Passion is part of its DNA.
“Why did I decide to create ZERO? ZERO applies the most evolved technologies available today at a competitive price. This is the starting point of a new generation of functional, sustainable vehicles. ZERO is quality innovation, the truly ecological alternative to mobility today.”
Erik Tazzari,
President of the Tazzari Group.