Spiffy, Yes, but Not for EV1 : Do I Need a Really Long Extension Cord?
General Motors’ new electric car, the EV1, goes on sale today in California and Arizona. Here are answers to some questions would-be owners might have.
Q What is the EV1?
*
A Made by General Motors, the two-seat EV1 is the auto industry’s first modern mass-produced electric vehicle. Instead of a gasoline engine, the car is powered by a 137-horsepower electric motor connected to 26 lead-acid batteries.
*
Q What makes the vehicle unique?
*
A It was designed specifically for electric propulsion. Other electric vehicles now available are conversions from gas-powered vehicles, as will be cars expected next year from Toyota, Honda and Ford. The EV1 carries 23 new patents for a variety of technologies. GM claims it is the world’s most energy-efficient vehicle.
*
Q Where is it being sold?
*
A The EV1 is being introduced today at 24 Saturn dealerships in the Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix and Tucson areas. It was rolled out in California because the state has mandated that at least 10% of all new cars offered for sale by 2003 be zero-emission vehicles.
*
Q Where is it made?
*
A The EV1 is assembled in Lansing, Mich., by a crew of 50 hourly workers and 17 supervisors. It is a low-technology, craft-like operation with only one robot.
*
Q How does the EV1 drive?
*
A The car has an electronically governed top speed of 80 mph, although it set a land speed record for electric vehicles of 183 mph. It’s no golf cart: It accelerates from zero to 60 mph in nine seconds.
*
Q What are the drawbacks?
*
A The biggest is its limited driving range. The EV1’s batteries can power the vehicle only 70 to 90 miles before needing recharging. That can be reduced by quick speed-ups, cool weather, hills or heavy use of air-conditioning.
*
Q What does it cost?
*
A The price is $34,000, though the first 1,200 lessees in the Los Angeles area qualify for rebates and tax credits totaling $8,500. The car cannot be bought, only leased for three years. Customers who get the full tax credits make monthly payments of about $500 with no purchase option.
*
Q What other upfront costs must lessees absorb?
*
A New EV1 customers must lease a home recharger at $50 a month for three years. Most lessees will also be charged about $1,000 for installing the high-voltage charger at their homes, which entails rewiring. And the lease has a typical “drive-off” fee of $2,500, covering the first month lease payment, security deposit, title fee, registration fee, license fee and the taxes on the tax credits.
*
Q How convenient is recharging the vehicle?
*
A It’s easier than filling your gas tank, but it takes three hours. GM has developed an inductive charging system in which the user inserts a lightweight plastic paddle from the charger into the vehicle’s charge port. Chargers are also being installed at shopping centers and other public sites. So far there are only 18, all in Riverside and San Bernardino counties, although as many as 150 throughout the Southland could be in operation by next summer.
*
Q Is the electricity cheaper than gasoline?
*
A Edison says the cost of electricity at home for 1,000 miles of use will average about $20 at off-peak hours, or about a third the cost of gasoline for the same mileage. That cost could triple if owners recharge during peak hours. Initially, power at public stations will be free.
*
Q How much regular service do the cars require?
*
A The only regular maintenance suggested by the manufacturer is tire rotation every 5,000 miles and a new air filter every 30,000 miles. All maintenance will be paid for by GM, as will any roadside service.
*
Q Will longer-lasting batteries be introduced soon?
*
A General Motors is working on affordable nickel hydride batteries that would extend the EV1’s range-per-charge to 150 miles. Such batteries are still prohibitively expensive for most consumers, however, and GM won’t say when they might be available.
*
Q Are the vehicles easily insured?
*
A Though there are no performance, crash or repair data available, GM said insurance companies have agreed to offer comparable rates for other cars in that price range. Farmer’s Insurance said annual premiums for good drivers will be in the $1,500 to $2,000 range.
*
Q When will other manufacturers introduce electric cars?
*
A Beginning next year, Californians will have the choice of small numbers of electrically converted models of the Toyota RAV4 sport-utility vehicle, the Ford Ranger and Chevy S-10 pickup trucks, Chrysler and Nissan minivans, a new Honda EV four-passenger car, and an array of other models made by smaller companies.
This story was reported by Times staff writers Chris Kraul and Donald W. Nauss.
