Tonight:
5°c
Five seats and 3p a mile to run ... the green family car
David Williams, Motoring Editor22 Jul 2008
The world's first electric family car was being unveiled at the British International Motor Show in London today.
The makers of the battery-powered, five-seat Ze-O say it costs 3p a mile to run. It is due to go on sale this autumn.
So far the G-Wiz electric car and other rivals have had room for only two adults, with "occasional" seats in the back for children.
The Ze-O was being unveiled at the ExCeL exhibition centre by the Nice car company, which will sell it for £13,995.
The car can be charged up by plugging it into a household electric socket overnight or for five to eight hours. It is emission-free, not liable for the congestion charge and entitles the owner to free parking in some London boroughs.
Its top speed is 50mph. The only glitch for motorists hoping to head out of the city is the range: it will travel about 65 miles on one charge before needing to be plugged in again.
It has a manual gearbox, although options include automatic gears, airconditioning and electric windows.
Nice is based in Ladbroke Grove but the Ze-O is being built in China. The firm is also revealing its two-seat MyCar - a limited edition all-electric version of the Fiat 500.
Britain's first electric taxi makes its debut at the show. Launched by Glasgow-based Allied Vehicles, the £39,450 E7 will be on sale from October after three years of development.
It has a range of 100 miles and a top speed of 60mph - but has not been licensed for use as a black cab in London. It does not meet the strict 25ft turning circle rule.
Organisers of the motor show, which opens to the public tomorrow and runs until 3 August, say it is the greenest ever. More than 20 vehicles propelled solely by battery power will be on display. Manufacturers are also showcasing hybrid and other "clean" technologies in the Electric Vehicle Village at ExCeL.
Goingreen, which has sold more than 1,000 electric cars in London, will debut a new makeover of its G-Wiz, by east London designer Ella Doran.
The firm will also unveil a trial version of the G-Wiz that uses advanced lithium-ion batteries to boost the car's range to around 70 miles. It is expected to go on sale in September. Honda's hydrogen-powered FCX Clarity will also be on show.
Kirsty Perkinson, motor show marketing director, said: "The aim of the Electric Vehicle Village is to highlight the significant advances made in developing zero-emission vehicles and to reflect the mushrooming demand for these cars. Manufacturers are pushing the engineering boundaries to produce cleaner and greener forms of transport and consumers - particularly in London - are responding positively to the new technology."
Julian Wilford, Nice co-founder, said: " The Nice family of cars will continue to grow. We have built firm foundations since our launch in 2006 and we are now looking forward to expansion across the UK and internationally. We shall be opening retail locations across the UK this year."
Reader views (1)
At last, an electric car that looks like......a car. Shame it only goes as far as the corner shop, but a huge step in the right general direction.
- Nick, London, 22/07/2008 14:03
Report abuse
