The Chevy Volt may be the biggest electric vehicle production project on the radar, but it's not the only one. Two independent companies, ZAP and Aptera, have their own launch plans for road-ready all-electric vehicles.
Santa Rosa, Calif.-based ZAP introduces the Alias, a fully electric, two-seater vehicle. The Alias includes zero to 60 acceleration, lithium-ion batteries, regenerative braking, composite shell solar glass, integrated GPS and Lamborghini-style doors. It is powered by an AC induction motor running at 216 volts.
Officials at ZAP said the price for the Alias is targeted to be less than $35,000. A limited number of hand-crafted vehicles will be available in 2009.
Additionally, Vista, Calif.-based Aptera Motors have also introduces an all-electric, two-seater model, with its 2e.
The pre-production vehicle is equipped with a lithium-based battery and features a number of vehicle enhancements such as front wheel drive, aerodynamic side-mounted mirrors and wider door openings that make getting in and out of the vehicle much easier than with previous designs. The aerodynamically-inspired 2e will go from zero to 60 in under 10 seconds, top out at 90 mph and get the equivalent of more than 200 miles-per-gallon based on a standard EPA driving cycle.
With an expected cost between $25,000 and $45,000, and a driving range of more than 100 miles-per-charge, initial sales will solely be in California, with plans to distribute the Aptera to the rest of the United States by late 2010.
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