Zenn - Zero Emission No Noise - Made in Canada but illegal to drive.

Submitted by Jeff P. on November 29, 2007 - 11:07am.

tags:

How has this company been kept a secret for so long? The Zenn motor company produces a zero emission electric car that retails at just over $12,000 and they are made in Quebec!

"ZENN not only looks like a car; it performs like one, too. Equipped with front-wheel drive, brisk acceleration and capable of achieving a regulated maximum speed of 25 mph (40 km/h), it keeps pace with traffic on local streets to get you where you’re going safely and in good time. And ZENN’s battery efficiency gives you the freedom to cover a lot of ground: approximately 35 miles per charge (56 kilometres)."

I couldn't find out whether the workers are unionized or not. I would assume, at the price the car is selling for, they are not. This will need to change.

As long as this car doesn't explode on impact or randomly spray occupants with battery 'love' we are probably looking at the next most successful car manufacturer in North America. That is if the McGuinty government and other premiers would legalize them. The main argument against the Zenn is that low speed vehicles are unsafe to drive on our current roadways. So instead of being progressive with legislation and accomodating as well as encouraging more low speed vehicles (bicycles for example) they make the Zenn illegal. Also he's probably waiting for the new nuclear reactors to come online before giving the ok to this vehicle. In reality, this thing will be a nuclear and coal powered vehicle when driven in ontario! I guess switching to BullFrog Power would be the next logical step.

Average:

No votes yet

Trackback URL for this post:

http://www.londoncommons.net/trackback/5035

Jeff P.'s blog
Login or register to post comments

Feds approved ZENN

Submitted by Robert Logue on November 30, 2007 - 5:38pm.

The Federal government immediately gave the ZENN the safety seal of approval after the CBC aired a segment on the car earlier this month. The Cons are really sensitive of being labelled 'un-green' nowadays, especially with their stance on Kyoto and it seems they approved the vehicle even before the ZENN company could fill out all the forms.

There is still one more hurdel before they can be sold. The provincial governments now have to approve the cars. BC has already approved them for limited use. Legislation in Ontario and Quebec is expected very soon.

'Poverty is the worst form of violence" - Gandhi

Hey Jeff,Have you watched

Submitted by Thomas Czermak on November 29, 2007 - 4:30pm.

Hey Jeff,

Have you watched that documentary on the intro the electric car's brief appearance on the roads of California? That covers a lot of the issues pertaining to electric cars.

The only downfall to most every design is that it takes a long while to recharge the battery. But the solution, as George Manbiot sees it, is to replace gas stations with battery rental services. This way, you'd only rent a battery that you'd then exchange, at a battery service station, every time you're battery runs out.

Sounds so bloody communist!

Hey Thomas

Submitted by Jeff P. on November 30, 2007 - 12:21pm.

Are you refering to Who killed the electric car? If so, I have seen it and really enjoyed it. Although, It was frustrating to watch yet another corporation sweep a progressive idea under the carpet. I'm sure the Premiers across the country have felt the same pressure from the oil and car manufacturing sectors as the EV. Interesingly B.C. just legalized the Zenn.

My Grandfather told me stories when I was young about the garbage trucks in his hometown of Barrhead, Scotland. When he was a boy (1920s) they were all battery powered - in fact many public service vehicles that did not need to move quickly were electric. Seems to make sense to me. I like Monbiot's idea but in my mind my grandfather invented it :) He mentioned to me on numerous occassions why battery powered cars with battery swapping stations would make far more sense than what we have now. Before he retired, my grandfather (or to be british - papa) fixed and enhanced idustrial machinery at Ford in Windsor for 40 years.

http://radicalblogs.org/lpps