250-mile range, quick-recharge EV in '09

With all the negative reports surrounding the endless production delays at Zap, the electric car fraternity is in severe need of some reasons to be cheerful.

Well, it seems that Canada-based EV start-up Zenn Cars might just provide a welcome pick-me-up. The Toronto outfit has just announced that it plans to release the cityZENN, a low-cost, quick-charge EV for urban use in fall 2009.

According to the Zenn Cars website, the cityZENN will be “a fully certified, highway-capable vehicle with a top speed of 80 mph and a range of 250 miles. Powered by EEStor, the cityZENN will be rechargeable in less than five minutes, feature operating costs 1/10th of a typical internal-combustion engine vehicle, and be 100% emission-free.”

It seems that a lot hinges on the production of a new solid-state electrical energy storage unit by secretive ultra-capacitor firm EEStor. That company, partly backed by Zenn, claims the new technology will be longer lasting, lighter, more powerful, and environmentally-friendly than current battery technologies.

Apparently EEStor has committed to full commercialization in 2008 and the first production line will be used to supply Zenn. Let’s just hope it doesn’t prove to be a case of ‘Zap revisited.’

Source:- The Red Ferret