City car
|
|
A City Car is a small, moderately powered vehicle (often battery electric powered) intended for use in urban areas. It is more substantial and faster than a Neigborhood Electric Vehicle (NEV). Unlike the NEV, the City Car's greater speed and occupant protection allow relatively safe operation in mixed traffic envirionments and in all weather conditions. While it may be capable of freeway speeds and may be legal to operate on high speed roadways this is not intended to be its primary operating environment.
Another name for city car is Station Car, where the intended use is to travel from a suburban home to an interurban transit station or Park and Ride lot where the vehicle remains until the operator returns from the commute to and from the workplace. In some locations electric vehicle recharging is provided to encourage the use of electric vehicles. NEVs may also be used as station cars where the roadway speed limits permit such use.
Some examples of battery electric city cars are:
The Th!nk City, imported to the USA by Ford Motor Company to satisfy California Zero-emissions vehicle (ZEV) requirements in the state of California. Removed from the market by Ford in a bargain with the California Air Resources Board. See PZEV for more information.
The REVA electric vehicle as used in its home environment, India. This may soon be exported to the USA with speed electronically limited and sold as an NEV.
The obstacle to adaptation of such vehicles in the United States is less technical than cultural and political. The mandates by regulatory powers that such vehicles to meet full U.S. safety regulations ensures the unavailability of vehicles suitable for use in mixed traffic conditions that predominate in U.S. suburban areas. To supporters of electric vehicles this appears to not be an accident.