The thing I like about an electric car is the simplicity. Check the tire pressure, check the battery cells once in a while, oil the chain and occasionally replace the brake pads. That's it! I have a saying that is, "If it's not there, it can't break." Oh yea, and removing a reason for our country to go to war over oil is a bonus too!

What finally did it...

I've been thinking about buying an EV for a while. Unlike most people, my motivation wasn't so much the energy savings as it was the simplicity. What finally made me consider electric was that pesky "check engine" light on my petrol car. One year, I need to fix it to pass New York State inspection. The car was a 1997 model but it seemed to run fine. No skips, no visible smoke out the tailpipe. However, for some reason, the computer insisted on keeping that light lit! Because the car wasn't grandfathered in terms of emissions, I was required to spend up to $500 that year to attempt to solve the problem! My mechanic put in a couple of o2 sensors, replaced the spark plugs, replaced a valve and did some other tweaks to try and fix it. It didn't work. The light stayed on. So, that year, the car was automatically passed and a nice new inspection sticker was affixed. The next year, I anticipated paying up to $500 fee to attempt to fix the problem again (let's call it a tax I pay my mechanic instead of New York State). However, I learned such an exemption was good only once. The next year, New York State would require me to spend as much money as it would take to fix the problem (which there is no upper limit for).

So, I decided that for my next car, I wanted a SIMPLE one. Hopefully SIMPLE will equal RELIABLE and that will equal INEXPENSIVE. I'm willing to give up a lot for reliable and inexpensive personal transport. No radio, no power steering, no power breaks or climate control (other than more clothing). However, I also give up coolant leaks, oil changes, transmission fluid changes, fuel filters, spark plugs (that can't be serviced without pulling out the engine), head gaskets, exhaust system problems.

Oh yea, and there are some other benefits too. I'll always have a "full" energy supply when I leave the house. Plus, I'll save quite a bit of money on petrol and auto insurance. I hope the only reason I'll need to visit a gasoline station is to perhaps buy a coffee or donut and maybe adjust the air in the tires.

Why go with a small 3 wheeled car?
The decision to go with a three wheeled car is mainly to keep costs down and get around the rules of U.S. Federal vehicle legislation.  By going with a three wheeled design, the vehicle becomes classified as a motorcycle rather than a car.  Since motorcycles are inherently unsafe, the vehicle can forgo expensive crash testing plus the added cost and complexity of seatbelts and airbags that would be required of 4 wheeled cars.  The classification also means that the vehicle can go as fast as it's designed for rather than being governed to the federal maximum speed of NEV's (currently limited to a snail's pace of 25MPH).   Also, motorcycle liability insurance is much less expensive than 4-wheeled vehicle insurance by several hundred dollars.   Plus, the payload of one passenger makes it possible to make due with a smaller motor and use fewer batteries to power the vehicle. This vehicle, due to it's light weight but high torque, should be able to keep up with today's in-town traffic (30-40MPH) with short bursts of speed up to 50MPH while still consuming a minimum of energy.

When Will Everyone Be Driving One Of These?
Right now, this vehicle is not for everyone.  It's a radical design.  In order to gain the ability to travel at low cost, I give up things like power steering, power breaks, heat, air conditioning, a car radio and of course being totally out of the weather.  However, the absense of features also should make the vehicle rather reliable since things that aren't there can't break.  This vehicle is for a person who wants to retain the option of having reliable personal transportation in the face of radically increasing fuel costs - period.  It should be efficient enough to exist in tomorrow's world of low energy availability while still having the performance required for today's traffic patterns. 

A major barrior to ownership is that this car is sold as a kit car.  Even with "free" labor (mine), the cost of shipping and parts is driving the cost up to be about what a good used petrol car would cost.  Plus, this car cannot be driven in all weather conditions (such as heavy wet snow).  So, the petrol fueled car will still have a place in the driveway.   This experiment is as much a social experiment as a technical one.  I do not know what other drivers will think of this car when they see it on the streets. As for parking it, does it count as a car or a bicycle?  Time will tell if this is a realistic solution for personal transport or just an interesting toy. 

About the author: 
The author of this page is William McCracken - a disclaimer for this site can be found HERE last updated 6-12-2009