We've already covered the Italian-designed Kurrent built in Michigan by American Electric Vehicle. An English company is preparing to use the same design and build it in Britain. Future Vehicles will produce the Elettrica to take on the popular if easily "compacted" G-Wiz. Unlike the Kurrent, which uses lead gel batteries to achieve a forty mile range, the Elettrica will use lithium ion batteries to bump the range to seventy miles.

As we found out when we toured the AEV factory the Kurrent and Elettrica use a steel egg-shell cage for extra strength and the Kurrent has even been crash tested. In the wake of crash tests of the G-Wiz, safety will be one the selling points of the Elettrica which will go for £12,750 inc VAT (value-added-tax).

[Source: Basic Transportation, thanks to Alex for the tip]

It may look like an AEV Kurrent to American eyes, but the car in the photo here is an Elettrica. It may share the look of the Kurrent, but the Elettrica is an Italian-made electric car that recently proved it has a range of at least 50 miles during a drive from London to Brighton without recharging. Indeed, it had "battery capacity to spare." Is 50 miles far? No, but it's a way to introduce this car to England.

The Elettrica will be sold in the UK by Travelelectric starting in September. Travelelectric is adapting the Elettrica "into a form more suitable" for the UK. This means the British Elettrica has a range of 60 miles per 5-hour charge and a top speed of 40mph. The batteries are made of aircraft-grade lithium-cobalt.

[Source: Green Car Guide]

A Kurrent in the assembly process. Click the photo for a high res gallery

AutoblogGreen visited the original factory of American Electric Vehicle back in February of this year to talk to company President Scott Thornton and drive the Kurrent NEV. Since then, business has been pretty brisk for AEV and they've moved about twenty miles west to Wixom, MI into a larger facility with almost four times the space. The new factory will help AEV catch up with their backlog of 2,800 orders for the little two-seat Kurrent as well as add new variants like a pickup truck that can be used by service personnel.

[Source: Detroit News]

Click on the photo of AEV President Scott Thornton and the Kurrent for a high-res gallery of photos from AutoblogGreen's visit to the AEV factory

Traverse City, Michigan gets pretty touristy in the summertime, and this year some of those visitors can cruise the sights in a zero-emission Kurrent powered by renewable energy. E Company will begin offering two- and four-seat NEVs for rent from their base in the Traverse City railroad depot where new solar panels will soon be installed, according to the AP. The city government could get behind the plan for the cars if it endorses a proposal to allow the cars to park free at city meters.

Parking might be free, but the car'll cost ya: a half-day rental for the two-seater will be $60. Whew.



[Source: The Examiner]

Click on the photo for a high-res gallery of the AEV Kurrent factory tour

The state of Montana has just passed a law raising the speed limit for neighborhood electric vehicles from 25mph to 35mph. Montana becomes the first state in the nation to allow the increasingly common NEVs to travel at the higher speeds keeping up with regular cars on city streets. Cars like the AEV Kurrent, and Zenn will now be more practical to operate in these conditions. Washington state has also passed a similar law that has yet to be enacted. The Montana house also passed a bill providing up to $500 in tax credits for drivers who use biodiesel fuels but that one hasn't been passed by the senate yet.



[Source: Bozeman Daily Chronicle]

Click on the photo for a high res gallery from the AEV factory tour

Here are AutoblogGreen, we've done several reports on various neighborhood electric vehicles such as the various models from GEM and a factory visit to American Electric Vehicle that included a drive in their Kurrent. These NEVs typically have very limited performance and in most places are legally limited to no more than 25mph. Now that some of these NEVs are getting more safety features like hydraulic brakes, seat belts, lights and full bodywork, the state of Washington is considering bumping the speed limit to 35mph. If the new legislation goes through, it could definitely increase the popularity of these vehicles in urban environments like Seattle, where drivers don't necessarily need to go very far or fast.

[Source: Seattle Times]

Click on the photo of AEV President Scott Thornton and the Kurrent for a high-res gallery of photos from our visit to the AEV factory

Mix an old non-descript suburban Detroit warehouse with some new Ikea furniture and fixtures, throw in some entrepreneurs with extensive auto industry experience and a plan to attack an environmentally conscious market niche and you have American Electric Vehicles (AEV). AEV President Scott Thornton invited AutoblogGreen to visit their factory in Ferndale, MI to see their production process and drive their first product, the Kurrent neighborhood electric vehicle.

ABG talked to Scott in late December about his company, the Kurrent, but this was the first opportunity to see this Italian-designed NEV in person. The Ferndale warehouse serves as headquarters, engineering facility, parts warehouse and assembly plant for AEV. Most of the staff are auto industry veterans, including Thornton who has 27 years in the business, much of it with Jeep. Right now, apart from the office areas, the build is divided into two main areas, with one being used for parts storage and the other for assembly and testing. As production ramps up through this year, the parts storage area will be switched over to a second assembly area. Continue reading about the assembly process and driving impressions after the jump.

I think all the news of the Tesla Roadster and the Chevy Volt that came out since last summer has reminded a lot of people that there are some serious contenders to the gasoline engine. The electric vehicle (EV) community certainly thinks 2006 was a good year for EVs. In fact, the past has seen some truly cool EVs, and the list of retired EVs is long and, for some, emotional: the EV1, the Ranger EV, the RAV4 EV and so on. But there should be no time for mourning and instead a look toward the future. Actually, we don't even need to guess what great EVs are coming down the pipe, there are already some wicked cool EVs available today. If you're ready to get off the gas in 2007, consider one of these, the Top Ten Electric Cars of 2007 (Aside from the Roadster, which certainly deserves the Number 1 spot, the list is in no real order).

Tesla Roadster - This car has reinvigorated the EV market like no other. While technically no one can buy it this year (all 100 vehicles that will be available later in 2007 have already been spoken for, I can't help but place it at No. 1. With a 0-60 time beneath four seconds and a look that makes you just want to hop in and drive, the Roadster (More)



UEV Spyder - Universal Electric Vehicle's Spyder made an impressive debut at the Santa Monica Alt Car Expo last December, even though I heard a lot of people ask, "Is this the Tesla?" This EV will be available with different battery configurations at different price levels (some comparable to the Roadster). You don't hear so many people talk the Spyder up, but it seems to share many of the same qualities that make the Roadster so exciting: speed, zero emissions, and sports-car styling. (More)



Phoenix SUT – Yeah, it's expensive ($45,000), but EVs aren't cheap. Heck, retired Toyota RAV4 EVs regularly go for more than $50,000 on eBay, and the batteries in those things are old. Phoenix has been working with Altairnano Technologies on new batteries and is bringing this sports utility truck to market with better range than the RAV4 (but, admittedly, not as much size). Phoenix says they hope to sell 500 SUTs by the end of the year. Perhaps a better name will pump up sales. (More)

Miles ZX40 – While the Spyder and the Roadster don't really ask the driver to make any sacrifices (aside from in the bank account), EVs like those from Miles are not a replacement for a "standard" car, but a solid contender for second vehicle for certain families or individuals, or as a main vehicle for those who don't have to go very far. The Miles ZX40 is like a lot of NEVs – limited to a top speed of 25 mph, a range of around 50 miles per charge and a price of about $12,000-$20,000. (We don't actually know the price of the ZX40, but other NEVs are priced in this range). Another Miles model, the OR70, can go 35 mph. (More)

ZENN – Another player in the NEV field, ZENN's cars are "zero emission, no noise." Get it? ZENN. These NEVs have a lower range than Miles' offerings (only about 35 miles) and are a bit smaller, too. When I drove one in D.C. last year the battery was on its last legs and in need of a charge, but still drove well. The various options can add up to $2,500 to the $12,500 base price. But the most exciting part about ZENN's offerings are yet to come: the EESTOR ultra capacitor is still shrouded in mystery, but the potential is great for this new EV power source (as is the disappointment if the EESTOR doesn't live up to the hype). (More)

GEM e2 – Yes, they look funny. No, they can't go very far or very fast. But GEM electric vehicles have been available for years and the company has a wide range of models available (two through six seats, with or without a flatbed) and prices ($7,000-$12,500). GEMs are used around the country on various campuses, but models like the e2 are obviously targeted to home users. (More)



Smart EV - Available in Switzerland and the UK, the tiny Smart EVs are zero-emission versions of their fossil-fuel drinking cousins. These cars share the easy-parking abilities and unique styling of the standard Smarts, but are only available in the fortwo configuration and only to "to blue chip companies who are happy to meet our requirements to power the cars using only renewable energy sources," says Smart UK. Conversions for your standard Smart are also available. (More)

Mullen L1X-75 – Some of our readers are skeptical of Hybrid Technologies, maker of the Mullen L1X-75, saying their press releases promise more than they can ever deliver. The L1X-75 certainly promises a lot - 100-mile range on a 4-6 hour charge - and this comes at a price ($125,000). Still, the sports car look will attract the eye of those you zip by, and I'd certainly give one a whirl. (More)

G-Wiz EV – available in the UK (and desired by Sir Elton John), the G-Wiz costs a little bit (£8,299 to £6,999) more than some of the short-range EVs in America, but you get something extra in England, too: exemption from certain taxes and London congestion charges and free parking in some areas. There are even free charging stations in some locations. (More)

Kurrent – A tiny and very distinctive-looking NEV, the Kurrent's price ($10,600) includes home delivery because, as American Electric Vehicle president Scott Thornton told AutoblogGreen, if AEV allowed the Kurrent to be sold at just any dealership, the customer might not be able to drive it home thanks to U.S. laws that restrict NEVs to roads with a posted speed limit of 35 mph or below. Lead-acid batteries deliver a range of about 40-mile range. (More)



For Number 10, I cannot ignore all of the homemade EVs and converted EVs. People have been creating their own electric vehicles for year, and the trend continues. For examples, read more here, here and here.

There are more EVs available today, and if you feel I should've included any in this Top Ten list, add it yourself in the comments. Also, there are a lot of upcoming EVs to get excited about - Tesla's WhiteStar sedan, Zap!'s Lotus APX - so if you're sick of gassing up your car, consider going all-electric. They're not for everyone, but they might be perfect for you.

A few days ago, Scott Thornton took some time to talk to AutoblogGreen about his current project, American Electric Vehicles and the Kurrent electric car (for an intro to the Kurrent, read this).

ABG: How did you get started with American Electric Vehicles?

ST: We have a pretty strong marketing background in launching new brands in the United States and throughout the world. A guy acquired the rights to the vehicle from a relatively under-performing Italian company that had great designs but weak business sense. He asked us for help in launching this brand. We looked at it and thought it was fantastic and next thing we had half the company. It started as most things, out of necessity, I've got this great design, can you help me bring it to life? We're all one big happy family now, we've got experts in assembly, manufacturing, marketing, purchasing, design and quality control. We've got a really good group of ex-car guys turned new vehicle guys.

ABG: So the Kurrent originated from an Italian company?

ST: It's an Italian design that's been around for about four years. We've got about 600 units on the road around the world. We've got a lot of good testing on it and the design is just fantastic. We think the styling is best in class. We only have one major competitor and that's the GEM, so it's not too hard to beat them in terms of styling.

Continue reading the interview and see more photos after the jump

Is the sudden interest in neighborhood electric vehicles (NEV) good for EV movement? Are they helping advance the technology needed to introduce mainstream consumers to EVs? Is there really a strong market for $10,000 or $15,000 grocery getters and industrial-yard security cruisers?

Those are questions the Kurrent, an absolutely adorable NEV that will be built by American Electric Vehicles in Michigan, will answer in the next few years. Company president Scott Thornton says he'll hire 50 to 70 employees for the new venture. The problem with NEVs is that laws prevent them from operating on roads with speed limits faster than 35 mph, and they're allowed to run only 25 mph top speed. Experts disagree on the size of the market potential. Thornton is looking at 15,000 a year. The president of GEM, another NEV manufacturer owned by DaimlerChrysler, says about half that. Other experts say NEVs face considerable competition from less expensive golf carts. Thornton is counting on innovation and marketing. He sees solar panels, electric boats and scooters as a way to grow the company. Right now he's hoping to ramp up to 500 a month by next year.

[Source: Howard Lovy / Oakland Business Review]

UPDATE: Read AutoblogGreen's interview with Thornton here.