Toronto-based electric car company Zenn Motor Company Inc. says it decided to switch its business strategy from selling electric vehicles to distributing an electric drive train.
Zenn has built about 350 all-electric, two -seater vehicles that sell for about $15,995 (U.S.) and have a range of 80 kilometres (50 miles). Top speed is 40 km/h (25 mph).
It was supposed to have launched the cityZenn car this fall which would have been highway capable vehicle with a top speed of 125 kilometres per hour (78 mph) and a range of 400 kilometres (250 mi). This would have been able to compete with the GM Volt and other electric cars being developed. CityZENN target price is around $25000 - $30000 which would have been very competitive.
It's hard to understand what happened to change their minds. Perhaps the big push in the past year by the world's major manufacturers to launch electric cars drastically reducing the company's advantage in the matter of only a few months. It appears it will try to take advantage of its electric drivetrain to sell its technology to larger manufacturers.
I know the Zenn cars currently in production have met resistance from Canadian regulators because of low speeds. In Ontario they cannot be used on public roadways.
1 comment:
the battery system that would allow longer trips and speeds never really materialized
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