ZENN in local Milwaukee News - Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum

bennelson · 05-12-2008, 12:19 AM

In the news tonight, there was a short video about a woman in Racine, Wisconsin who just got a ZENN car.

Just one of more and more municipalities allowing NEVs.

http://www.myfoxmilwaukee.com/myfox/...Y&pageId=3.1.1

The best part is when the camera pans from the ZENN to the mammoth SUV next to it. I can see why they wanted to buy an electric!!!

Arminius · 05-12-2008, 01:31 AM

Nice! Racine has the streets for it. I'm going to keep an eye out for that car when I'm down there.

WisJim · 05-12-2008, 10:29 AM

UW-Stout, in Menomonie, WI, got a Zenn for the parking enforcement people to use around campus. I was disappointed that they aren't monitoring the energy use so that they could have good figures on the actual operating cost of the car, and also that they seem to be using it as a substitute for people walking around campus checking parking areas. Looks like a nice little vehicle, though.

bennelson · 05-12-2008, 10:32 AM

My brother is going to school at Stout at told me they got a ZENN there.

The "local" dealer is in Janesville. The School didn't buy it through him, they went through a dealer in Minnesota. By law, the UW system is supposed to buy things from in-state whenever possible. The Wisconsin ZENN dealer wasn't real happy that they didn't!

Christopher Jordan · 05-12-2008, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bennelson

My brother is going to school at Stout at told me they got a ZENN there.

The "local" dealer is in Janesville. The School didn't buy it through him, they went through a dealer in Minnesota. !

Interesting! Maybe that is where those went! Zenn and Zap both seemed to fail here. The Zap was shoddy, so I can understand why that dealer stopped selling those.

I test drove a Zenn last year, and aside from that slow speed, it did seem pretty complete and well made.

Yesterday I went by the Zenn dealer hoping improvements were made this year for more speed.

Empty wire fenced lot. Sad. If I ever get one I might have to drive many highway miles.

countersTrike

ebacherville · 05-12-2008, 02:16 PM

I wonder what it would take to get one of those to hit 55 MPH, IF i can get a electric that will give me 35miles a charge and 55mph Ill buy one, that would allow me to drive to work , recharge and drive home.. my commute is 30miles one way.

bennelson · 05-12-2008, 02:24 PM

ZENNs and Zaps can both go 35 miles on a charge.

I believe the ZENN has a regulator on it which could be removed. Technically that would not be legal....

One of the reasons that I am converting a car to electric is so I don't have to deal with all that.

I got to ride in both a ZENN and a Zap Xebra.
I wouldn't say the Xebra is "shoddy", but it is light weight and made in China.
The ZENN has quality European and Canadian construction.

If I were buying either, I would go for the ZENN.
If I were to get something that I could modify and drive wherever I wanted, the Xebra would be better. Technically, it's a motorcycle!

ebacherville · 05-12-2008, 03:23 PM

YEah the 35mph would make my comute about 2 time longer..

Debated on making a 3 wheeled reverse trike like a magnum or trex but encosed and heated for winter travel.. however i think my aeroCRX-HF will give just about as good of milage as a DIY vehical, however insurance on motorcycles is dirt cheap and a 3 wheel car is considered a motorcycle..

MPaulHolmes · 05-17-2008, 06:36 PM

The Only reason it doesnt go 55 is because there is a law limiting it to 25 mph, since it hasnt gone thru all the crash testing and airbags and stuff. People get around this by building 3 wheeled vehicles. VW bugs are dangerous and no airbag. why force electrics, that need to be light, to weigh like 4000lbs just to pass some stupid crash test? Laws are bent in the direction of a gasoline paradigm.