Resurrecting the electric car...

Although I'd still love to get my hands on a Tesla Roadster, it's not exactly what you'd call practical for hauling the family around. Another startup company called ZAP! has invented an answer with their ZAP-X Crossover electric car. The performance specifications don't seem to be that far off the Tesla either: 0-60 times around 4.8 seconds, 350 mile range, and only 10 minutes to fully recharge the battery, all while with the ability to comfortably seat five.

It's a good thing that these cars are electric because Lotus Engineering has had a role in designing both of these cars, meaning lots of driving miles for no purpose other than to have fun. In fact, the Tesla chassis is based on the Lotus Elise, so you know either of these cars would be a blast to drive.

Interestingly, in my last post about the Tesla Roadster awhile back, I thought domestic car makers getting into the electric car game (or getting back into, in the case of GM) might be good for everybody. I guess I wasn't that far off. GM, it turns out, already has plans to roll out four new hybrids in the next year and an electric car with gas backup (the reverse of the Toyota Prius motor mechanism) by 2010 in response to their lackluster sales of conventional vehicles. After having pioneered the field with the EV-1, GM is now playing catchup to make an iconic and green vehicle like the Toyota Prius in an atmosphere where conservation is all the buzz.

Nevermind the ecological impact of conventional fossil fuel burning cars, though. Considering America's fascination with all things fast and powerful, it bewilders me that they didn't jump on the electric car game with more enthusiasm, considering the speed that these new electric cars can move at. It seems that these 0-60 acceleration times that rival Porsches are simply a result of electric cars, in general.