Get to Know the Electric C100

Are you tired of those darn lines waiting to get yourself an Electric Vehicle? How about those boring dealerships that never seem to have one electric plug-in vehicle anywhere on the lot? You could always place an order in your dreams and then wait, hope, and pray. You could also go out and bring yourself home one of those really nice golf carts...I hear they are not real popular in certain parts of the nation during the sub-zero temperatures of winter.

We have been waiting for the Chevy Volt and Toyota Prius plug-in for what seems to be ages now. Just when we were beginning to give up hope that a mass produced electric vehicle would ever get here, we find the C100 by BG Automotive Group. Okay, so the C100 is not exactly a highway vehicle, it is a NEV (Neighborhood Electric Vehicle), but it actually has the appearance and features of a typical compact, only it offers zero noise, zero emission, zero pollution, and zero subfreezing temperatures of a golf cart.

The C100 is actually a gutsy move by the BG Automotive Group, but they have taken steps to give them a fighting chance in the world of the Big Nine manufacturers (General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, and BMW). As a low speed vehicle, the C100 is not approved to go over 25 to 45 mph, depending on the rules of the particular road you are on. However, unlike many other EV's we have seen, the C100 is actually manufactured with many of the same specs as any other vehicle.

We are talking about a four door, five-passenger hatchback with dual airbags, climate control, CD stereo, power doors/windows, and an in-dash 8G i-Phone. Not quite your average golf cart. Of course the price is a bit over a cart at between $15,995 to $17,995, but you are talking about some major saving in gas. Say roughly $2,000 a year could be saved for the average commuter who travels around 10,000 local miles per year.

We know that some of you don't like the NEV's claiming that using your own two feet or a bicycle beats using any vehicle for the local jaunts... and I hear you, but during the winter in certain parts of the country, we are reminded of why we can't always walk and ride our bikes year round. In fact, in some areas, we get about 3 or 4 good months of walking and riding weather and the rest of the year we wish that we could be inserted into a temperature controlled bubble for the remainder of the year.

The C100 will feature an 80 to 150 mile radius depending on the battery configuration, and can reach a full charge within 3 to 8 hours, depending on whether you opt for the rapid charging device or regular 110 volt plug-in (220 volt will get you there in 4 hours). These vehicles will be ready the first quarter of 2009, and BG is already scheduling test drives and taking reservations, so if you are interested you can visit the BG website to see where your closest dealer is. With a 100 percent money back guarantee on every C100 they sell...they appear mighty confident right out of the gates!

Feel the need for sustainable speed? See what eco-engineers are doing to create super-charged but low-impact cars, bikes, and planes on Planet Green TV's Mean Green Machines.