OK, so you want to know just why I bought a small, slow, electric car like the ZENN – right?  Well, here’s the main reason: FUN, pure and simple!  Sure, there are a number of other reasons, as well, but the pure enjoyment was the primary factor.

I’ve wanted to build an electric car for years, even given the limitations of the current battery technology.  The idea of getting into a vehicle that doesn’t need 10 minutes to warm up and doesn’t poison me with its exhaust just appealed to me.  When I flew radio controlled airplanes, I flew electrics.  They were clean, quiet, and flew as good as the glow engine versions.  They just didn’t fly as long.  It seemed to me that the trade-off was a good one.  The same seemed to apply to an electric car.

Initially, I considered converting a gas vehicle.  I researched the possibilities and even came to within a single road trip of getting the “donor vehicle” I wanted.  Of course, the problem with this idea was probably the time required to make the conversion – I never have time!  The other big problem was efficiency.  Most gas vehicles in the US are large, heavy beasts because of the NHTSA crash requirements, and weight means inefficiency and puts electric conversions at a serious disadvantage.  The irony of this lies in reality that it is perfectly legal to drive or ride bikes, trikes, scooters, motorcycles, and ATVs on the streets (in Montana, anyway) at the posted speed limit.  Each of these vehicles has far less crash protection than a “micro-car” like the ZENN.  But the federal government – in its infinite wisdom – limits the speed of the more protective vehicle while not limiting the less protective ones.  Go figure.

I live in a small city that is only about 5 miles long, border to border, and most of the time I drive less than 20 miles a day.  My commute to work is only about 3 miles, almost completely flat, and only a mile of it is posted as fast as 40 mph.  Most of it is 30 mph.  My usual ride is a V10 powered F350 pickup that could haul a cruise ship – but would get 10 mpg while doing it.  Every time I start it up for an in-town trip a little voice in the back of my head tells me “This is nuts.  There’s GOT to be a better way to haul my butt around!”

Bicycles, scooters, and other open-air vehicles are (for me at least) just out of the question here in Montana where temperatures of 20 to 40 below zero are common.  So is snow and wind over 40 mph.  Oh, and did I mention ICE?   I had been a bicycle commuter for several years when I lived in Arizona, so I have a good feel for that option.  Call me a weenie if you must, but I think that riding a bike here is just out of the question far too many days each year.  (Of course, I’m 30 years older these days, too!)  An enclosed vehicle with at least a defroster is a must!  (One of the more "interesting" things my ZENN will teach me is the actual performance of AGM batteries at antarctic temperatures!)

An ideal electric vehicle for me would be small, light, able to fend off the ridiculous weather here, able to go at least 15 miles on a charge and maintain a speed of about 30 mph over flat terrain.  Front wheel drive would be an advantage in snow, and the ability to easily haul my backpack-cum-computer case would be pure gravy (an e-Bags “Router”, by the way.  Best bag I’ve ever had!)  When I stumbled across the ZENN it seemed custom designed for me.  It’s light, small, front wheel drive, and had plenty of interior room for a passenger and anything we’d want to bring with us.  Better yet, the thing is built on a real micro car that zips around Europe at 70 mph using a 2 cylinder diesel engine.

Then, I found that Montana was the first state in the nation to allow cars like the ZENN  to drive at up to 35 mph and on streets posted for 45 mph or less.  That law was just signed in April of 2007 and that extra 10 mph really makes these vehicles much more useful for everyday driving in the real world.  (BTW, ZENN-like vehicles are often called Low Speed Vehicles [LSV], Medium Speed Vehicles [MSV], or Neighborhood Electric Vehicles [NEV])

So, the ZENN looked like a real contender, but I had to see one first.  Fortunately, there is a ZENN dealer in Bozeman – just 3 hours in the F350 from my house.  When I could find the time, I was off to see Ron Gompertz at EcoAuto!

That was a great experience.  Ron is a green vehicle enthusiast who opened a dealership and sells ZENNS, Smart Cars and other green vehicles.  He showed me everything about the ZENN, answered all my questions, then just handed me the keys to one of his stock ZENNs and told me drive around for a while.

Well, my wife and I jumped in and drove the ZENN all around Bozeman.  Immediately it was obvious that the ZENN was a real car.  Other than the statutorily limited speed, it was no different than driving other subcompacts I’d driven.  Frankly, it “felt” more like a real car than a friend’s ancient VW “bug” I occasionally drove in high school.

Bozeman is a college town and most speed limits are 25 or 30.  Traffic is terrible – at least by Montana standards.  While driving around we never got honked at, flipped off, or got any dirty looks.  In fact, most people didn’t seem to notice that the car next to them was an electric despite the graphics all over the demo car.  Those who did notice, usually looked interested.

That experience sold me on the ZENN.  Here was an electric vehicle that could satisfy all my desires for an electric vehicle except unlimited speed (which is a legal thing, not so much a technical one).  After my wife and I worked out the specifics of color and model, we gave Ron a check.  The car was delivered 10 weeks later..

Once the ZENN got into my hands, it needed to be upgraded to allow the higher speeds allowed in Montana – ZENN Motor Company can’t sell them that way for fear of the Feds, unfortunately.  A bit more speed, and my ZENN will be perfect!

Our Business

Well, my real business is InitialCARE Plus - absolutely the BEST walk-in clinic in Great Falls!  But I am your ZENN Ambassador in the Electric City and a "roll model" for everyone interested in electric cars.  Come look me up!  I'll talk about the ZENN until I'm blue in the face.  And if you're blue in the face, we'll sign you in to the clinic and take care of that, too!

Who We Are

Well, not this.  This is a stock picture of a silver ZENN toolin' down the street.