Longer than a smart!
"If buyers understand how to use the ZENN, then we're ready to sell them one right now," says Allard with a smile. It's comparable to a smart fortwo size-wise. Like the German gas-powered microcar, the ZENN is a two-seater, but its body is 37 cm longer, which gives it 67% more cargo space than a smart.
The front-wheel-drive sedan is powered by an electric engine. It hits a maximum speed of 40 km/h in 9.2 seconds. This speed was established by a federal regulation.
The ZENN has an operating range of 50 to 80 km. ZMC says that the lead batteries require an 8-hour charging period when empty. After 4 hours, however, they are at 80% charge.
The suggested retail price in Quebec has been set at $16,900. It's available from $15,995 in the U.S.
The future of the ZENN
According to Allard, the line of ZENN products will expand quickly. "At the request of our American dealers, we'll soon be adding a small pickup truck to our catalogue, followed by a four-seat version of the ZENN."
ZMC management also has high hopes for the supercapacitor that its Texan partner, EEStor, is developing. ZMC bought 3.8% of EEStor's assets in April 2007 and acquired the exclusive rights to use this new technology on 1,400-kg vehicles or less.
With it, ZMC hopes to market an electric vehicle known as the cityZENN by 2010, which will have a top speed of 125 km/h and an operating range of 400 km.
ZMC is also negotiating with certain OEMs to develop drive trains called ZENNergy that will use the EEStor supercapacitor. Designed for a large number of electric vehicles, the ZENNergy drive trains would also be used as conversion kits to transform heat-engine vehicles into electric ones.
photo:Luc Gagné
"If buyers understand how to use the ZENN, then we're ready to sell them one right now," says Allard with a smile. It's comparable to a smart fortwo size-wise. Like the German gas-powered microcar, the ZENN is a two-seater, but its body is 37 cm longer, which gives it 67% more cargo space than a smart.
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| ZENN actually stands for "Zero Emission, No Noise." |
The front-wheel-drive sedan is powered by an electric engine. It hits a maximum speed of 40 km/h in 9.2 seconds. This speed was established by a federal regulation.
The ZENN has an operating range of 50 to 80 km. ZMC says that the lead batteries require an 8-hour charging period when empty. After 4 hours, however, they are at 80% charge.
The suggested retail price in Quebec has been set at $16,900. It's available from $15,995 in the U.S.
The future of the ZENN
According to Allard, the line of ZENN products will expand quickly. "At the request of our American dealers, we'll soon be adding a small pickup truck to our catalogue, followed by a four-seat version of the ZENN."
ZMC management also has high hopes for the supercapacitor that its Texan partner, EEStor, is developing. ZMC bought 3.8% of EEStor's assets in April 2007 and acquired the exclusive rights to use this new technology on 1,400-kg vehicles or less.
With it, ZMC hopes to market an electric vehicle known as the cityZENN by 2010, which will have a top speed of 125 km/h and an operating range of 400 km.
ZMC is also negotiating with certain OEMs to develop drive trains called ZENNergy that will use the EEStor supercapacitor. Designed for a large number of electric vehicles, the ZENNergy drive trains would also be used as conversion kits to transform heat-engine vehicles into electric ones.
photo:Luc Gagné
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