Buying and Using a Light Electric Vehicle in Pasadena, California

Buying a light electric vehicle to use around Pasadena is a practical decision.

I recently test drove an eGo Cycle 2 LX at e-Power Vehicles in Pasadena, California and discovered why light electric vehicles are useful for running errands or driving to and from work.

"Pasadena is a self-contained city," Michael Zellner, the owner of e-Power Vehicles told me. "Most streets have a 35 mph speed limit, they're wide enough if cars want to pass, and many stores where people shop are within 2 to 3 miles of where they live."

I sat on the eGo Cycle and turned the throttle back toward me. It zipped from 0 to about 24 mph in a couple of seconds. There was almost no noise. The frame is made from anodized airplane aluminum and it's solid build is evidence that the eGo Cycle is no toy.

Zellner said electric vehicles have instant torque which allows them to accelerate quickly.

He opened his dealership in August 2009 after seeing the potential electric vehicles have for transportation. His goal is to get people out of their cars for short errands and make buying an electric vehicle affordable within the $ 2,000 price range or less.

"I want to make electric vehicles as accessible as possible," he said.

e-Power Vehicles carries a variety of brands:

• eGo Cycles
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• Hebb
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• Pedego
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• eCruizer
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• izips
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• Nogas
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The vehicles can look quite different: Hebb manufactures pedal bikes with powerful electric motors while the Nogas brand manufactures vintage-style scooters that look like mini-Harleys.

"Riders can pedal the Hebb like an ordinary bike," said Zellner, "or they can use the motor to help them drive up steep hills. So they can ride the bike to a grocery store, pick up some items, place them in a basket on the back, and use the motor to power them home."

A Nogas Vintage XS has a top speed of 70 mph and it can cover from 26 to 40 miles depending on how fast it's driven.

The eGo has a 1,500 watt motor while the Hebb has a 350 watt motor. Since it has gears, it leverages the mechanism to perform like a 700 watt motor.

Light, electric vehicles save car owners money in many ways:

• Vehicle registration is not required
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• Drivers don't need a license
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• Vehicles are street legal
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• Electricity for a 4-6 hour charge costs less than 25 cents
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• Maintenance on the vehicles is easy to perform
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• Parking is easy, too.
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The eGo is powerful yet it uses parts found on most high quality bikes, from the tires to brakes, so any maintenance needed can be performed locally and costs little.

"I tell people to save their vehicle for the weekend," said Zellner.

For more information, click on www.e-powervehicles.com