ZENN
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| ZENN | |
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| Manufacturer: | ZENN Motor Company based in Toronto, Canada |
| Also known as: | Feel Good Cars |
| Production Years: | 2006– |
| Class: | NEV\LSV |
| Length: | 3.1 m |
| Width: | 1.6 m |
| Height: | 1.4 m |
| Charging connector: | Extension cord to standard domestic 110V outlet |
| Charge time | 80% - 4 hours, 100% - 8 hours |
| Curb Weight: | 1,200 lb (544 kg) |
| GVRW: | 1,705 lb (773 kg) |
| Battery type: | lead-acid batteries |
| Range: | 30–50 miles |
| Maximum speed: | 45 km/h (25 mph) |
| Doors: | 3 door hatchback |
| MSRP: | $12,000–$16,000 |
ZENN (Zero Emission, No Noise) is a 2-seat battery electric vehicle currently in production and built by ZENN Motor Company designed to qualify as a Neighborhood Electric Vehicle. It has a range of up to 35 miles (56 km) and does not exceed 25 mph (40 km/h).
The vehicle is based on the Microcar MC2, and produced under license from Beneteau Group. The Microcar brand is sold in Europe, with a diesel engine.
Electric power is stored in six 12V lead-acid gel batteries, which has a recharge cycle of 8 hours. Valve regulated (low maintenance) lead-acid wet cells are available at extra cost.
Also optional are a retractable fabric sunroof, air conditioning, audio entertainment center, and AC motor, stated to be better for hill climbing. The 2008 model has a standard AC motor.
On January 16, 2007 EEStor, Inc. announced plans to ship 15 kilowatt-hour Electrical Energy Storage Units (EESU) to ZENN Motor Company by end of 2007 for use in the ZENN electric vehicles. This will make the ZENN the first production vehicle to use EESU. As of April 30, 2007 ZENN Motor Company owns approximately 3.8% of the equity of capacitor developer EEstor, after an investment of $2.5M US.[1]
Although the company is headquartered in Toronto, Canada and the car manufactured in St- Jérôme Canada, the vehicle was first introduced in the United States because there were no Canadian provincial or territorial regulations approving low speed vehicles (LSVs) for public road use. Since August 16, 2000 British Columbia has allowed LSVs on its roads and these vehicles are subject to conditions similar to slow-moving vehicles.
In Ontario, LSVs can be used on roadways within provincial or municipal parks and conservation areas (when driven by an authorized park employee), or on private property.
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[edit] Licensing agreement with EEStor
EEStor was founded in 2001 by Richard D. Weir and Carl Nelson, former senior managers in disk-storage technology at IBM and Xerox. The Company maintains a low profile, but others in the automotive and CleanTech communities are calling their storage technology ‘game changing’. Such a breakthrough has the potential to transform the energy sector and the automobile industry in particular.
The following is how the EESU will compare to other batteries used for electric cars[citation needed]
| Ceramic EESU | NiMH | La(Gel) | Lithium-ion | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight (pounds) | 300 | 1716 | 3646 | 752 |
| Volume (cubic inches) | 4541 | 17,881 | 43,045 | 5697 |
| Discharge rate | 0.02%/30 Days | 5%/30 Days | 1%/30 Days | 1%/30 Days |
| EV Charging time (full) - 100% charge | 3-6 min | >3.0 hr | 3-15 hr | >3.0 hr |
| Life Reduced with deep cycle use | none | very high | high | very high |
| Hazardous Materials | none | yes | yes | yes |
| Temperature vs. effect on energy storage | negligible | high | very high | high |
ZMC entered into an agreement with EEStor dated August 24, 2004 (with subsequent amendments dated November 26, 2004 September 30, 2005 August 8, 2006 and January 22, 2007) to acquire in perpetuity the worldwide exclusive rights to use EEStor’s EESU in the following markets:
All-electric 4-wheeled personal transportation uses for vehicles with a curb weight up to 1,400 kilograms (3,100 lb), net of the battery weight, and For golf carts and similar-styled utility vehicles, and The aftermarket conversion of any internal combustion passenger vehicle to electric drive
The EEStor Technology Agreement also provides ZMC with non-exclusive, worldwide use to manufacture higher horsepower and heavier vehicles.
[edit] City ZENN
The cityZENN is planned to be a fully certified, highway capable vehicle with a top speed of 125 kilometres per hour (78 mph) and a range of 400 kilometres (250 mi). Powered by EEStor, the cityZENN will be rechargeable in less than 5 minutes, feature operating costs 1/10th of a typical internal combustion engine vehicle and be 100% emission-free at the point of use. The zero emission, no noise[citation needed] cityZENN will be designed to meet the transportation requirements of a large percentage of drivers worldwide. It is due to be launched in Fall 2009. Also according to Ian Clifford a normal household outlet with 110 volt supply can fully charge the EESTor powered CityZENN in 4 hours for a 250 mile range and a normal household outlet with 220 volt supply can fully charge the EESTor powered CityZENN in 2 hours for a 250 mile range. CityZENN target price is around $25000 - $30000. [2]
[edit] Awards
In the Michelin Challenge Bibendum 2006, ZENN received the highest overall rank in the Urban Car category. It also appeared on the Rick Mercer Report.
[edit] Gallery
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