At the 2010 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, South Korean automaker CT&T unveiled two new electric vehicles on Tuesday, both which are scheduled to go into production in the second quarter of this year.

While the vehicles are not approved for regular roadway driving in the States, and are classified as low-speed vehicles (LSV) by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, they offer a variety of advantages, such as energy-efficiency, less pollution and a much quieter ride, unlike gasoline-powered vehicles.

While low-speed electrics have smaller, less-expensive batteries and can be good vehicles for specific uses, they are still costly to own, no thanks to the expense of the battery.

Curt Westlake, marketing director for CT&T, said at Tuesday’s unveiling:

“Until the battery technologies get to the point where batteries are affordable, full-speed electrics are going to be expensive.”

On Tuesday at the auto show, CT&T offered up a sharp looking, very light blue 2-seat roadster, known as the C Square. While Westlake wouldn’t talk price, he did reveal that the C Square has a top speed of 93 mph and can travel 155 miles on a single charge, getting its’ power from a lithium-polymer battery pack.  Joe White, the company’s chief operating officer in America, has stated publicly that the C Square will set you back roughly $50,000 - or less than half the price of the electric Tesla Roadster.  Click here for short video.

The second CT&T vehicle is the eZone Plus, a 2-seat car specifically designed for drivers to run about in larger cities downtown. The eZone Plus can reach speeds up to 45 mph with a range of 75 miles. Reps for CT&T say plans to design and build a 4-door version are in the works.

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Filed Under: Auto Shows, Eco Friendly, General, Korean Automakers, LSV, electric cars, electric vehicles, ev, golf carts, transportation

The Crayola colored Kandi COCO, an all electric, plug-in low speed vehicle that can be driven on streets with speed limits under 35 MPH, is receiving $4,435 in Federal tax credits, while the state of Oklahoma has kicked in an additional tax credit of 50% of the sales price, or $5,299. The Kandi COCO has a retail price of about $10,995, so if you buy one in Oklahoma before December 31, 2009, it can be yours for almost a steal – or about $865.00.

While you can’t drive it on the highway, and it doesn’t go over 45 miles per hour, it’s being compared to the smart fortwo in the states, which I find interesting since the only thing I can truly find comparable might be the size and the amount of time it takes to fully charge.  The COCO goes 40-60 miles on one charge and takes about 5-6 hours to fully charge using a 110 volt.   

There are some distinct advantageous though, as they’re no doubt great for people who own motor homes and want the flexibility of having a small car in tow. I think those who live in retirement communities might also find these little gems handy to scoot around in, too. They could probably be useful on college campuses, as well as film studios and practically anywhere transportation is needed in a smaller, less congested traffic area.

For less than the cost of a big screen TV, you can own a brand new set of wheels. Imagine a Kandi COCO under the Christmas tree this year – or not.

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Filed Under: Eco Friendly, General, LSV, electric cars, electric vehicles, ev, golf carts, smart, transportation

I have just come across a directory of golf electric vehicles called NEVPortal. Essentially this NEV (neighborhood electric vehicle) directory has a pretty decent sized list of dealers that sell a variety of electric golf cars, parts, and accessories.

Here is an electric golf cart dealer in Illinois, ExtremeKor Motorsports, that specializes in custom electric golf carts. Check out 3 hot NEV’s below.

The specs below are for the California Roadster Electric Golf Car. (the first one pictured above)

If you’re looking for a NEV, give the NEVPortal a try. They have been around since 2002, carry thousands of listings, you can search by state or country. They even have some international listings. Good luck in your search, do let us know if you come across your dream NEV.

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Filed Under: Eco Friendly, Green, NEV, electric cars, electric vehicles, golf carts