Trend Watch: The $15,000 Electric Car

A word of caution: If you drive a Revolution electric car, don't plan to slip by unnoticed. This car draws more attention than the most exotic sports car, and once people learn the Revolution is powered by electricity rather than gasoline, well ... you'd better have some information to hand over or you may be cornered a while answering questions. That's what happened when Green Car editors were tooling around town in this car recently, the same experience we had when driving a GM EV1 back in the late 1990s.

Offered by San Luis Obispo, California-based Revolution Electric Cars, the Revolution is an import from China that's intended for the low speed electric vehicle (LSEV) - or neighborhood electric vehicle (NEV) - market. As such, it can be legally driven on public roads with a posted speed limit of 35 mph or less when properly registered. Speed is electronically limited to 25 mph to meet requirements for this class of vehicle. That's fast enough for around town errands or short urban commutes, given the proper 25 to 35 mph roads.

If you wonder just how functional a vehicle could be if governed to a top speed of 25 mph and limited to roads of 35 mph or less, you're not alone. That said, thousands of drivers have found low speed electric vehicles offering a great fit for their needs, and studies from the Green Car Institute have quantified just how well they can fit into daily life under the right circumstances. For example, in a survey of 260 household and fleet NEV users in California - with the majority households - the Institute found that NEVs replaced two-thirds of daily short-distance trips formerly taken with internal combustion vehicles. This type of use saves emissions, petroleum, and cash spent for increasingly expensive gas at the pump.

The limitation of an electronically governed 25 mph top speed is being pushed nationwide by electric vehicle interests and a few states have either raised, or are working on legislation to raise, this top speed to 35 mph. This is creating a new category called medium speed electric vehicles that can legally operate on roads with speed limits up to 45 mph. Montana has already made the change and similar legislation has passed and is awaiting signature in the state of Washington.

The Revolution is an electric conversion of a platform that's also sold with a variety of small gasoline engines in other markets around the world. It retains the five speed manual transmission and clutch, though you don't need the clutch in stop and go driving since the electric motor stops when the car does, and then propulsion automatically resumes when accelerator pressure is applied. While stopping, current to the motor stops and it freewheels as the car coasts down. The manual transmission provides additional driver control in hilly conditions and under various load conditions.

Unlike some other low speed entries, the Revolution is a traditional two-door design that can handle rain and foul weather without the need for an additional cab enclosure. At a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $14,995, the Revolution comes standard with power windows and door locks, power side mirrors, sporty bucket seats with a six-way adjustable driver's seat, and a full-size spare tire. Optional equipment includes an air conditioner, sunroof, and a stereo with MP3 USB connection or a DVD+MP4.

While the Revolution appears cute and almost toy-like, mechanically it is a real car with steel welded construction, independent MacPherson strut suspension, and LSEV legal lighting. Hydraulic front disc and rear drum brakes are standard and four-wheel discs optional. During our photo session with the Revolution we had the opportunity to park next to an H2 Hummer and the difference in size was dramatic, with the Revolution just two inches shy of 10 feet long and the H2 spanning an additional six feet. In fact, the Revolution looks like it could go on the Hummer's roof rack and serve as a dingy for in-town driving.

This pint-size electric car is easy to drive, too, with electric assisted power steering making the Revolution quite maneuverable in the tightest confines. Our brief driving impression included city driving in San Luis Obispo, California. The car is not overly powerful, but acceleration is more than adequate to keep with the flow of traffic. Power comes from a 6 kW brushless AC induction motor that offers a peak power output of 24kW. Electricity is stored in six 12-volt Hoppecke sealed and maintenance free lead acid batteries that are claimed to deliver about 60 miles of range dependent on load, speed, and terrain. The electric motor and transmission, along with much of the electronics and controller, are located under the front hood and drive the front wheels in a conventional transverse layout.

When it's time to recharge a built-in charging system simply plugs into a household 110 volt outlet. Revolution cites a 3 to 5 hour charging time to top off the batteries from a 70 percent state of charge. Battery life is estimated at 700 charge cycles of this type, or approximately 40,000 miles. The company points out that when the battery pack's end-of-life is reach, these advanced lead acid cell batteries will be much less expensive to replace than the higher performance nickel-metal-hydride or lithium-ion battery packs used in most electric vehicle models. That said, the Revolution can be upgraded to an optional lithium-ion battery pack for $3,900.

The Revolution REV-AC60-EV2D is a two seater with room in the rear cargo hold for groceries and the usual errand freight. Access to the rear cargo area is through a two-piece hatch/tailgate arrangement that offers a low lift-over height. A moveable cargo shelf is provided to separate goods from the standard spare tire and charging unit.

Considering the attention this car generates, it's clear people that are looking for economical transportation alternatives to fight today's high fuel prices plus a way to get around that's fossil-fuel free. If your daily driving involves a lot of in-town running around where two passenger seating is sufficient and the roads you'll take are appropriate for this low speed electric vehicle, then this car is worth a look.