AC Propulsion's tzero roadster is a reason to not give up on the electric
vehicle. The tzero does 0 to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds, according to the company,
and it does it on only 200 horsepower because of its light weight and torque.
The San Dimas, Calif.-based company says the tzero (pronounced "tee-zero,"
not "chair-o") has compared favorably in acceleration tests to Corvettes,
Porsche 911s--and even a Ferrari F355, which it claims to have
"out-accelerated...by eight car lengths" in one-eighth-mile drag races. If for
nothing else, the tzero's $220,000 sticker price puts it in exotic-car
territory.
The low weight helps make the tzero so quick, but its torque--the turning
force that pulls it off the line--is just as important, if not more.
Conventional internal combustion engines need to rev to a certain rate before
reaching their peak torque, but the tzero's torque peaks instantly, with 183
ft-lbs. available from 0 to 5,000 rpm.
Of course, AC Propulsion, a specialist in electric vehicles, must realize
that demand for electric cars has toppled. Ford Motor (nyse: F - news - people )
recently announced plans to discontinue the electric version of its Ranger
pickup, and hybrids, diesels and hydrogen cars now seem like more viable
alternatives to electric cars, whose customers have complained about their
golf-cart powerplant noise and limited range.
Indeed, the tzero can only go 280 to 300 miles at 60 mph without
recharging--even if it can recharge on any 120- or 240-V power socket. And if
you accelerate it like an Italian exotic, or even take it on a hilly route, that
range can decrease by up to about 20%.
The range has actually increased over time. AC Propulsion had made the tzero
with lead-acid batteries since 1997, but this year released a revamped version
with the kind of lithium-ion batteries used in laptop computers. The range,
which increased to 280 to 300 miles from 100 miles per charge, now compares well
with fuel cell cars.
But even if AC Propulsion claims the vehicle has efficiency equivalent to 70
mpg (and zero emissions), the tzero is, to a certain extent, an exercise in
automotive fantasy. Its Spartan interior looks like a science project, in which
most of the controls apart from the CD player are gadgets to monitor the battery
and tiny 110-lb. motor. Drivers get an analog current meter, voltmeter,
altimeter, and battery-voltage display with LED lights that measures temperature
and charging limits.
Remember, though, this is more of an experiment than a traditionally
appointed car. The tzero does not come with air-conditioning. And to lower its
top and windows, you detach them and store them in the trunk. Talk about
alternative energy expenditures.
Forbes Fact
Alan Cocconi, founder and
president of AC Propulsion, designed and built the controller for General
Motors' (nyse: GM - news - people ) original electric vehicle concept, the
Impact, which the company introduced at the Los Angeles auto show in 1990. The
Impact evolved into the EV-1, GM's now-famous first electric vehicle that went
into production.