Zero to 25 mph in about nine seconds.
That's what you get taking a spin in a Zenn electric car, as I did Monday.
Paul Watson, biology research professor and owner of Zenn Electric Cars in Albuquerque, allowed the Daily Lobo to test drive one of the sleek, environmentally friendly vehicles.
"It generates nothing but positive energy on the road," Watson said. "I had a lady in a Prius literally cut me off yesterday wanting a business card, so I gave her the card through the window."
The Zenn plugs into household outlets and can take a 40-mile trip on one charge. It takes eight hours for a full charge, but can draw an 80 percent charge after four hours.
In the space of a 30-minute interview with Watson, the Zenn recharged about 40 percent before our test drive. Watson said a full charge costs about $0.61 at current PNM rates.
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The Zenn takes less than 10 seconds to get to its top speed of 25 mph, and negotiating with high-speed vehicles, especially in midday traffic, can intensify traveling.
According to ZennCarsAbq.com, occupants of the Zenn are protected with a welded aluminum roll-cage, seat belts and shatter-proof glass.
High safety standards and American-made parts distinguish the Zenn from other electric and energy-efficient vehicles, Watson said.
But trying to go from the rightmost to leftmost lane with SUVs whizzing by was still a nail-biting experience.
Watson said it's a necessary evil.
"I'm actually very happy driving around at 25," Watson said. "It maybe takes me 10 minutes longer to get there. I maybe listen to a couple more Springsteen songs on the CD player."
Zenn electric cars can only travel at speeds up to 25 mph due to federal and state regulations.
Watson and environmental activists are lobbying for House Bill 294, a bill that would allow "medium-speed" vehicles like the Zenn to travel at speeds up to 35 mph. The bill has been tabled in the state Senate.
"My big message is, no matter where you have to drive in town, 25 is doable; 35 is more doable. We'll get the rules changed," Watson said. "(For now) I keep right. People can pass me easy."
The vehicles have regulators programmed into the motor to prevent exceeding the 25 mph limit, so reprogramming a 35 mph maximum would require paying to ship the Zenns back to the manufacturer.
Watson said cars like the Zenn are crucial in slowing global warming, and he recommends contacting Rep. Martin Heinrich and Sen. Jeff Bingaman to voice support for a federal bill to legalize an increase in top speed.
"The stakes are enormous," he said. "We've got to do something, and the Zenn paradigm of using a car that is specifically made for urban driving - has no emissions at all - is what we need."
Though business hasn't been particularly good - Watson has yet to sell a Zenn - he blames the 25 mph maximum, low gas prices and the struggling economy.
Watson recommends purchasing a Zenn as a supplementary mode of transportation for urban travel, and he said now is the time to buy. The base model for a Zenn costs around $10,000, because of a temporary $5,000 rebate and 10 percent tax credit.
"One of the things I love about Zenn is they've made it possible for the broad middle class to get this second car or trade in a second car you already have," he said. "Make a little bit of a sacrifice, because the stakes are enormous."
Zenn Electric Cars
9701 Central Ave. N.E.
