[Christopher Kuten]

Zenn, and they got fed up with Quebec's/Canada's hesitation to legalize electric cars so they abandoned the Zenn and build trains or something.
and it is RESTRICTED to 45 kph but not by choice.. an electric motor is in effect.. alot more efficient and more powerful than a standard combustion engine.. but im not here to discuss that..

yes.. i know i can convert a pick up truck into electric however.. the Zap car is by far cheaper and offers something us appartment dwellers without places to plug into... a solar panel... all i want to do is drive to work and drive home without destroying the environment of this beautiful country

[Yogi]

Gunnair Gunnair:

I sometimes wonder why we don't allow quads on city roads. They'd be good on gas and certainly are no less safe than a motorcycle.

I have both. No fears, just a heightened sense of awareness when I'm riding the scooter on the roads, but allowing quads on the roadways would lead to wholesale slaughter!

[Gunnair]

Yogi Yogi:

Gunnair Gunnair:

I sometimes wonder why we don't allow quads on city roads. They'd be good on gas and certainly are no less safe than a motorcycle.

I have both. No fears, just a heightened sense of awareness when I'm riding the scooter on the roads, but allowing quads on the roadways would lead to wholesale slaughter!

I've been toying with the idea of a scooter - the Island certainly has the climate for it. But I think it'll be more of a toy since I can walk/bike/jog to work.

[Yogi]

Gunnair Gunnair:

Yogi Yogi:

Gunnair Gunnair:

I sometimes wonder why we don't allow quads on city roads. They'd be good on gas and certainly are no less safe than a motorcycle.

I have both. No fears, just a heightened sense of awareness when I'm riding the scooter on the roads, but allowing quads on the roadways would lead to wholesale slaughter!

I've been toying with the idea of a scooter - the Island certainly has the climate for it. But I think it'll be more of a toy since I can walk/bike/jog to work.

I think that 'we' are thinking about 2 different types of 'scooters'. I wouldn't be 'caught dead' riding 'your scooter' on a city/ hiway, lest I be 'found dead'! 'Your scooter' just doesn't have the 'jam' to get you out of a 'jam' in a hurry, should the need arise. Though both scooters offer the same lack of protection, I prefer something like, actually this 'scooter' instead.

0:

99 Suzuki Marauder 065.JPG [ 516.5 KiB | Viewed 257 times ]

[Gunnair]

Yogi Yogi:

Gunnair Gunnair:

Yogi Yogi:

I have both. No fears, just a heightened sense of awareness when I'm riding the scooter on the roads, but allowing quads on the roadways would lead to wholesale slaughter!

I've been toying with the idea of a scooter - the Island certainly has the climate for it. But I think it'll be more of a toy since I can walk/bike/jog to work.

I think that 'we' are thinking about 2 different types of 'scooters'. I wouldn't be 'caught dead' riding 'your scooter' on a city/ hiway, lest I be 'found dead'! 'Your scooter' just doesn't have the 'jam' to get you out of a 'jam' in a hurry, should the need arise. Though both scooters offer the same lack of protection, I prefer something like, actually this 'scooter' instead.

0:

99 Suzuki Marauder 065.JPG

Yes - different scooters.

[ASLplease]

if you are already close enough to wall,bike or job to work, then perhaps an electric bike would be the last peice of the puzzle to make it so you can do the trip 5 days a week, never skipping a day

[Christopher Kuten]

guys please quit straying off topic

[Brenda]

Christopher Kuten Christopher Kuten:

guys please quit straying off topic

Welcome to CKA

[ASLplease]

Christopher Kuten Christopher Kuten:

guys please quit straying off topic

I dont see why a private citizen should have a problem purchasing and transporting something like this into Canada.

A - you aren't an importer or manufacturer

B - this vehicle is NOT licensable on Canadian roads, so therefore Transport Canada should recognize it as a "off road use only" vehicle, which isnt a bad thing....cuz there are almost no standards for off road use vehicles

So I recommend that you go out an buy whatever you want to buy, get yourself a utility trailer and transport it back to Canada as an 'off road vehicle'

[ASLplease]

Christopher Kuten Christopher Kuten:

guys please quit straying off topic

And i think the second part of your concern was about how to get it to become elligable for ON ROAD use......well, sadly so, in my opinion, its near impossible to take a dirt bike, golfcart, tractor,etc and have it approved for on road use. I'm not saying this is correct, but I am saying that this is what you will experience.

In fact, you should find it a whole lot easier to make a kit car, or take an existing car and convert it.

In the case of an electric vehicle, you will find it much easier to take a honda civic and convert into an electric vehicle......and I mentioned a pickup truck because its extremely easy to place all the batteries into the back of a pickup truck....a pickup truck makes an excellent first time project.

If you dont like pickup trucks, then look for one of those Subaru Brats that were basically a small car with a pickup truck box.

[ASLplease]

My preferance would be a ford ranger because they have a solid frame, and it would be easy to modify the rear suspension to hold the kind of batteries that you will need

[Yogi]

Christopher Kuten Christopher Kuten:

guys please quit straying off topic

Not 'off topic' at all! What Gunny and I have introduced in 'our conversation' is a 'viable alternative' to your query about importing, using an electric vehicle on roadways as a more economical, eco-friendly alternative to typical gasoline modes of transportation.
Now, 'take a chill-pill', and welcome to CKA.


And since you seem to be so concerned about our 'forum rules', why don't you go on over to the INTRODUCTION THREAD!

[ASLplease]

Also, there's an awesome book that you should read called "build your own electric vehicle" by Bob Brant( isbn 0-8306-4232-3)

I have personally read this book, and recomend it. the price on the back says I paid $20 for it.

[ASLplease]

One of these days, I'd love to own an electric vehicle. In fact, I'd rather own an electric vehicle than own a muscle car. Thats just me. I have a geek side of me that needs to be nourished.

For the time being, I've bought into an electric bike. I consider it a less practical alternative to an electric car. but its not without it's charm. I enjoy the fresh air,and beleive me when I say that you still get a good sweat going on it.

The electric bike has allowed me to experiment with better battery packs, without the high cost and high risk of an electric car. lets face it, if I had thousands of dollars worth of batteries, and I make a mistake that kills half of its life expectancy...then I have an expensive hobby. but my bike doesnt require thousands of dollars worth of batteries.

For my bike, I bought $200 worth of lithium ion batteries ( the Canadian Tire cordless chainsaw) and have built my own battery packs for my electric bike. The original battery pack was 22lbs, I've replaced it with a 4.5lb lithium pack. And, since I have been commuting a distance that required 2 battery packs, I replaced 44lbs of batteries with 9lbs. My bike feels like a bike again

cheers! and welcome to CKA

[Canadian_Mind]

ASLplease ASLplease:

My preferance would be a ford ranger because they have a solid frame, and it would be easy to modify the rear suspension to hold the kind of batteries that you will need

Couldn't you just stick a pair of airbags between the frame and the rear axel?