It's a Zaptruck Solar. A purely electric vehicle with a solar panel charger, as well as the regular plug-in charger.
I saw a non-solar one yesterday and talked to the owner. There are some really cool things-- he figures his operating cost for electricity is about 4 cents a mile including the cost of replacing the batteries every four years. And because it's licensed as a motorcycle, his insurance costs are $160/yr, but because it has three wheels, there is no need for a motorcycle license.
It carries up to a 500 lb. payload, the cost to charge at about 4.75 KWH is around 40 cents, and with the extended range batteries can go 40 miles on a charge. Top speed is about 40 MPH.
It's a city vehicle. Fully-loaded, it's about $15k (the solar version), and gives you a tax break every year as well as a single-break return of a couple thou. And it's drivable in the winter, barring insane snowstorms.
I've been considering getting rid of the 'Sploder and getting a hybrid Ford Escape, but they're bloody expensive and the monthly payments are right out of what I can afford. Monthly payments on a $15k loan are a whole lot better.
But they are still monthly payments.
The 'Sploder has a 20-gallon tank. A complete fill at $4.00/gal. I probably fill the tank 2-3 times a month depending on driving... let's say 2.5. That's $200/month in gas on the average. Most of my driving is back and forth to work, which could handily be done on back roads.
Then again, they have a slightly different model coming out later this year, or possibly early next. It's the Truck XL:
Here's the website.
It's just stuff to think about.
