"Zap to do Three-Wheeled Car in 2009"

"Zap to do Three-Wheeled Car in 2009: Zap, the electric car company based in Santa Rosa, Calif., is adding another electric car to its lineup"
By Michael Kanellos Staff Writer, CNET News.com
Published: January 31, 2008
http://www.news.com/Zap-to-do-three-wheeled-car-in-2009/2100-13833_3-6228614.html?tag=nefd.lede

In recent years, and definately recent months, Americans seem to be becoming more concerned with ways to protect the environement, at least in theory if not in practice. Because of this movement, there has been an increase in the production of more environment-friendly products, such as electric cars. While the latest model from Zap which will debut in 2009 is not the first of its kind entirely, it is different because its a high speed model which sits on only three wheels. The model is called "Alias" and will have a "top speed of over 100 miles an hour and go 150 miles on a charge, according to Zap." The sophisticated electric tricycle, however, will come at a price of $30,000.

The company has decided to make their electric model at three-wheeler because of the decrease in weight of the vehicle; because it is lighter, it will be able to travel further and last longer on a single charge that previous electric cars.

In the article, the author boasts that these three-wheeled vehicles will reach the market faster than possibly expected because they are technically considered motorcycles. Because of this classification there is "less safety testing." While this view is presented as an advantage, I think it quite the opposite. A vehicle that functions so differently from the majority of the cars on the roads today should be subject to vigorous safety tests in order to insure maximum security to its drivers and passengers. The electric cars may be beneficial to the environment, but what good is that if they turn out to be harmful to human beings' safety on the road.

The company will begin work on the Zap-X later this year which is an electric SUV. Because America appears to be obsessed with gas-guzzling SUVs hopefully this will be an economically-friendly way to satisfy the craving.