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Buying an "EV" today

Discussion in 'Fred's House of Pancakes' started by efusco, Apr 6, 2007.

  1. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    Got a suprise refund from our taxes this year (no thanks to the hybrid tax credit which we didn't get any of thanks to AMT). We've decided to buy this "EV" electric golf cart for our lake house. We're getting it in fire engine red and will promptly apply all appropriate Arkansas Razorback decals once it arrives.
    [​IMG]

    It's a 48V electric cart, don't know the range but it supposedly goes up to 20-25mph. It's called a 6 seater, but can see no reason we couldn't cram 8 people on it with the kids being 3 of those 8.
     
    #1 efusco, Apr 6, 2007
  2. Wildkow

    Wildkow New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(efusco @ Apr 6 2007, 12:35 PM) [snapback]418964[/snapback]</div>
    HolyKow! Thats the Hummer version of all Golf Carts! :lol: If they have four-wheel drive you could, if the golf course would even let you on the property, drive this baby right into the deepest sand trap and back out the other side! It would also be useful for fording small rivers and creeks, why backtrack looking for a bridge? Did they mention the range?

    Wildkow
     
    #2 Wildkow, Apr 6, 2007
  3. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Wildkow @ Apr 6 2007, 08:31 PM) [snapback]419151[/snapback]</div>
    LOL!! I'll give'r a go on the sand traps! I don't golf actually. This is to go the ~1/2 mile from the house to the dock and around the 'point' where our place is (see: http://www.pbase.com/efusco/lake_house_development ).

    I'm not sure what the range is, but it'll be more than adequate for the driving we'll do I'm sure. Just wanted to stop using our cars for the short commute, but we need transport with the kids and hauling beer and junk to and from the dock and such. We have alot of company stay with us as well so we went for the 'stretch' version to try to accomodate them.

    I think it's just 2WD btw.
     
    #3 efusco, Apr 6, 2007
  4. daniel

    daniel Cat Lovers Against the Bomb

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Wildkow @ Apr 6 2007, 07:31 PM) [snapback]419151[/snapback]</div>
    At the resort in Playa del Carmen it was about a 12-minute walk (and very pleasant) from the area where most of the cabins were to the beach. They had golf carts about twice that size to take people back and forth. Lazy idiots were on vacation in paradise and they were in too much of a hurry to walk 12 minutes through the prettiest part of the resort, along the path through the mangrove forest, to get back and forth to and from the beach.

    They also had electric boats (a nice touch, as they were quiet) on a canal that went from the reception building to the beach. Slower than walking, but nice.
     
    #4 daniel, Apr 7, 2007
  5. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    Just a little update for the web crawlers more than anything else...
    I've been trying to find as much information as possible about this Star Car Electric Vehicle as possible, but there seems to be very little information out there on the internet.

    I decided to start a Yahoo! forum for this NEV to try to form a central location for others who are looking for or have information about these Street legal Golf Cars.

    In any case, here's a link to the forum for what it's worth...I'm the only member at this writing, but hopefully I'll attract others in the near future.
    http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/starcar/
     
    #5 efusco, Apr 12, 2007
  6. Tom6850

    Tom6850 Retired

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    Boy that is one mean looking machine. Your lake house is great also, beautiful setting. Hope you have a fast recovery.
     
    #6 Tom6850, Apr 13, 2007
  7. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tom 6850 @ Apr 13 2007, 05:23 AM) [snapback]422477[/snapback]</div>
    I guess it does look a little "mean", but it's just a jacked up electric golf cart with knobby tires...we've got some gravel roads and hills and may occasionally need to drive on some rough grass/mud areas so anything lower could scrape...esp. in the 6 seater configuration.

    We're going to add the wheel well fenders so ours will actually look just like the one pictured below, but in a 6 seat configuration.
    [​IMG]
     
    #7 efusco, Apr 13, 2007
  8. daniel

    daniel Cat Lovers Against the Bomb

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    With luck, mine will be here in a month or so.

    [attachmentid=7467]

    Because it has only three wheels, it is not restricted to the 25 mph NEV speed limit. Go figure!
     
    #8 daniel, Apr 13, 2007
  9. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    #9 efusco, Apr 24, 2007
  10. Allannde

    Allannde Just a Senior

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    Mine will arrive on the same truck with daniel's. We must be starting a trend!

    The State thinks it is a motorcycle. I guess that is because it has three wheels. At least it can go 45 mph.
     

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    #10 Allannde, Apr 24, 2007
  11. Mystery Squid

    Mystery Squid Junior Member

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    Ok, you know you're livin' large when you get an electric golf cart for you lake house....! If you haven't already done so Doc., consider yourself a success!

    However, that being said, makes me wonder:

    I'm willing to bet, your consumption foot-print on this planet, is actually LARGER than that of someone who lives modestly and drives a Hummer.
     
    #11 Mystery Squid, Apr 24, 2007
  12. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mystery Squid @ Apr 24 2007, 01:25 PM) [snapback]429139[/snapback]</div>
    Oh, I have no doubt of that. I think the 'big picture' goal of all this GW/environmental movement should be clean living without sacrifice. We do what we can, within reason. We have the 'instant on' water heaters at the lake, use CFLs in almost all lights, do our hybrid thing with the cars, chose the electric cart over the gas, we use a timer thermostat at home and use very modest 'away time' thermostat settings at the lake when we're there. But we have 2 homes, they're comfortablely large (home esp.). We've worked hard for what we have and enjoy what we have.

    I'm not going to go all "Ed Begley" and ride a stationary bike to make my morning toast. I'd love to get off the grid with solar or wind or both, but Missouri offers nothing in the way if incentives and is just now considering a law to allow you to sell excess you produce from solar or wind back to the electric company.

    Again, if someone wanted to make a big case of it you could call me a hypocrit. I guess I like to think of it as maintaining the lifestyle we're accustom to while making practical changes and minor sacrifices that don't compromise that. If this movement is to succeed in the USof "I deserve it" then that's the direction we need to move.
     
    #12 efusco, Apr 24, 2007
  13. priussoris

    priussoris New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(efusco @ Apr 24 2007, 12:35 PM) [snapback]429150[/snapback]</div>
    Looks Great doc, and the lake house is not bad either!!

    At least Evan is helping with the economy also by making these purchases.

    Well Done, I am sure your kids will love it once they get behind the wheel, (IF they can GET you out from behind it!!)

    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Allannde @ Apr 24 2007, 12:23 PM) [snapback]429135[/snapback]</div>
    Say , what is the going price on a ZAP Electric p/u type vehicle?
    I have seen the zebra for 6k on ebay
    thanks
     
    #13 priussoris, Apr 24, 2007
  14. Wildkow

    Wildkow New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(efusco @ Apr 24 2007, 11:16 AM) [snapback]429131[/snapback]</div>
    Well now that the shine is off your new toy isn't it time to modify? IMHO I think it needs a set of mudflap girls on the back, don't you?

    Wildkow

    p.s. E.Z. Rider Rifle Rack and a pair of conjones should top it off. ;)
     
    #14 Wildkow, Apr 24, 2007
  15. daniel

    daniel Cat Lovers Against the Bomb

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Allannde @ Apr 24 2007, 11:23 AM) [snapback]429135[/snapback]</div>
    You sure of that? On my test drives I never got over about 38 on level ground. I tell people mine will be able to go 35, even though I may inch a wee bit past that. Norm has done some extreme mods in his to get up to 45.

    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(priussoris @ Apr 24 2007, 12:37 PM) [snapback]429192[/snapback]</div>
    Base price is about $11K. I'll be paying around $17K, which includes much bigger batteries, and 7 of them instead of 6 and a more powerful controller and more comfortable seats and a battery equalizer and a few other minor mods.

    I'd be extremely suspicious of the $6K one on eBay. The very early Xebras has some serious problems (since fixed) so if it's an early production unit, it might not even be worth that. There's also been some talk about outright fraud on eBay. There was a Xebra listed by a seller with a rating of zero: he had never bought or sold anything on eBay before. That's a red flag if anythig is!
     
    #15 daniel, Apr 24, 2007
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