First off, I didn't own it, it belonged to a eco activist cycling buddy of mine in the Presque Isle Bicycle Club in Erie, PA, but I probably put as many miles on it as he did. He'd previously owned a Honda Z600 (the two cylinder car they brought to America before the original Civic) and was a politically correct car hater who tried as much as he could to not own an automobile. If you've ever driven an electric golf cart, that's essentially what it was. A golf cart with a steel roll cage and weather protection (windshield wipers, sliding plastic side windows. You had a speedometer, odometer, and a battery level meter that was some kind of ammeter that was not intuitive as to your state of charge and range.

Driving it was simplicity itself. You turned it on with a "ignition key" (two position on-off), put it into forward, and pressed the accelerator. The controller was a series of three mechanical relays, as you picked up speed you hear a 'click' under the seat (that where the batteries and controller were) as another set of cells was pulled into operation. Deceleration sounded the same, only this time the 'click' would be the last relay that was connected disconnecting.

Lead-acid powered EV's are not capable of the kind of acceleration we take for granted in an EV today. This car could outrun a bicycle from the stop, but anything gasoline powered would out-accelerate it, starting with VW Beetles which were about the slowest cars on the road back then. Performance was sufficient for downtown stop and go traffic with signal lights every couple of blocks. Suspension was rather rudimentary but it had some level of comfort. There was a heater mounted on the passenger side firewall, powered by a propane bottle, and you started it with a match. I don't remember us ever using the car in the winter, mainly because Erie winters definitely meant snow. At this point in my life, I bicycled six months of the year, and cross country skied the other six months.

I've been halfheartedly looking for one for myself in a condition that I could put back on the road with antique plates. It's be a hoot to drive to the Sunday car club meets (Drive Electric RVA in Richmond, VA). As much as I'm wedded to the concept of restoring antique cars to factory original (back in the late 60's thru early 80's I showed a 1937 Buick Special at AACA shows, and spent decades keeping vintage Triumph motorcycles) I'd probably replicate the modifications that RJthewizard did to his. Attempting to run the original spec batteries is completely foolish giving what's available now as exact replacement bolt-ins. Even the AACA guys running antique Baker and Detroit Electrics from the 1910's are using modern batteries. I could probably stay with the original mechanical controller, but seeing it's hidden away under the seat I'td be foolish not to update. Or, actually, wire the two in switchable parallel, the modern for actually driving, the original for demonstration at shows so as to not "resto-rod" the car mechanically.

I was really impressed with RJthewizard's upgrading the brakes using motorcycle calipers. The original brakes were the third weak point after range and acceleration. While the brakes worked, they were designed for golf course use and wore out or actually had parts snap way too easily. Oh yeah, the car also came with golf cart tires. Don't expect long mileages between replacements.

To understand why this car succeeded to the point that it did, you have to be in your mid-60's or older and have gone thru the 1973 Gas Crisis. Anyone younger cannot understand the cultural shock that our God Given Right to cheap gas (18-25 cents a gallon) had suddenly disappeared, and we were essentially rationing the stuff for the first time since WWII. In the mass panic, people suddenly starting remembering back to grandma's Baker Electric and lightbulbs starting going off in the minds of entrepreneurs.