Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, April 29, 1990 TAG: 9004290208
SECTION: HORIZON PAGE: F5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: The Washington Post
DATELINE: LENGTH: Short
Earlier this year six Japanese manufacturers - including Nissan and Toyota, the country's largest - unveiled electric cars at the Tokyo Auto Show. In addition, BMW, Peugeot and Volkswagen have developed models powered in whole or part by electricity.
The BMW already has a range of over 100 miles in city driving, and the company's target is to hit a 133-mile range with this model, which is their bottom-of-the-line 325i equipped with sodium sulfur batteries.
Next summer the first copies of battery-powered "G-vans" - essentially conventional GM vans converted to electrical power - will roll off assembly lines, destined for 43 customers. Early versions of the vans, produced by Canadian conglomerate Magna International, have collectively logged 300,000 miles since 1985.
In Los Angeles authorities are determined to put 10,000 electric cars on the road within three years. The author of the program, City Councilman Marvin Braude, says unequivocally: "We're going to ride them, use them and buy them."
by CNB