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Apr 2008  Zenn Motor Company unveiled a multi-product roll out plan at its annual meeting that will begin with the introduction of the cityZENN in 2009. This vehicle is different from other electrical vehicles in its use of an ultracapacitor instead of a battery as an energy source. Interested parties may not be able to find out much about the EEStor ultracapacitor prior to 2009 due to the company’s tight-lipped approach to public relations. The reason why Zenn Motor Company is excited about cityZENN is that it eliminates the issues of low speed and battery capacity. The cityZENN is reported to have a top speed of 80 miles per hour that sets it apart from the competition. The EEStor ultracapacitor allows this car to travel up to 250 miles on a single charge to give commuters a practical zero-emission vehicle. One of the aspects of the EEStor ultracapacitor that Zenn is touting heavily is the fact that a full charge takes less than five minutes. These specifications seem a bit lofty for an electric vehicle with a new ultracapacitor with downward revisions likely after the first batch of cityZENN’s are sold. Other news out of Zenn’s annual meeting includes new low-speed vehicles and the promotion of the Zenn drive train for retrofitters as well as customizers. A utility vehicle and a four-passenger sedan that travel at lower speeds will hit the market following the roll out of the cityZENN. An interesting development in Zenn’s effort to promote vehicles that produce minimal emissions and noise is the commercialization of the ZENNergy drive train. This fundamental part of every Zenn vehicle will be available for consumers who want to switch from internal combustion to electric automobiles. Zenn Motor Company’s stream of new products shows the progress of electric vehicles in the global automobile market. The low-speed vehicle is purported to accrue 10% of the fuel and maintenance costs of a gas-powered car while dampening 100% of the engine noise. The first generation of cityZENN cars may experience some problems but the switch to an EEStor ultracapacitor shows a commitment to new ideas. The most encouraging aspect of the latest ZENN news is that the company is beginning to resemble a traditional motor company in terms of diverse offerings. CommentsWhat do you think? |
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Very interested in the CityZENN as a comuter vehicle in the Dallas, TX area
It would be nice if Zenn would add a few details to their claim that the cityZenn can be charged in 5 minutes. For example: Can it be recharged at home from a 110 volt, 30 amp circuit? Is special charging equipment required? Are extra costs involved? This reveals no Eestor secrets, but would add a little credibility to Zenn's claim.
You will be able to charge the cityZENN by plugging it into "any household receptacle." This is mentioned in ZMC's annual meeting, which you can listen to on their website (zenncars.com under the "investor" section).
CityZenn is gone from the Zenn website. This is not so encouraging
Has Eestor and Zenn Motors been testing a commercial prototype of this ultracapacitor at the Eestor labs in the last few years, to prove that this capacitors will be reliable and durable to be ready for commercial roll out in the fall of 2009? I think you need 3 to 5 years of testing of this new technology before selling to the general public. Hopefully, they have done all of this beforehand and have serious talks with the big auto manufacturers like GM. A real revolutionary game changing development for the auto industry.
The EEStore technology is interesting and they have been working on this through a proprietary agreement for awhile now. No special charging is required, it's a capacitor, it stores energy. Interesting go Zenn!
Some recent newsmedia items indicate that the 5-minute charge for the cityZENN would not be done at home, but instead would be accomplished with special charging equipment that would be located at "refueling stations" scattered throughout the country. These refueling stations do not exist at this time. For at-home recharging, 110 volt or 220 volt household outlets would be used, and, as with the current Zenn NEVs, would require several hours.