America's Love Affair | Green Energy News

June 30, 2002 – Vol.7 No.14

AMERICA’S LOVE AFFAIR.

Americans aren’t just in love with their cars, they’re obsessed with them. (And as we all know love mixed with obsession is a dangerous thing.) None-the-less those strong enough to get past, beyond, and over the need for a privately owned automobile could be willing to embrace the concept of shared cars, station cars and similar transportation ideas.

As eMotion Mobility grows, and we begin to learn more about the company’s plans, the more attractive it becomes. Beginning next year eMotion will deploy a fleet of electrified DaimlerChrysler smart cars to sites throughout Atlanta, Georgia. From those mobility stations - at shopping malls, universities, transit stations, other pubic areas - users will be able pick-up and drop off cars after using them for shopping, errands, meetings, or for work. As the company says eMotion will pick up where transit ends and provide the missing link between transit routes and final destinations.

The electrified smart cars will have a 70 mile range, a top speed of 65 miles per hour and be available 24/7. Customers will be able to reserve cars on a per trip basis by the Internet or telephone reservation system. Cars will have an electronic key for access, computerized vehicle diagnostics, global positioning systems and hands-free wireless communications.

The company eventually plans to expand service to California, Massachusetts, Vermont and New York as well as offer vehicles for corporate fleet use. eMotion, which is also doing the conversion work on the cars, could build as many as 5000 cars per year and become the largest electric vehicle manufacturer in the U.S.

An eMotion car will be the Pace Car for the 33rd Annual Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta, which will attract 200,000 runners and spectators, some of whom are expected to fall in love with eMotion's transportation concept. Visit eMotion at http://www.emotionmobility.com/ .