This seemed like the logical question after walking past Prius plug-in hybrids, Fusion hybrids, Tesla all-electric sports cars and other fuel-efficient, low-emission champions at the fifth annual Green Car Expo in Madison last summer.  

“I’m selling these,” replied Mike Prosser of Franklin, gesturing toward a tiny, bright red, neighborhood electric vehicle tucked behind a motor home at his display. The two-seat, four-wheeled car, a Chinese Kandi Coco, looked as if it might fit in the back seat of one of the large motor coaches sold or rented at Prosser RV Rental and Sales on Milwaukee’s south side.

This year, Prosser became Wisconsin’s only dealer of Kandis. The vehicles are 103 inches long, 60 inches wide and 61 inches tall. They come in hardtop and convertible models and weigh about 1,600 pounds.

They’re powered by six batteries with a total capacity of 72 volts and can be recharged using a standard household electric outlet. Recharging time is about six to eight hours. The car has a range of up to 60 miles, “depending on the terrain and the number of starts and stops,” Prosser said. That makes them a good choice for a modest commute and a recharging overnight in the owner’s garage. Top speed of the vehicle is only about 35 mph.

“This is the perfect second or third car,” he said, adding it has room for three or four bags of groceries behind the two seats.

The Kandi sells for $12,995 for the convertible and $13,995 for the hardtop, making it one of the least expensive new cars in the world. Cutting the cost even further is the fact that buyers qualify for a 10 percent federal tax credit for purchasing a Kandi. The cars have a one-year or 5,000-mile warranty.

The state Legislature this year passed a law that gives drivers of neighborhood electric vehicles such as the Kandi the right to operate on most roads with speed limits of 35 mph or less. Previously, each municipality had to expressly authorize use of the vehicles on their streets.

While there has been a lot of interest in the car, Prosser said that as of September there had been no sales. He said several fleet owners had inquired about the Kandis.

Prosser says he drives a Kandi in commuting the seven miles from his home to his dealership in Milwaukee. He adds that low-speed streets are available to easily get him from his home to downtown Milwaukee.

Asked about safety, Prosser said that since neighborhood electric vehicles are banned from highways with speed limits over 35 mph, they’re unlikely to be involved in high-speed crashes. They are much safer than a motorcycle, he added.    

Prosser is waiting to see how his car will operate in winter snows, but thinks the vehicles should have good traction because the weight of the batteries, engine and transmission are directly over the rear wheels of the car.

The Kandis produce much less carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions compared to a gasoline engine. The electric engine gives off no emissions as it operates. And even when the emissions from power plants that produce the electricity for recharging is considered, the electric car comes out ahead. Depending on the expert you listen to, a neighborhood electric vehicle accounts for between three and six times less pollution per mile than a standard gasoline engine vehicle.

“I see the neighborhood electric vehicle as a hedge on the high price of fuel,” Prosser said, noting that the 40-foot motor coaches he sells and rents get about 11 miles to the gallon. When $4-plus gas prices hurt his RV business, they could help him sell his electric mini-cars.

By John Hill

You can contact John Hill by e-mail at jhoythill@sbcglobal.net.