Whatcha Gonna Drive?
A Full-Day Show and Conference
Sponsored by
Alliance for a Post-Petroleum Local Economy
APPLE of Nevada County

November 19, 2006 at the Center for the Arts
 Posted November 22, 2006

The day was ambitious day for APPLE, with good attendance and much to be learned from the formal conference presentations.  This web page includes a few pictures shot at the outdoor show in the Center for the Arts parking lot, to give a feel for the vehicles on display in case you weren't able to make it to the show.  More information is available at the APPLE website: http://www.apple-nc.org/.  Vehicles scheduled to appear at the event include:

  • 2 Segway's
  • Amp Hog electric motorcycle
  • Ohm 3-wheel electric motorcycle
  • a variety of electric-assist bikes
  • electric scooters from ZAP and GreenEMotors
  • many human-powered bikes with trailers, tandems, fold-ups, etc
  • 2+ biodiesel vehicles
  • currently available hybrids - Prius, Camry, Highlander, Civic
  • Ford Ranger EV
  • Toyota Rav4 EV
  • Myers NMG (formerly the Corbin Sparrow)
  • Prius Plus plug-in hybrid
  • X-Cycle EV
  • Mercury Sable flex-fuel plug-in hybrid
  • ZAP Xebra, Xebra Truck, and SmartCar Passion for two
  • a biodiesel manufacturing plant
  • The J-Pod - personal transportation concept


Some of the crowd and vehicles on display

Other half of the parking lot

The Smart Car (left) and Myers NMG 3-wheeled electric vehicle (red) drew many visitors.

More activity around the Myers NMG (No More Gas)

Jim Harrold of Nevada City demonstrates
the Segway personal transporter.
The vehicle's top speed is 12 mph and
operates by simply leaning forward and back.
Price: $5000 and still looking for a popular niche market.

Betty Westman (in hat) demonstrates her Myers NMG -- street price $24,900.
It gets 30 miles per 6-hour charge and is freeway legal with its 75 mph top speed.

Trunk space is about that of a large shopping cart, just right for errands and daily commute. 

Single passenger seat and controls

Stand or sit scooter, 13 mph and $799

This two-seat electric runabout is designed with motor homes in mind.
The twin seat lifts off and the handle bar folds back and down to the chassis
so the vehicle has the height of its fenders and rolls into a motor home
in a small space.  Hand built and sells for about $5000.

A standard Honda hybrid on display.

This Prius was modified by adding a second set of
batteries in the trunk which are plug-in charged.
This makes it an all-electric vehicle with gas back-up for extended trips.
I'm dubious about the electric motor being driven beyond its design as a hybrid and
how the two sets of batteries interact as energy is recouped during deceleration.

A truly interesting car on display was this chassis of the tandem passenger, 3-wheeled X-Cycle.
It was designed to this point by Jeff Kotowski of Nevada City and has a 70 mph top speed.
He is looking for funding to commercialize the vehicle at a projected price from $10K to $12K.
 

Home