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Commuter gives up speed, style to beat high fuel prices
Comment: Would you buy an electric car?
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Photos: Take a look at an electric car
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Sunday, July 20, 2008
Dave Secor, an environmental specialist for the Ohio EPA, shows off his Global Electric Motor, or GEM, car. Secor's 4-seater costs a half-cent per mile to operate and 11 cents to charge. DAYTON — The way Dave Secor sees it, he's driving into the nation's future — at 25 mph.
That's the top speed for Secor's four-seat electric GEM car, which Secor uses for the 10-mile commute from his Huber Heights home to his Oregon District office.
Go ahead and laugh. Secor says many people do when they spot him tooling down side streets in his "glorified golf cart." But Secor may have the last laugh — it costs him just 11 cents to recharge for his daily commute.
"It's not for everyone," Secor said. "But it could make a big difference in someone's family budget" with gasoline now about $4 a gallon.
The GEM is classified as a low-speed vehicle and is not permitted on roads with greater than a 35-mph speed limit. It has a range of 25 to 30 miles before recharging.
In recent months, a half-dozen car manufacturers have announced plans to enter the all-electric car market, including Nissan and BMW. But the GEM (Global Electric Motorcar), manufactured by Chrysler Corp., has been available for a decade.
The GEM comes in two-, four- and six-seat passenger versions as well as a utility truck, with prices ranging from $8,000 to $20,000.
"We really have to get away from our dependence on foreign oil," Secor says.
Comments
By Mary Secor
October 3, 2008 12:04 PM | Link to this
The cost of charging this car is only 11 CENTS a day! I love this little car. I admit, at first site, it looks a little goofy and almost like a space car of some sort. But this car (that my family likes to call Buddy) has saved us so much money and is a pleasure to drive. It has a radio, huge windows for those late night drive thrus, and the doors open so wide that even my grandma (over 80 years old) can get in without any trouble.
By karon
July 21, 2008 8:31 PM | Link to this
Raeleen , your wish for the trains will come true!
By raeleen
July 21, 2008 3:59 PM | Link to this
the little car is nice but not practical in all areas. its fine if you live close to your job (within 10-15 miles) but if the only way to get to work is to take the highway i would rather take the METRO train (not the bus) i live in cincinnati and but i am from dayton and still have family that live there, it would be much easier if there was a train system that went through the tri-state. cincinnati, dayton and maybe even columbus. just my thoughts
By me
July 21, 2008 3:06 PM | Link to this
I’ve seen this gentleman tooling around town in this thing. He keeps up with traffic just fine on Troy and Brandt Pikes. I’m quite happy for him if it meets his needs. If you’re looking for a point in all this, I imagine mine would be he’s taken a step that most haven’t had the guts even consider.
By karon
July 21, 2008 2:07 PM | Link to this
Why only cars for travel? United States is third world when it comes to transportation. These new type of car designs are only for local driving , Not highway driving. Give me a fast train anyday!
By Dave
July 21, 2008 1:39 PM | Link to this
I would drive an electric car, although not this one. There have already been much more practical electric cars on the market, but they were crushed due to pressure from the big oil companies? See http://www.whokilledtheelectriccar.com/ I expect to see this technology make a comeback quickly and I will be on a waiting list to acquire one.
By Karon's Doctor
July 21, 2008 1:36 PM | Link to this
Sorry Everyone, Karon is off her meds again :-)
By bux_k_a
July 21, 2008 1:32 PM | Link to this
Nine years to build? And like everyone else is saying unless there are electric cabs to take you to your final destination you STILL need expensive gasoline to get you there. I guess by the time this thing is approved and built we may already have many electric or alternate fuel vehicles on the road and the whole plan is pointless.
By karon
July 21, 2008 1:13 PM | Link to this
Ohiohub.com
By Goodgrief!
July 21, 2008 12:55 PM | Link to this
Dear Karon: I said (or meant to say) you even comment in articles that have absolutely NOTHING to do with travel just to get your two cents worth in. I was not implying this article had NOTHING to do with travel. Good grief lady, this is Dayton Ohio! We’re not living in NYC, Chicago, Europe, or somewhere on the west coast! It’s NOT going to happen! You must really really really have a personal stake in OHIOHUB (which, by the way, fails every time I try to check it out!)
By karon
July 21, 2008 12:27 PM | Link to this
Mass transit has nothing to do with travel???? Most people in Dayton and the suburbs have no idea what an mass transit system can do. It will bring back the cities and create thousands of new jobs for the southwest region of Ohio! These trains are coming , this is 21st century travel. OHIOHUB
By Goodgrief!
July 21, 2008 12:13 PM | Link to this
Karon just likes to read her name on comments boards. Really, she’ll make comments about mass transit rails in columns that have absolutely nothing to do with traveling. Either that or she is getting some kind of kickback for being so repeatative. It’s getting old - really old.
And yes, I’d like one of those (for fun only) to bop around town. Couldn’t drive it to work, but it would be fun to just run to the store, etc.
By David
July 21, 2008 11:06 AM | Link to this
Absolutely!
www.gm-volt.com is my next car!
By Shirley
July 21, 2008 10:18 AM | Link to this
Yes.
By Katmandu
July 21, 2008 10:06 AM | Link to this
Karon,
Have you performed a Feasibility Study on the need for High Speed Rain in the Dayton Metro area ? If so, please publish your results for all to review.
Have you done a FULL Cost Analysis study as well ??
Post your results.
Otherwise, you’re just dreaming and talking out your pie hole.
By What
July 21, 2008 9:39 AM | Link to this
No high speed rail for Dayton. It would be the biggest waste of money EVER! People don’t ride the busses here, they are not going to ride a train!
By the Strawboss
July 21, 2008 8:21 AM | Link to this
At 25mph, I can only legally drive up and down my street. As soon as I turn the corner, I’d be creating a traffic jam. And at 6 deep, it’s definitely not cruising at 25 mph.
By Bill Pout
July 21, 2008 8:09 AM | Link to this
I’d drive one if Richard Florida gave me permission.
By Papa Ubu
July 21, 2008 8:00 AM | Link to this
Yes! I would drive it past all the never-open art galleries in the SnoreAgain District. Then I’d go to the Inanery District; the art gallery over there has regular hours and regular-looking art.
By Dave
July 21, 2008 7:46 AM | Link to this
Karon, I’d like high-speed passenger rail, too. But remember, it only is useful if the railroad goes where you need to go, and you still need to get to the train station. And unless the train station on the other end is right by your destination, you will need a bus or taxi on that end, too.
By Ben
July 21, 2008 12:05 AM | Link to this
I can buy a golf cart for $800 and add some headlights and a horn and save a lot more money that this guy. Does it have a heater in the winter time? How long does the charge last if you’re running headlights and windshield wipers?
By karon
July 20, 2008 11:47 PM | Link to this
GIve me a high speed passenger rail train anyday!
By SwissMiss
July 20, 2008 11:46 PM | Link to this
I really and very seriously want one of these. I am so impressed to see an electric car that can hold up to 6 people, because I’ve always wondered how the tiny European/Japanese ones can be practical for families. I’d rather pay the itty-bitty amount ($0.11 ??!!) to recharge daily, adding up to $3.30/month tacked onto my electric bill, than something like $120/month for gas.
By gb
July 20, 2008 8:51 PM | Link to this
One thing to remember is that electricity is not produced by magic. There is a cost assocaited with charging the car.