Hollywood is probably the last place that you expect to go green. It talks a good game, but there is something about Botox, breast implants and reality TV that doesn’t say “eco-friendly.”
Cruise Car, which bills itself as the only company mass producing solar-electric cars, hopes to change that perception of Tinseltown with some help from Universal Studios, which will convert its entire fleet of 300 fossil-fuel burning, carbon-spewing vehicles to EVs.
“We’re extremely honored to have a partner like NBC Universal Studios work with us to help make our environment a sustainable place to live,” company president Ken Chester says in a statement (.pdf) that reads like a Hollywood script. “And we commend Universal for being leaders in the entertainment industry by converting to alternative energy transportation.”
The Florida firm offers an impressive 50 models in its lineup, something it claims makes it one of the world's leading EV manufacturers. They vehicles are limited to 35 mph and the company says they can be made street-legal in most states. The eco-friendlier rides are used by the likes of the Pentagon and the University of Mississippi, and Universal has signed up for a fleet of the company's 14-seat Kudo transporters.
Cruise Car claims its rides are good for 40 to 60 miles per charge and says the photovoltaic panel, which produces up to 180 watts at 60 volts, can boost that by one-third on a sunny day.
“The vehicles are perfect for the stop-and-go driving of places like Universal Studios,” said Adam Sulimirski, Cruise Car director of sales. “Generally speaking most people driving around such places don’t travel more than 5 miles a day. So, there is no reason for them to have to charge the vehicle.”
This is hard to believe but Sulimirski assures us that even in more difficult driving conditions Cruise Cars, which cost an average of $7,000, can go three days between charges. Cruise Car hopes to one day offer customers solar charging stations, and it is working on deals with resorts to adopt solar electric fleets.
Photos / Cruise Car.
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