New Electric Vehicle Launched in NY; GEM Comes to the Empire State

NEW YORK, Oct. 30, 2002; New Yorkers have a new, clean and efficient way to get around their neighborhoods and the state with the introduction of Global Electric Motorcars, LLC Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (NEVs).

The two- and four-passenger GEMs can be registered in New York State for operation on private property and public roads with speed limits up to 35 miles per hour. The five-horsepower GEMs, a federally approved low-speed vehicle (LSV), have a top speed, on road, of 25 miles per hour.

According to GEM President Ken Montler, GEMs are ideal alternatives to a full-size automobile for short trips, as well on corporate, academic and military campuses, especially ones with both public and private roads between buildings.

"The GEM was designed to operate in cities like Albany, Syracuse and Buffalo, as well as on college campuses and in state parks and recreation areas," said Montler. "They offer a great alternative to gasoline-powered vehicles, with lower maintenance costs, greater efficiency, no emissions and the ability to operate on tight, campus "roads," winding park turf paths and even inside buildings (where gasoline-powered vehicles cannot travel)."

Smaller than a "normal" automobile, yet meeting safety requirements set by both the National Highway Safety Administration and New York with equipment like three-point seat belts, safety-glass windshield, wipers, headlights, turn signals, and mirrors, GEMs can maneuver into places cars cannot, yet still carry up to four people and their cargo.

Recharging a GEM can be done at any standard 110-Volt outlet, which means the 35-mile (approximate) range can be extended simply by plugging into an outlet each time the vehicle reaches a destination. "And GEM users generally travel less than 10 miles a day, so recharging is not an issue," said Montler.

New York becomes the 38th state to legalize on-road use of the GEMs, which began production four years ago in Fargo, ND. DaimlerChrysler, in December 2000, purchased Global Electric Motorcars, the largest United States producer of street-legal electric vehicles.

GEMs sold in New York come with unique standard equipment including an integrated heater/defroster, rear license-plate light, reverse light, side-markers, center-high-mounted stop light, day/night rearview mirror and front-seat three-point seat belts.

Further information is available at htpp://www.gemcar.com .