Electric Car

V(olt)-& Living With An Electric Car

If owning a foreign car in Detroit is a hanging offense, then owning an electric car would at least call for cruel and unusual punishment.

But Michael Corrigan of Troy loves his 1999 Solectria Force, one of only 400 made, and probably one of only a handful of electric cars in Michigan. Corrigan, 18, says that life with an electric car is pretty much like life with any other car — just less expensive.

“For everyday use it’s really practical. You don’t need oil changes or engine tune ups — it’s pretty much maintenance free. You just have to plug it in at night and you never have to go to the gas station. It’s better in a crash because it’s heavier than a regular car, too,” Corrigan said. “You just have to plan ahead a little. Sometimes when we go to the car wash, they put the keys in the ignition and can’t figure out how to start it, but that’s about it.”

The car was created by a group of MIT grads, taking a Geo Metro body and putting in an electric engine. The limited edition ride cost about $30,000, but if it were mass-produced, Corrigan estimates it would cost only about $12,000. It’s able to go up to 45 miles on a full battery, with a battery taking under three hours to charge. The Force can reach up to 70 MPH on the highway. With school only a mile away and work only three, he doesn’t get concerned about the car running out of battery.

That’s not to say Corrigan never worries in the car. “You don’t really know how much the battery will hold,” Corrigan explained, “so you get nervous sometimes — but I’ve never had it run out. Once I had to pull over and let it sit for a little, but it was okay.”

Although the electric car is an oddity in Michigan, the reviews have been unusually encouraging. “Most people are pretty positive; they just wonder how it works,” Corrigan said. “When I drive with people and we start going forward, they wonder when we’re going to turn on the engine because it’s so quiet. They usually aren’t negative, they never say, ‘You’re stupid for driving this car! What are you doing saving the environment?’”