The Santa Clara Valley Water District wants to clear the air in Santa Clara County. Toward that end, the district's board of directors has asked the Bay Area Air Quality Management District for funds to buy an electric car by spring.
If the car proves to be a reliable addition to the district's fleet, the agency will buy electric vehicles to replace gasoline-powered cars when they are retired from duty.
If approved by air district, the funding will purchase Citi--a two-seat sedan built by CALSTART, a nonprofit consortium. The car is about 9 feet long and 5 feet wide, has an aluminum frame and a plastic body that resists denting.
The car, which meets federal motor vehicle safety standards, can reach a top speed of 70 miles per hour and can travel 70 miles between battery recharges.
Once in service, the Citi car is expected to cost less to maintain than the district's other vehicles.
When CALSTART moves into mass production, the Citi is expected to sell for less than $10,000.
This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, September 18, 1996.
©1996 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.