Meet the Zecar: British electric car runs for 2p a mile

By Ben Farmer
Last Updated: 12:01am BST 15/07/2008

A British designed and built electric car which its makers claim costs under 2p a mile to run will be launched later this summer.
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The £15,000 Zecar has seating for five adults and can be charged from any standard electric socket, but will only reach 56mph.

The first Zevan, a van version of the car, was sold earlier this week and by next year Stevens Vehicles hopes to be selling 500 Zecars a year. As the vehicle gives off no greenhouse gases or pollutants, the makers say it is not only environmentally friendly, but cheap.
At a time when the cost of driving is rising sharply because of growing fuel costs, congestion charges and taxation, the firm estimates Zecar drivers could save £7,000 in two years. The Zecar and Zevan, which has a square side load bay large enough to take standard pallets, were designed and developed by Professor Tony Stevens.
His son Peter, a former city banker, set up Stevens Vehicles Ltd in Port Talbot, South Wales, to manufacture the vehicles for the UK market. They are currently able to produce one vehicle a day with the ability to scale up to 1,000 models a year.
The company was supported by the Welsh Assembly Government to set up production in Wales.
Ieuan Wyn Jones, the Welsh Assembly Government Minister for the Economy and Transport, said: "The Assembly Government has been actively supporting the automotive sector in the development of niche vehicles and alternative fuels and supply chains.
"The zero emissions from these new vehicles support the Assembly Government's clean energy policy and we welcome the investment by innovative businesses like Stevens Vehicles." Peter Stevens said the design and development work was carried out by his father from a workshop in Kent and their dream was to go into production and manufacturing.
"I chose Wales as the base for production and manufacture because of the help, support and enthusiasm we found here and are now taking that dream forward," he said.
"It is very hard to set up a car manufacturing plant – it's not just the question of raising the finance, it's about getting the right support and the Assembly Government has been hugely helpful."