The G-WIZ from Going Green - from £8,895inc V.A.T.

There are more of these little cars on the road than any other electric vehicle.  When I was in

London they were everywhere.

G-Wiz Facts

 My review of the G-Wiz from Going Green

I was met in the city at a meeting point of my choice by a very pleasant man who does test drives for G Wiz.  I was driving the new AC model.  It was refreshing just to be able to drive the car and not be bombarded with sales spiel.  We drove all around London, I saw Buckingham Palace for the first time in a G Wiz.  The whole experience was very pleasant.  I must admit I was a bit worried about getting run off the road by petrol loving gas guzzlers but It seemed that the only people who really disliked these vehicles were the black cabs.  We drove around for about half an hour, he even took me to a recharging point so I could see how it all works.

Conclusion

It is a four seater and although I am a mere 5ft 4in I would struggle to get into the back, but it is fine for shopping bags.  It has obviously sold well as I saw then parked everywhere in London (obviously for free).

 Driving the G Wiz was great fun, the torque on the car is great, especially good for London traffic lights when you need to accelerate quickly in rush hour traffic.  The steering is easy to use and it is very quiet.  The cabin does not suffer from excess road noise which is often the case from EV's.  The breaks are spongy, but this is the case with all the EV's so it came as no surprise, you just have to concentrate on your driving and try and anticipate the traffic.  Bear in mind you never go anywhere fast so it's not like you have to break at great speed.

There is no way around it, the G Wiz is ugly.  It reminds me of Kermit the frog!  The interior wasn't bad at all, I've seen a lot worse, it was tidy and looked well finished.  I saw plenty of people laughing at it as I drove one through Knightsbridge on my test drive but that is about the worst thing I can say about it really.  This vehicle has passed its SVA as a quadra cycle and as long as you always keep in mind that this little car is not a car but is a quadra cycle and you treat it with the consideration it deserves then you won't go far wrong.

For those people wishing to purchase outside London, you will struggle, the car needs to be serviced in its first 3 months and for that reason they said it didn't make sense to sell it out side the city.

The Mega City From Nice Car - From £10,498

Mega City Facts

The MEGA City looks and drives just like a traditional car. But it costs dramatically less:
Work out the savings – no Congestion Charge, free parking (and so no parking tickets!), zero road tax.  Powered by electricity there is no need for a petrol station at all - how much is petrol these days? The Mega City is just plugged into any standard power socket. Motoring at about 1.5 pence per mile.

A traditional car produces an average of 4.5 tonnes of CO2 every year and a cocktail of other pollutants delivered straight to our doorsteps - London has some of the highest levels of air pollution in the UK.  More people die as a direct result of traffic air pollution than of traffic accidents. The electric MEGA City produces no emissions and its electric drive is the most efficient of any technology currently available.

The MEGA City is currently being retailed in London with a view to it being available in cities throughout the UK shortly. The MEGA City is available exclusively from the NICE Car Company.

My review of the Mega City from Nice Car

I went to office their offices on Ladbroke Grove in London, although there was nothing wrong with the offices they were in an awful area and this did not give the impression of a successful business.  We drove around this dodgy part of London for about 20mins and I got a good feel for the car.  You can also book a test drive in the city centre, I would recommend this.

Side view of the Mega City Nice Car

Conclusion

Again this vehicle has passed its SVA as a quadra cycle so I would not be putting my children into it, but for whizzing round London it would be fine.  This vehicle actually looks like a car, I experienced none of the sniggering from passers-by that I got from the G Wiz.

Picture of the boot space in the 2 seater electric Nice Car

It comes in two options: the two seater with large boot space and the 4 seater with rear bench seats.  The rear seats don't offer much space but a small adult would fit without too much trouble.  The inside looks ok, the appearance is a little tack, more attention needs to be paid to the standard of the interior, the exterior however is great!  It is available in lots of funky colours and some of them like the orange have a pearl finish to them. 

The front view of an orange Nice Car

The torque was good I felt like I could pick up enough speed to navigate the city traffic.  I expected the breaks being disk at the front and drum at the back to be better than the others but I was very disappointed that they were just as bad.  Apart from that, the steering was fine

and generally I thought it was a nice looking little car. 

The charging socket of a Mega City

Nice Car

The Mega City Nice Car has an industrial 3 pin plug.  With a suitable charging cable it is perfect for simple charging.  If your looking for an EV that blends into the background of London traffic then the Mega City Nice Car is definitely the one for you!

The Maranello4 From Sakura - From £9,950

Maranello4 Facts

Compared with other electric cars of its class available in the UK, the Maranello4 gives you much more. More range, more storage space, more room for the driver and passenger, more headroom and more style.

Plus a host of extra features as standard. All round independent suspension, disc brakes all round, tinted windows, stainless steel chassis, internally adjustable wing mirrors, proper wind up windows, high back seats with built in headrest and fully sealed maintenance free batteries, no need to remember to top up the batteries with water every couple of weeks.

If you are going to buy an electric car why settle for second best when you can buy the Maranello4.

My Review Of The Maranello4 From Sakura

This has got to be the worst car I have ever driven in my life and believe me I have driven a lot!!!

View of the Maranello4 from Sakura

I caught a taxi to an industrial estate in Park Royal, not a good start!

This car looks like it has been stuck together, the interior is the worst thing I've ever seen, as for the exterior, the bonnet came off in my hand when I lifted it, need I say more.  It was rickety and a nightmare to drive.

                   Inside door of the Maranello                                                 Dash board of the Maranello

I wouldn't feel safe driving this car in a padded room let alone on British roads.

       The electrics under the bonnet of the vehicle                             The charging socket for the Maranello4

It looks nothing like the flash looking vehicle I had seen on their web site.

           Wheel arch showing the roll cage                         Boot space for the Maranello4 showing the roll cage

If you own a Maranello4 and disagree with my review please email me, I would be very interested to here your thoughts.

The Smart ED fortwo From Smart Car

Smart ED (Electric Drive) fortwo Facts

Powered solely by electricity, and chargeable from any three-pin socket the smart ed can achieve the equivalent of 300 mpg – that amounts to a saving of up to 80% in fuel costs over the already highly economical smart for two. The ed can travel up to 72 miles between charges and does up to 60mph, which typically take around 8 hours for a full charge – ideal for charging at work between your morning and evening commutes. If your journey takes you into the capital, you will find free electricity provided by some London boroughs, as well as free or discounted parking. With a top-up charge during the day, the smart ed’s daily range weighs in at 100 miles.
 

My Review Smart EV From Smart Car

I would love to provide you with a review for the new Smart EV but unfortunately they are only available to large corporates on a lease basis.  As soon as I get behind the wheel of one I'll let you know.

Th!nk

Th!nk Facts

There really are very few facts available, the web site looks good but contains very little information.

Th!nk Review

Again I could not get a test drive with this vehicle, they didn't even return my call!!!