Zoomi Life

This little car has been buzzing around the ‘Net for a few days now, after it’s debut in the U.S. at the New York Auto Show earlier in April.  It’s made by GEM, who is owned by Chrysler, and is, in function, about what you expect from a neighborhood electric.

What it’s got that others don’t is styling. Note the lack of adjectives there.  That’s because there’s a hugely mixed reaction to this car from those who see it.  It’s one of those things that has no neutral either: people either love it or they hate it.

My first impression was that I thought it was the dumbest-looking car I’ve seen in quite a while. Remember the Hello Kitty mobile I posted a couple of months ago?  At least this one’s not THAT dumb… but it’s getting close.  Or it was.

I have a confession: this goofy little car is growing on me. Mainly because I’ve since found out the source for the design inspiration behind the Peapod’s style: Buzz Aldrin’s helmet and Darth Vader. Apparently, the Peapod is what you get when retro-science geek designers sit down to draw a car.  Cool.

Now, imagining myself sitting in one and retaining my knees and lower back?  That’s a little different.

OK, now let’s look at the specs on this little Pod.  It’s an NEV, so it’s got what those cars imply: low speed and short range.  It’s capped at 25mph and has a 30 mile range per charge.  It takes about 6-8 hours to charge to full at 110v.

Some other neat little features include the interior light that can be pulled off the dome and used as a flashlight, and an iPod dock included in the very sparse and uncluttered instrument panel.

The price point for this car in the U.S. is expected to be around $12,000 and pre-sales begin on Earth Day. Deliveries will begin at the end of summer, so it’s not far off.

Other design plans include the Utilitypod (a “truck”), the Twinpod (a 2-seater), and some possible color choices other than just white.

Interesting little NEV, for sure.  Follow the source link below for lots more pics.

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