G'bye gas: they soon may zip by you as you sit in your sport-utility vehicle stuck in a traffic jam. And battery-run cars will make parking easy, too

0 Comments | Insight on the News, Nov 12, 2001 | by Gabriella Boston

The Sparrow, manufactured by Corbin Motors in Hollister, Calif., is ideal for crammed downtowns. Designed for the lone commuter -- it has only one seat -- four of them can squeeze into one parking spot. "This vehicle makes sense for city use," says Devin Battley, owner of Battley Cycles in Gaithersburg, Md. "They're actually fun to drive, and I think that it has a great potential for catching on."

Nationwide, about 40 dealerships sell the 8-foot-long, 4-foot-wide $14,900 cars, of which Corbin Motors has produced 350. Battley's own Sparrow, lime green with purple polka dots, sits on the dealership property and hogs attention from his macho Harley-Davidson motorcycles.

While the Sparrow is different from any other vehicle, it bears a slight resemblance to the Volkswagen Beetle with its curves and rounded windshield. But that's where the similarities end. The Beetle may get good gas mileage, but the Sparrow needs no gas at all. Unlike hybrid cars, the Sparrow uses electricity alone to turn its wheels. Under its bulbous hood sit 13 12-volt batteries that can be charged using a 110-volt or 220-volt outlet.

While sporting plenty of good qualities, such as fitting in small spaces and not requiring gas, the Sparrow has its limitations. It can go as fast as 70 mph, but can sustain that speed for only 40 miles, at which time the batteries need recharging. Also, because the vehicle still is in its infancy -- it's been in production for two years -- the manufacturer constantly is improving parts and mechanics. "We're still refining it," says Tom Corbin, president and chief executive officer of Corbin Motors. "We've just had to spend time perfecting it."

Battley's polka-dot Sparrow, for example, has very squeaky brakes, but Corbin says that problem has been corrected in the vehicles most recently made. All cars are handmade, including the chassis, composed of layers of neon-colored Fiberglass. Corbin hopes to automate part of the production next year.

While large car companies, such as General Motors and Ford, have struggled in their manufacturing of all-electric cars, Corbin feels confident that the Sparrow will succeed because the concept is so different. When larger companies have attempted to build an electric car, they have modeled it after existing cars, asking that the electric car be as good, big and fast as its gas-driven counterpart. But that isn't possible, Corbin says. He and his engineers targeted different goals when they began planning the Sparrow about six years ago.

"In cities, you face traffic congestion and parking issues," Corbin says. "So it doesn't make sense to take a six- or eight-person vehicle to move around a 200-pound person, right? And most people commute alone."

Accommodating only one person also allows the car to be small enough to fit into tiny parking spaces. "You can back into the curb," says Corbin. "It's not like a regular car, where you always find a place that's not quite large enough."

Corbin places the car in the "auxiliary" vehicle quota. Just as consumers bought 200,000 Jet Skis, 700,000 all-terrain vehicles and 500,000 dirt bikes last year, he believes he can make a dent in that market for specialized vehicles. In fact, the federal government has classified the Sparrow as a motorcycle.

Some question the safety aspects of driving a 1,300-pound vehicle made of Fiberglass alongside tractor trailers on the expressway. But Battley says the Sparrow is quick and easy to maneuver. "You avoid accidents instead of being protected," Battley says. "You wouldn't want to be clobbered by a truck on a motorcycle, either."

Corbin Motors will continue to work to improve the vehicle's mechanics. "We buy vehicles to make ourselves feel good" says Corbin. "When you buy one of our vehicles you're a celebrity." Marshall Bonnie, a dentist in Norfolk, Va., agrees. "It really attracts a crowd" he says. "I can't even go to the grocery store for a banana without people wanting to look at it." He has some complaints, such as poor radio reception, but overall Bonnie is very happy with his purchase.

"I drive past the gas station, which is great," Bonnie says. "The only time I went to a gas station was to clean my windshield."

Sparrow Statistics and Facts

The Sparrow is'4 feet wide, 8 feet long and 60 inches tall. It weighs about 1,350 pounds.

About 44 percent of the vehicle's weight is composed of 13 12-volt batteries. Battery life span is two to four years.

It takes six to eight hours to fully charge the battery with a 110-volt outlet, two to three hours with a 220-volt outlet. A full charge lasts about 40 miles at a speed of 70 mph.

The Sparrow accelerates from 0-60 mph in 15 seconds. The continuous power of the engine is 25 horsepower. It peaks at 40 horsepower.

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration identifies the Sparrow as a motorcycle, but some states may have individual rules governing what type of license the vehicle requires.

The Sparrow comes with a two-year warranty.

Source: Corbin Motors Manufacturer of the Sparrow