ELECTRIC cars are on the way in to Australia and around the world.

Interestingly, there is an association in Australia called the Australian Electric Vehicle Association.

The association says on its website that most of its members have or are interested in buying or converting petrol powered cars to high efficiency, zero emission electric cars.

For $130,000 you can go on a long waiting list, for a 200kmph imported car, that can accelerate from 0-100km in less than 5 seconds and travel more than 300km for less $10 . 00 of electricity.

Or, at the lower end of the scale, for approximately $15,000 you can convert a petrol powered car to an electric car that can accelerate from 0-100kmph in less than 10 seconds and travel more than 50km daily for less than $2 of electricity.

Electric cars have been around since 1837 but it hasn’t been taken too seriously until recently.

In LA, where smog is a problem, it has forced the world’s major car makers to switch to an electric option.

Electric cars produce no exhaust gases and can greatly help the noise levels of our cities. More importantly for the green fans, they use 50 to 60 per cent less energy than conventional cars.

Vehicle importer Ateco Automotive told brisbanetimes.com.au that it plans to have an electric car on sale in Australia by 2011.

The Chinese electric car looks set to go on sale in Australia by next year, likely to join Mitsubishi and Nissan in the race for emissions free motoring.

The Australian importer of Chinese brands Great Wall Motors and Chery, Ateco, says it expects to be selling an electric car here by 2011.

“I think we’ll have an electric car in 011 – I can’t comment any further,” says Ateco governing director Neville Crichton to the Brisbane Times.
“I’ll be surprised if the Chinese makers don’t come out with an electric car in a very short period of time.”