When I first arrived at Cayman Automotive to test drive the Wheego LiFe electric car showcased there, I really had no idea what to expect, and my knowledge was limited to a few general things that most people know about electric cars: They don’t pollute the atmosphere, have zero or low emissions, gas is not required, and they are quiet.
A few co-workers and friends told me that electric cars are so silent that you have to be extra vigilant when driving past pedestrians or cyclists at low speeds because they can’t hear the car. It prompted me to Google this particular issue before heading over for my test drive, and the first thing that popped up on my screen was the recent news of the European Commission’s plans to make manufacturers install Acoustic Vehicle Alerting Systems on all new electric cars – in other words, an artificial “vroom.”
Compact and zippy
After meeting with the sales agent, I was shown the compact two-door, two-seater silver car with rear cargo space. The word “cute” comes to mind; it’s only 118.5 inches long and 63.19 inches wide, with its 115-volt 36-cell lithium battery pack neatly tucked into the bottom of the car. I was given a brief tutorial on how to drive it, including how to charge it via the portable Level 1 charger which rests in the trunk. The charger looks like a cross between a hair dryer and a vacuum and works by simply clicking the base into the side of the car and then plugging it into any conventional outlet (convenient if you want to charge overnight at home).
The car was powered up to 100 percent already, and I was told that a one-hour charge would give me approximately 20 miles, while a four-hour charge would get the car to 100 percent (or approximately 100 miles of driving), but that I probably wouldn’t need to worry about it as long as I didn’t go below 30 percent.
With a maximum speed of 65 mph, the car was ready for my road trip. I decided to zip around town first, then head to the East End and stop in for a bite to eat somewhere before heading back. I wished I had remembered to make a CD of classic road trip songs (or to bring my iPod, which can be plugged in via USB). But, alas, this was not a road trip, but a serious test drive.
Once the car was safely outside – it’s so compact it was easily driven through the showroom’s double-doors – I was free to drive away. But excitement soon turned to trepidation when I turned the key. I was told not to put my foot on the accelerator, but to hold it down on the brake and then turn the key and let go. I stared at the digital dashboard display, waiting for the “engine” to start, but there is no noise. It felt eerily quiet, and I instinctively wanted to put my foot on the accelerator to rev it up. I was warned not to do that, though. After starting the car a few more times, I felt a bit more confident to take the car for a spin around the Hurley’s parking lot before venturing out.
A humming vroom
I set off for George Town first and a sudden wave of empowerment swept over me. I was doing my part to battle Cayman’s green initiatives! I fiddled with the radio to get it working and just then the Proclaimers’ hit song from the late ‘80s, “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles),” came on. I wouldn’t walk 500 miles in this Cayman heat for anyone, but driving an electric car was great. The AC only mildly worked for some reason, so I decided to put the power-windows down and let the tropical wind brush up against my skin. The drive was smooth, the pick-up was very quick for a 60-horsepower car, and the brakes were tight but not sticky, thanks to the regenerative breaking system. When the car accelerated, there was a very obvious vroom – not a Porsche-style vroom, of course, but a soft, humming vroom that made people take notice that I was coming up from behind them. Perhaps they were just admiring the car’s sleek compact exterior or laughing at my toothy grin and bopping head.
Navigating the roundabouts was easy because I was able to duck in and out quickly. It was either that or the SUV drivers were a bit more accommodating than normal after seeing how easily they could crush me if they wanted to.
I drove through Camana Bay to check out the charging station – one of a handful of Level II chargers currently on island. Luckily, my battery did not need a charge, but it would be an ideal place to charge your car simply because it’s a great excuse to enjoy a long, leisurely lunch, browse the stores and maybe even take in a matinee. I headed over to my bank on West Bay Road to take out some money and drove over a speed bump, which sent me flying up in the air; another speed bump shortly after had the same result. I have driven golf carts with more shock absorbency, let’s just put it that way. Parking was very easy, though, as I backed into a spot.
Once I got back in the car and headed toward East End, I noticed on the in-dash eco meter that the power was reduced to 91 percent. Not bad for less than an hour of driving around in medium-flow traffic. Feeling more confident, I decided to venture onto the East-West Arterial road, but I was only able to get to 30 miles per hour due to a slew of Sunday drivers.
Once I got to Countryside Shopping Plaza, I hung a left onto Shamrock Road, past Northward, then Bodden Town. I took in my surroundings – the beautiful blue sea and bright clear sky, the bougainvilleas in bloom everywhere, the waves hitting the reef with gusto – and then I glanced at myself in the mirror and saw a fright of wild hair. Driving with windows down in the Cayman heat is not for the faint-hearted, but I was happy.
I like this car. It has zip and it’s incredibly roomy inside despite its small appearance, but I knew what would make me happier – testing its speed limit by putting the pedal to the metal.
Unfortunately, the traffic was quite steady for a midweek early afternoon. It was not until I passed Frank Sound Road that the cars ahead of me started to spread out and then became nonexistent. I decided to push it to 50 mph, which may not seem like a lot to city-folk, but here it felt like 150 mph when highway driving is not part of your everyday commute. Before I knew it, I was at 50 mph and felt like I was flying. Naturally, I decided to push the limits a little further and decided to go for 65 mph, but as soon as I attempted to do so, I felt the car shake and I almost lost control. It was comforting to know that this particular model is crash-test certified and has a safety cage that protects occupants.
John Felder, owner of Cayman Automotive, told me it is the same technology used in race cars, but I did not feel like pushing my luck today. A little farther along I spotted Captain Herman East Side Fish Fry, a perfect place to stop, have a rest, and take in the view. After a while, I looked at the dashboard and saw that I was already down to 54 percent in power, so I decided to head back to the dealer.
Duty reduction
All in all, it was a great test drive; this particular model was made in 2011 and four others have already been sold here, but I am told that the improved 2013s are are coming to the island soon.
I’m not completely sure I’m a convert to electric cars just yet, but I could be in a few more years. I would need a family car, for starters, and would have to crunch the numbers to determine the savings each month compared to fuel costs. With the recent duty reduction to 10 percent for all electric car imports, and the fact that Cayman Automotive throws in free portable Level II chargers with any new purchase (retails for anywhere between US$500 and US$1,000), these are great incentives for those in the market for a new electric car, making their higher prices easier to swallow (the Wheego LiFe retails for approximately US$34,995).
For more information or if you would like to test drive the Wheego LiFe, call Cayman Automotive at 749-
0900, or visit their showroom at Grand Harbour.
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