Tazzari Zero Roadster in the Works

Italian electric vehicle manufacturer Tazzari is said to be considering a Roadster version for their Zero NEV (neighborhood electric vehicle), planned for roll out sometime in 2012. Of course, information about the project are at the moment limited, but we can say, without risks, that apart from a chopped off roof, there will be no major differences between the current version and the Roadster.

Currently, the Zero uses a lithium ion battery which gives it a range of 88 miles (141 km) on one charge. The car has a maximum speed of 56 mph (90 km/hour), limited however to 25-45 mph (40-72 km/hour) due to speed limitations imposed on NEVs in some parts of the world.

The batteries have an estimated life of 50,000 miles (80,000 km) and can be recharged in 9 hours from a 110-volt socket, 6.5 hours from a 220-volt one or in 50 minutes (at 80 percent of the full charge) with optional Super-fast battery charger.

Zero comes equipped with heating, air conditioning, stereo radio with MP3 and CD player, 15 inch custom colored wheels, performance disc brakes and is available in 12 colors. In the future, Tazzari plans to add a touchscreen and even LED lights to the car, perhaps to soften a bit the steep price they ask for the car.

The Italians charge EUR18,000 for the Zero, a price tag which may cause problems for the manufacturer. Renault, for instance, plans to release a small electric car next year, which they call Zoe, and which they will price at EUR15,000. That's a full electric vehicle, not a neighborhood electric vehicle.