Back in the '50s, the Fiat 500 and the Piagio Vespa revolutionized motorized transport in Italy. The Tazzari Zero could be the next step, putting electric power in a stylish and affordable package available to the masses. We've been following the development of the Zero for a while now, but the Italian manufacturing concern, based near the Imola race circuit, has now released preliminary specifications on the compact city car.

The zippy little two-door measures less than three meters (113.5") long and weighs less than 1,200 lbs; the Li-Ion Fe batteries account for 312 of those lbs. The vehicles, designed for urban transportation, can go 88 miles on a full charge that takes 9 hours to complete, but a fifty-minute lunch break will yield an 80 percent charge. Performance enthusiasts looking for a 0-60 time will be disappointed: the Zero doesn't have one. Top speed is only 56 mph, and the Zero will take a hair under five seconds to reach 31. That's significantly slower than a Vespa, so highway driving will be out of the question (For long-distance travel, Italy is developing a new high-speed train network). Tazzari hopes the Zero, which goes on sale in Europe and the Caribbean later this year with a 20,000-Euro price tag, will prove a popular mode of eco-friendly and affordable transportation around the world.



[Source: Italiaspeed]