G-Wiz

City Cars - Electric Cars

G-Wiz
 
Model/Engine size: i
Fuel: Electric
Fuel economy combined: Up to 600 mpg equivalent



Ultimately, an electric car should be one of the most environmentally-friendly cars as there are no tailpipe emissions of CO2. Despite all sorts of promises about a range of electric cars coming to market, and despite that many people simply just do not like the G-Wiz, the fact is that there are more G-Wiz’s in use in the UK than any other electric car.

There is now just one type of G-Wiz, the G-Wiz i. Along with previous versions of the G-Wiz, the ‘original’ DC drive and the AC drive, the G-Wiz i is very small and its styling just doesn’t look as cool and trendy as a Smart car or a Toyota Aygo, although it has gained somewhat of a cult status in certain quarters.

The G-Wiz i is capable of 50 mph and seeks to address some of the shortcomings of the previous two models. The G-Wiz i adds front disc brakes which deliver a much needed 30% improvement in performance, an improved cabin layout with a curved windscreen and a hill hold function. The best news is that a safety package has been developed with Lotus Engineering to help in front and side accidents, although don’t expect it to compete with mainstream cars yet. The G-Wiz i also gets a collapsible steering column which has been standard fit in cars for over 40 years!

It has been claimed to be the greenest car available but that is strictly only true if it is recharged from renewable energy sources. It’s also claimed that the full purchase, running and maintenance cost of a G-Wiz can easily be recovered in under 12 months.

Made in India from plastics, the G-Wiz has become the world’s best selling electric car, with around 1,000 in London alone, where it’s becoming a common sight. It’s got four seats, although the rear ones are suitable only for children.

What’s it like to live with? Well firstly you have to plug it into the mains to recharge the battery. That means you really need to have a drive or some form of secure off street parking facility to recharge the car overnight, which costs about 30p, depending on your electricity tariff. The maximum range of 50 miles is dependent upon the time of year (the batteries don’t last as long in winter), whether you use the heater (which reduces the already low range by a further 10 miles) and whether you drive in the “economy” or “full-power” mode in the automatic gearbox.

Car details

Fuel economy extra urban: N/A
Fuel economy urban: N/A
CO2 emissions: Very low/potentially zero*
Green rating: VED band A - £0 a year
Weight: 665 Kg
Company car tax liability (2008/09): 9%
Price: £9,839
Insurance group: 1
Safety: NCAP N/A
Max speed: 50mph
0-25mph: 7.1 seconds, 0-30mph: 10.4 seconds