The Electric Muscle Car Lives!

Let's say you're a guy who likes to cruise the boulevard. You call yourself Buzz, you carry your smokes in your shirtsleeve, and your comb is never more than a foot away from your perma-wet, slicked back hair. You like to race and pick fights after particularly disinteresting shows at the local observatory. But, while this is all well and good, you’re tired of leaving an ever-increasing carbon footprint behind every time you play a simple game of chicken. Sure, it’s fun to drag out on a guy at a red light and leave him choking in the dust, but must Mother Nature also be forced to choke on your dust as well? The short answer is, no.

The Roanele modified Mustang 300E is one of the world's first green muscle cars. It's got 300 horsepower, 1000 lbs-ft of torque, 0-60 acceleration in under 4 seconds, and a top speed of 130 mph. Lithium-ion (or lithium-iron-phosphate) batteries designed by K2 Energy Solutions power this beast, and take only 3½ hours to recharge at 220 volts (or 8 hours at 110 volts). The 300 hp model costs $80,000, plus the cost of the base Mustang, but operating it will only cost you 2 cents a mile. Of course, not everyone has this kind of cash lying around, but engines like these are here, and getting cheaper every day. Keep an eye on Roanele.

But maybe you’re a Shelby Cobra fan, and want that classic look. HST Automotive (www.hstintl.com) has released a 300 horsepower all-electric model of their Shelby Cobra replica, also with a K2 battery-powered engine. The specs are generally the same as the Mustang 300E, but, as it’s carbon fiber frame is lighter, the Shelby can squeeze another 20mph out of the engine. This bad boy costs $125,000. Now, I know all you greasers aren’t the richest kids on the block. But take heart, nobody can make the same old claims about speed and torque that they used to. Gas is not the only game in town anymore, and as the economy shifts into the green, companies like K2, Roanele, and HST Automotive will find investment and grow. Soon, you’ll be able to endanger your life, the lives of those around you, and you’ll be able to do so without hurting the environment. Now, go comb your hair and cut out all the knife fights.

* pics and info from Dec 2007 Motor Trend www.motortrend.com/auto_news/112_news050712_electric_muscle/index.html