Zenn EEStor Battery

Another EV startup company with an energizing alias and electrifying promises but not much more has announced that it is discontinuing production on its EV, the Zenn, as well as their concept cityZenn. The Zenn NEV, originally a two person battery-powered electric vehicle customized by Zenn Motors, the Zenn was known as an NEV, a Neighborhood Electric Vehicle, designed for short distance, city driving.

Zenn Motors

It had a top speed of about 25 mph, or 40 mph with the speed governor removed, and a per-charge range of around 40 miles, or slightly more with the addition of a "Discovery Pack."

Patterned after Europe's Microcar MC2, a diesel car produced in France, the Zenn essentially started with the shell of a Microcar stripped of its drivetrain and engine.(Glider Model) At the Zenn plant, an electric motor, a battery pack, and a few other parts were installed in the Microcar shell to make it a Zenn – Zero Emission, No Noise – EV. Despite the company's presumably good intentions, some are now calling it the Zero Electric, Never, Never.

In numerous and typical electrifying press releases, Zenn Motors repeatedly claimed that they would produce a long distance EV by 2010. The cityZenn would have a 250 mile range and an 80 mph top speed and would be completely emission-free as well as highway compliant. The suggested retail price would be around $25,000 and cost a tenth of a traditional ICE vehicle to run. The cityZenn would be driven by an EEStor battery - manufactured by EEStor, a Zenn partner - with a recharge time of less than five minutes in special quick-charge stations.

Zenn had gotten off to an amazing start. This, however, would not last.

In 2009, Zenn CEO, Ian Clifford, announced that Zenn would be ceasing the production of their electric vehicles in order to supposedly turn their attention to their partner company, EEStor, and its drivetrain tech. Production of all versions of the cityZenn and the Zenn NEV was immediately cancelled. The Zenn manufacturing plant shut its doors and all employees were laid off. Finally, in February 2011, Ian Clifford quietly resigned as Zenn Motors' CEO.

All Zenn's energy and resources, including the investments of their stock holders, were shifted to EEStor and its supposedly legendary ultracapacitor tech. Using their stock holders' money, Zenn Motors purchased a more than ten percent stake in EEStor. Although EEStor claims to have superior battery technology, nothing has been showed to the public yet. People familiar with the technology and with EEStor are beginning to sense that nothing actually exists. EEStor had originally pledged to release their technology to the public by 2007. Is Zenn merely swapping its Vaporware Vehicles for Vaporware Ultracapacitor Technology?

Although Zenn Motors managed to sell around five hundred of their NEV's, not a single highway compliant Zenn BEV was ever even built. Much like the other hawkers of Vaporware Vehicles, Zenn Motors used press releases and publicity to both drive their own share prices high and inflate EEStor's value.

With an undeniable relationship and an indisputable connection, Zenn Motors and EEStor are practically the same thing. The only direct way to invest in EEStor is through Zenn Motors. The question then begs to be asked: Just how much will Zenn be worth the day that EEStor makes good on its promises? Some experts estimate EEStor's value at over $1.5 billion and Zenn's value is sure to be comparable – if, that is, that day ever arrives.

After the announcement that their production would cease, Zenn's stock prices dropped from six dollars per share to $1.50, leading us to believe that the Zenn is headed for bagel land and is a "zombie" company.

Zenn Motors simply wasn't ready to take their product to the next level.