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Green bubble cars safety fears
TRANSPORT chiefs have warned that drivers of eco-friendly electric cars are in danger after the vehicles failed basic safety tests.
The Department of Transport has been in “urgent contact” with G-Wiz manufacturers GoinGreen.
The company sold 250 of the popular bubble cars to Westminster drivers last year.
The city run-about – with a top speed of 45mph and costing £8,000 – is exempt from parking fines, road tax and the congestion charge.
But they are also exempt from crash-testing regulations for normal cars because they are so small.
Roads Minister Stephen Ladyman said they were better suited to go-kart tracks rather than the log-jammed metropolis.
He said: “The vehicle tested passed all the European regulations applicable to ‘quadricycles’, but when it was subjected to the same impact test expected of normal cars, serious safety concerns were highlighted.
“The safety regulations that govern this type of vehicle were designed at a time when it was thought they would cover four-wheeled motorcycles and some small, specialised commercial vehicles – not city run-abouts that resemble small cars.
“The Department of Transport is now in urgent contact with manufacturers.”
Sales of the cars surged after Westminster installed free charging points in Covent Garden – making running costs non-existent.
Westminster doubled to 48 the number of recharging points in June and in December introduced the first on-street recharging points in Covent Garden.
A spokesman for Going Green, who import and retail G Wiz, said whilst larger, heavier cars in general perform better in crash tests, they are also more likely to injure other road users.
He said: “The G-Wiz meets all regulatory requirements and has received Full EU Type Approval. Actual data from the 750 G-Wiz already on London’s roads show that the average speed driven is 10mph. The G-Wiz has an exemplary safety record with no reported serious injuries.”
Cabinet member Cllr Alan Bradley said: “Westminster Council’s provision for electric cars is for all models available in the market, and while we look forward to the outcome of the report from the Department of Transport, we remain of the view that we want to help people explore environmentally friendly and safe forms of transport.”
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