A thorn in the side of the oil barons? Ross Blade chuckles at the idea.
But, no, he really can't see it.
This former Sydney schoolteacher will be happy enough getting a couple of hundred Kiwis to kick the petrol habit in 2009.
Blade is the father of the Electron, essentially a standard Hyundai Getz that has been energised by being gutted of all - well, almost all - the oily bits.
With a teensy electric motor up front, a stack of lithium ion phosphate batteries, a three-point plug in the fuel filler and a whole lot of electronic wizardry, the Blade Electric Vehicles baby is more of a technical tour de force than it looks.
More importantly, it's an electric car you'll be able to buy, as a warranty-covered new model, maybe through Hyundai dealers from mid-2009.
It might also become the first production electric car made here.
Power without pollution is an enticing thought, but how does it drive?
Overall, the degree of zip for the amount of zap is agreeable, though you can't expect too much.
The Electron tops out at 120kmh and stops play after 120km.
A run in Auckland, including a motorway stint, reinforced that it's a city proposition.
That's why it has been expressly targeted at government and corporate fleets that travel short commuter distances.
One idea is for it to act as a "pool" car, used on short trips by multiple users and being quick-charged between runs.
In that scenario, it is a powerful tool.
The City of Melbourne, which has an Electron on trial, has judged the running costs to be just under $2 per 100km.
The Electron can be plugged in beside the toaster at home, with no special plug required, and the amount of electricity required to fully charge its batteries will not be too much more than using that toaster, Blade reinforces.
A quick charge of anywhere between 90 minutes and three hours gives 80% of battery life.
A full overnight recharge is required for optimum power.
It's easy to drive, with no shortage of immediate, smooth get-up.
It clocks 0-60kmh in just over 7sec, compared with 6sec for a standard vehicle.
You do have to get a feel for the brakes - they're touchy, having been tweaked for regenerative effect - and the gearbox.
The standard five-speed transmission remains in place, but modified with gear selection restricted to just first, second and reverse.
Because of the electric motor's ability to rev and yet produce high torque from low revs, first gear serves as the Electron's "town" gear for up to 60kmh.
To drive the car above that speed you just pull down the stick - there's no clutch - to second, which is the "highway" setting.
Reverse and neutral are engaged via a knob on the dash.
Blade could have fitted peppier batteries giving more range and stronger performance, but they cost more and aren't as reliable as the lithium ion phosphate types he sources from the United States.
The batteries weigh in at 100kg, equal to that of a hefty adult.
This not only affects performance but also cuts the occupant count from five in a regular Getz to four; otherwise the maximum loadings are exceeded.
It's a plucky performer, though Baldwin St would be a stern test.
Even the short, steep overbridge I assaulted leaving a shopping centre seemed too much, until I twigged the Electron was still in the higher gear.
Oops.
On such a hot day, it was also noticeable that the air-conditioning performance was rather weak.
Price is a nasty shock.
Electrics might be cheaper to run, but this one could be dear to buy, perhaps as much as $45,000, mainly due to the cost of the electronics and batteries.
The donor 1.4-litre petrol car costs $19,000.
Well, it's a niche machine that's not for everybody, Blade shrugs.
"It's not a silver bullet.
We're very straightforward about that; it will not solve all driving needs, it doesn't solve all problems.
It's not going to be suitable for everyone.
But it does have a place."
The Electron's price will drop as popularity increases.
"It's like any new technology.
Look at cellphones.
Once the preserve of the very wealthy; now kids can afford them."
Ironically, the technology is already getting ahead of the car.
This Getz is set to go out of production next year and neither of the two options, the i20 and teensy i10, really suit.
Blade is hoping Hyundai will keep producing the Getz alongside its successor, a confirmed starter for New Zealand.
Another alternative is to convert pre-owned cars - "there are thousands of them" - though this would likely affect the distribution relationship.
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