Columbia ParCar at forefront of electric vehicles

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

From an article by Karen Rivedal in the Wisconsin State Journal:

The U.S. Army's recent order for 799 of the electric vehicles made by Columbia ParCar Corp. in Reedsburg will be a financial boon, no doubt.

It's the single largest order ever - taken by any producer of electric vehicles at any time - in the fledgling industry's history, company president Todd Sauey said, and it'll be worth nearly seven figures for Columbia if it's filled by December as required.

But it was the vote of confidence the order represents, especially during this difficult economic period, that the company especially values, Sauey said.

"It indicates to us that we're doing the right things, in very trying and troubling times," he said. "It's not easy out there and I know a lot of businesses that are suffering like crazy. This order from the government helps us in a significant way."

Sauey's company designs and sells a variety of battery-charged, all-electric vehicles for moving people and materials, from small golf carts to commercial/industrial models capable of carrying up to 6,000 pounds and a dozen people. The vehicles are manufactured in Reedsburg by a sister company, Seats Inc., and customers for the vehicles, which range in retail price from $3,500 to more than $30,000, include airports, zoos, college campuses, factories, hospitals and sports stadiums.

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