Want an Electric Vehicle? Check eBay

Tired of waiting for the Chevy Volt? Didn’t get your name on the Tesla list? Doubtful ZAP’s Alias will materialize? Have no fear! There’s a little place on the internet called eBay where you find things you can’t get anywhere else. A simple search for “electric car” in eBay’s Motors section yielded some exciting results. While big automakers and startups alike continue to delay their vehicles, the Internet, land of instant gratification, has multiple electric offerings in some unlikely forms, all available now!

Electric Porsche 959
Starting Bid: $58,000. 0 Bids. Auction end(ed): Apr-03-08 23:42:53 PDT

Here’s a zippy, all-electric option that costs almost half as much. Converted by the folks at World Class Exotics in Palm Springs, Fla., this car has its own site, on which the owner explains that an impending matrimonial obligation is forcing him to sell the electric chick magnet.

This particular custom job has a gas generator built in the back. While you never need to run it, since the car charges off of a standard wall socket, in a pinch you could start the generator from the driver’s seat to charge up the batteries, technically making this a plug-in series hybrid vehicle.

The EV Porsche scene is more vibrant than we expected. We spoke with Paul of World Class Exotics who told us they’ve converted about 20 vehicles, most of them Porsches, but also a Range Rover, Jeep, Camry and a Lamborghini Diablo. His electric sports car creations can be seen here.

1995 BMW 8-Series Electric
Starting Bid: $160,000. 0 Bids. Auction ends: Apr-09-08 18:05:53 PDT

A bit pricey, but this BMW is the real deal — all-electric luxury converted by Eco-Conversion. Ken Adomaitis of Lisle, Ill.-based Eco-Conversion, explained to us the steep price tag comes from top-of-the-line electric components. The electric motor and controllers are from Azure Dynamics.

The car has an array of eVionyx nickel-zinc batteries, a subsidiary of Xellerion, and gets about 100 miles to the charge with a max speed of around 100 mph. Adomaitis explained that the car’s range could be boosted to about 200 miles by swapping in some of eVionyx’s metal-air fuel cells.

Eco-Conversions has five employees but Adomaitis doesn’t want to become a chic EV startup. “We want to make the Ferrari or Bentley of EVs,” he said cheerfully. At $160,000, they’re on their way.

1948 Autoette Electric Car
Current Bid: $800. 9 Bids. Auction ends: Apr-04-08 17:34:39 PDT

While not technically a “car,” this three-wheeled all-electric microcar is a piece of automotive history. The Autoette was made by Autoette Electric Car Co. of Long Beach, Calif., which manufactured electric cars, trucks and golf carts from 1948 until the 1970s.

If you live near Orange County, Calif., send a note to this eBay seller. He says he’d be more than happy to let you take a test drive, just give him a few hours notice to make sure the Autoette is charged up.

Chinese Flybo 6000ZK
Current Bid: $5,200. 21 Bids. Auction ends: Apr-07-08 13:35:26 PDT

Jinan Flybo Motor Co. makes a variety of electric ATVs, scooters and motorcycles, many looking like knockoffs of ZAPs early success. This 6000ZK, which is classified as a “Neighborhood Electric Vehicle” (meaning it’s street legal at 25 mph, max) looks like a Smart car imitation. Flybo’s cars are being distributed in America by Wuzheng North America.

Dynast IT Sport
Current Bid: $2,402.01. 11 Bids. Auction ends: Apr-08-08 14:10:05 PDT

Another Neighborhood Electric Vehicle, this Dynasty IT has something special. Country music superstar Alan Jackson’s autograph! No, seriously, the country strummer used to own this car and signed his name on the sun visor — or so the current seller claims.

Dynasty Electric Car Corp., based in Delta, Canada, makes sedan, van, sport (roofless), tropic (doorless), and utility versions of their IT car, all of which are classified as NEV, meaning they can’t go on highways.

All photos are from their respective auction pages on eBay.