Sun Prairie Water and Light's new fleet vehicle, a battery-powered subcompact car called the ZENN, is demonstrating an energy efficient philosophy the utility hopes will catch on.
To promote this green way of thinking, SPW&L is offering its customers an online contest through which four people will win a bill credit of $25.
To enter, fill out this form on the SPW&L Web site. Then, answer just one question: What is the four-word message on the side of the ZENN?
Four separate drawings will take place for the bill credit: May 16, May 30, June 13 and June 27. Entries will be submitted separately for each drawing, and winners' names will be posted at www.SPWL.net.
"We want our customers to visit our Web site," said Dave Euclide, customer service manager. "There is a lot of information available to them with the click of a mouse -- from billing information, to energy conservation, to reporting a street light out."
More about the ZENN
In February, SPW&L put into service an electric vehicle made by ZENN Motor Company. The name of this neighborhood electric vehicle (NEV)is an acronym for Zero Emission No Noise.
The utility's ZENN is licensed by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation and is legal to drive on Sun Prairie streets with a posted speed limit of 35 mph or less. Sun Prairie is one of a growing number of communities with ordinances allowing the use of NEVs within the city limits.
"Our ZENN was initially purchased from Green Autos in Janesville to replace a gas engine vehicle used for meter reading," said Euclide. "We have found our ZENN very effective for other daily business errands as well."
The ZENN is powered with six 12-volt batteries and can drive 30 miles on a single charge. The batteries charge to 80 percent in four hours and 100 percent in eight hours. The car can be charged from any typical household outlet.
The maximum speed of the ZENN is 25 mph.
"This is not a vehicle for commuting between cities, but it offers an excellent option for in-city errands," said Euclide. "With the rising costs of fuel and growing emission and environmental concerns, we wanted to make a statement and bring an awareness of viable alternatives to Sun Prairie."
In April, the SPW&L ZENN was on display at the Sun Prairie Public Library Open House and at the WPPI NEV Auto Show.
The ZENN can be seen on city streets daily, and residents are always welcome to view and inspect the car at the SPW&L office.
