'Whatcha Gonna Drive?'

Betty Westman is getting used to people following her when she drives. She's said she's even started to welcome the attention.

Ever since the San Juan Ridge resident bought a single-passenger NmG electric vehicle from Myers Motors (www.myersmotors.com) in August, the bright red, cartoonish-shaped vehicle has changed her driving experience in more ways than one.

"People run out in the streets and stop me," Westman said. "People scream at me. The second time I drove into town, I had a parade of people following me."

Westman's flashy new ride will be one of about 20 energy-efficient vehicles at The Center for the Arts in Grass Valley on Sunday during "Whatcha Gonna Drive?," a car and bicycle show sponsored by the Alliance for a Post-Petroleum Local Economy of Nevada County (www.apple-nc.org).

Visitors be able to gawk at Zap Cars (www.zapworld.com), electric motorbikes and bullet-shaped, three-wheeled motorcycles. They also can sit in on talks by energy experts on subjects such as the availability of local biofuels and the finer points of buying and maintaining electric cars.

APPLE organizers have been working on the show since August with the goal of bringing a variety of alternative-fuel vehicles to the public's attention, APPLE spokesman Tom Grundy said.

"The outcome, we hope, will be fewer gallons of gas burned per person on average in our county," Grundy said.

Since APPLE formed about 18 months ago, the group has sponsored events promoting alternatives to fossil fuels and promote local sustainability. Powerpalooza, an August event in Nevada City, focused on solar power and local farming.

As Grundy and other APPLE members started looking for local energy experts to invite to the event, they discovered a number of alternative fuel enthusiasts in Nevada County.

One Nevada City developer has been hard at work in his garage finishing his prototype for an electric three-wheeled motorcycle, the X-Cycle.

Jeff Kotowski of Avian Motors (www.avianmotors.com) first got the idea for the X-Cycle more than 20 years ago. After putting the project on hold for a number of years, he's close to completing a two-seater that can travel up to 70 miles per hour and drive up to 200 miles on a full charge.

The X-Cycle's aerodynamic design seats the passenger behind the driver, making the vehicle more energy efficient. Kotowski said he hopes to finish the prototype soon and start assembling a manufacturing team.

Kotowski estimated the vehicle will cost $10,000 to $12,000. Investors already have expressed interest in the project, he said.

Kotowski compared the X-Cycle to the Model T, likening his efforts to produce an affordable electric vehicle to the 20th-century achievement by Detroit industrialist Henry Ford.

"He built a car that everybody could use for $500 when everybody else was building cars for many thousands of dollars only for the rich," Kotowski said. "I have a similar vision. With a little luck, it'll happen."

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To contact Staff Writer Jill Bauerle e-mail jillb@theunion.com or call 477-4219.

<I>Click here to see a video about the X-Cycle: http://www.theunion.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artikkel?NoCache=1&;Dato=20061118&Kategori=MEDIACENTER&Lopenr=61117008&Ref=AR</I><P>

WHAT: "Whatcha Gonna Drive?" post-petroleum car and bike show

WHEN: Sunday. Cars and bikes on display from 2-6 p.m. Afternoon workshops run from 2-6 p.m. Evening multimedia program, "Fueling for the Future," begins at 6:30 p.m.

WHERE: Center for the Arts, 314 W. Main St., Grass Valley, indoors and outdoors.

ADMISSION: $13 in advance or $15 at the door for all-day pass to hear presentations ($10 for afternoon or evening-only pass). Car and bike show is free. For more information, go to www.apple-nc.org or call 274-3435.