What is it?
2005 Venturi Fetish
What's special about it?
Introduced in concept form at the 2002 Geneva Auto Show, French automaker Venturi bills its limited-production roadster as the world's first electric sports car. Featuring a miniscule 102-inch wheelbase and carbon-fiber bodywork, the tiny Fetish tips the scales at 2,424 pounds. Thrust comes from a 180-kilowatt electric motor that spins over 14,000 rpm and makes the equivalent of 330 horsepower. Venturi claims the car will sprint from zero to 60 in under 5 seconds, and the range is somewhere around 200 miles, depending upon how hard the car is driven. The suspension was designed by former Lotus and Formula One engineers, and the carbon-fiber monocoque chassis is engineered for maximum rigidity. Fetish owners are in a very exclusive club, however, as only 25 examples will be produced at a breathtaking $600,000 a piece. All 25 will be assembled in Southern California, and the cars will be offered through select exotic car dealerships in Los Angeles, Monte Carlo and Tokyo.
What's Edmunds Take?
As gas prices continue to rise, new technologies that focus on alternative power are becoming more important than ever before. General Motor's EV1 was one of the first steps into the zero-emissions arena, but it failed miserably because of its impractical nature and limited range. While the Fetish is a sexy-looking car with a track-ready pedigree, its sky-high price tag and extremely short range make it nothing more than an interesting toy for environmentally-conscious billionaires. On a brighter note, the fact that a high-performance zero-emissions vehicle even exists is a giant leap forward in technology, one that will hopefully lead to more practical applications in the future. In the meantime, if you need a fun way to get around your private island and have easy access to electrical outlets, this is the car for you.— Dan Kahn
2005 Venturi Fetish
What's special about it?
Introduced in concept form at the 2002 Geneva Auto Show, French automaker Venturi bills its limited-production roadster as the world's first electric sports car. Featuring a miniscule 102-inch wheelbase and carbon-fiber bodywork, the tiny Fetish tips the scales at 2,424 pounds. Thrust comes from a 180-kilowatt electric motor that spins over 14,000 rpm and makes the equivalent of 330 horsepower. Venturi claims the car will sprint from zero to 60 in under 5 seconds, and the range is somewhere around 200 miles, depending upon how hard the car is driven. The suspension was designed by former Lotus and Formula One engineers, and the carbon-fiber monocoque chassis is engineered for maximum rigidity. Fetish owners are in a very exclusive club, however, as only 25 examples will be produced at a breathtaking $600,000 a piece. All 25 will be assembled in Southern California, and the cars will be offered through select exotic car dealerships in Los Angeles, Monte Carlo and Tokyo.
What's Edmunds Take?
As gas prices continue to rise, new technologies that focus on alternative power are becoming more important than ever before. General Motor's EV1 was one of the first steps into the zero-emissions arena, but it failed miserably because of its impractical nature and limited range. While the Fetish is a sexy-looking car with a track-ready pedigree, its sky-high price tag and extremely short range make it nothing more than an interesting toy for environmentally-conscious billionaires. On a brighter note, the fact that a high-performance zero-emissions vehicle even exists is a giant leap forward in technology, one that will hopefully lead to more practical applications in the future. In the meantime, if you need a fun way to get around your private island and have easy access to electrical outlets, this is the car for you.— Dan Kahn
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