Picture this scenario. You’re sitting in the stands at NASCAR, crowds of people are cheering as engines roar and race cars whiz by. The noises are deafening, but the thrill of seeing those shiny hot rods zoom past your vision is intriguing. You think to yourself, “I wonder what it would be like to drive one of those ...” 

Well folks, this fantasy may not be unreachable. Mark Kalish, President of Enviro Tech in Eau Claire, has come up with an environmental friendly, customized, electric hot rod. Shall I reiterate? A muscle car that doesn’t burn gas, has an approximate 40-mile range, and about 1 cent per mile electric cost! 

"It really changes the way I drive. I feel like I’m in a covered wagon like a pioneer, figuring all this stuff out."
– Mark Kalish, president of EnviroTech, on the Lightning
Electric Car

Now you might be wondering, how did a business man like Kalish come up with such an idea? After all, Kalish began business in 1994 as a powder coating shop, which is an industrial and custom metal finishing process. As the years progressed, Kalish was asked by one of his employees to sponsor some powder coating for the electric car racing team at North Star High School. Kalish agreed and in the process learned about what the kids were doing. At this time, EnviroTech was just starting other cars, so Kalish thought, “Why don’t we try to invent an environmental hot rod symbolic of our company name EnviroTech?” With further research and time, the more Kalish liked the idea. The first prototype went to Madison two years ago in June and sparked interest. Money was invested and the project kicked off. 

Flash forward to the present ... drumroll, please! The first production of the Lightning Electric Car is in its final stages and is projected for completion around the end of September 2011. All that remains – putting on a hood and windshield. Sounds easy enough right? Not quite. The process began approximately three years ago, with many changes made along the journey. 

“It’s a different style of driving. You step on the gas and you get going and then you let off and just coast,” Kalish says. “It really changes the way I drive. I feel like I’m in a covered wagon like a pioneer, figuring all this stuff out. There’s a lot of people who have been doing this for a long time, but not quite in the same way we are doing it. We are using a very simple setup with just batteries and a motor and a rear axel. There is no transmission. We tried to eliminate as many pieces to make it right.” 

Kalish hopes that as time passes, the production will become faster – six months for the first few orders, then down to a mere three months once the process is mastered. 

As the pieces of the puzzle come together, Kalish will rely on web-based media, word-of-mouth, and news articles to showcase his electric hot rod and it’s many perks. For some of you skeptics, the thought of driving an electric car means compromising speed and power. Not to worry. Kalish promises the hot rod will live up to it’s name, going from 0-60 in under five seconds with a top speed of over 100 miles per hour! 

For others worried about locating plug-ins and finding outlets, take a step back and think about it. Houses, garages, gas stations, and hotels all have outlets. The equipment is there, it just needs to be utilized. Kalish jokes, “It’s free gas!” Last but not least, the Lightning Electric Rod runs for $28,000, but there is a federal tax credit that will allow for a $6,600 tax credit, similar to a rebate. Kalish understands the car isn’t for everyone, but if you’re looking for a cool toy, with the feel of riding in a motorcycle while sitting in a car, this electric hot rod is sure to satisfy. 

“It’s a good story, it really is,” Kalish says. “It’s homegrown.”

Visit LightningElectricCar.com for more information.