Zagato Zele

The Zagato Zele was a small electric microcar built by the Milan design house Zagato from 1974 to 1976 and sold in the United States as the Elcar. Marketed as the Zele 1000, 1500 and 2000, names that refer to the wattage of the motors, it had a square-cornered fiberglass body that was a plain departure from the shapely sports bodies the firm was known for, and its chassis and suspension were derived from the Fiat 500 and Fiat 124. A four-position speed selector and a two-position pedal gave six forward speeds and two reverse, with a range of about 50 miles and a top speed of 25 to 30 miles per hour. Around 500 were made, and the American importer Elcar Corporation also built a four-seat prototype called the Wagonette.