Mexican developer bundles free electric cars with home purchases

Offering incentives like free TVs and even free cars has long been part of the condo developer's sales toolkit, but a home builder in Mexico is aiming for the green crowd by offering potential buyers a free electric car. Sadly, the car in question is not the Tesla Roadster, or even a modified Prius, but a hub-motor powered vehicle from Porteon Electric Vehicles that maxes out around 25 miles per hour. Ouch. The company hasn't released any photos or specs of the car apart from the $7-9K price tag, but Porteon CEO Kenneth Montler has promised the company will "transition to a highway car over time." Montler didn't name the developer offering his cars for free when he announced the deal at the Dow Jones Alternative Energy Innovations Conference this week, but home buyers in Mexico looking to slow things down a bit might want to keep their eyes open for this deal to hit.

[B @ Oct 25th 2007 4:45PM]

A year ago here in Dubai they were giving Porshe Boxsters away when you bought an apartment from a developer over here

[Alfred @ Oct 25th 2007 6:51PM]

Nothing is free in this life, I’m sure of that.

[Ike Skelton @ Oct 25th 2007 4:57PM]

Dubai, and the people they were attracting for those 'apartments', are a bit better off than Mexico I'm sure.

[phlavor @ Oct 25th 2007 4:59PM]

"De plane, de plane!"

God, I'm old.

[Cybergypsy @ Oct 25th 2007 5:21PM]

I am old to but that was funny!!!!

[Shibathedog @ Oct 25th 2007 4:59PM]

Porsches!?!? Did they lock you into a 25 year contract or something!?

[B @ Oct 25th 2007 5:07PM]

Nope it's for life !!

[bombastinator @ Oct 25th 2007 5:30PM]

Electric carts like that are not horribly uncommon in retirement communities. A lot o the residents no longer have the vision or reflexes to deal with a full size car.

[Matthew Hilario @ Oct 25th 2007 5:49PM]

POW POW POWER WHEELS!

[Jorge @ Oct 25th 2007 5:52PM]

I go to Mexico often, and so long as you're not on the highway, 25 MPH for a city isn't that bad, especially considering you wouldn't have to worry about gas.

[Brian @ Oct 25th 2007 6:29PM]

I was going to post the same thing. If you've ever actually driven in a large Mexican city, you'll understand that keeping it under 25 is probably a good idea for your own safety!

[almostinfamous @ Oct 26th 2007 5:13AM]

yep. totally agree. if anyone knows how to go over 25 in D.F. in the daytime, let me know how and i'll try it out next time :-p

[Evan Parker @ Oct 25th 2007 8:35PM]

I wish I were a golf-cart maker, because then I would also be an ULTRA GREEN EV 2000XLS maker.

[Baz @ Oct 26th 2007 11:12AM]

I think the speed limitations have more to do with regulations governing Low Speed Vehicles (taxes, licensing, etc) and less to do with potential actual speed. A governor may be applied to these vehicles - unlike, say, the Tesla.

Meanwhile, if the micro-jeep doesn't appeal and you can't blow $100, 000 on the Tesla, how about a Zenn -

http://www.zenncars.com/

Sadly, our federal government here in Canada won't allow us to buy these vehicles (short of, perhaps, for use on private property) despite all their huffing and puffing about pollution, sustainability and the need for better ways to get around in urban environments.

So Mexico has the lead on us on that front.....