(Watch TV clip here)

Ithaca, NY (WBNG Binghamton) As gas prices remain higher, people looking for new cars have new options.

A local dealership is the first in New York to have the Wheego Life electric car.

This Wheego [...]]]> by Lindsay Nielsen for WBNG TV, Binghamton, New York – June 30, 2011

(Watch TV clip here)

Ithaca, NY (WBNG Binghamton) As gas prices remain higher, people looking for new cars have new options.

A local dealership is the first in New York to have the Wheego Life electric car.

This Wheego Life electric car is the first one in New York State.

“It has a re-generator breaking system and it’s designed that when you’re breaking, going down long hills some of the energy from the break is captured and its sent back into the battery,” says Co-Owner of Pritchard Automotive, Dan Pritchard.

Pritchard Automotive in Ithaca has a low speed and high speed model.

The high speed model can travel up to 65 mph and a longer distance.

“Around one hundred miles on a charge more in perfect conditions, less if you’re running the air conditioner, the heater, going up hills,” says Pritchard.

The Wheego Life takes anywhere from five to eight hours to charge but could still save you money and it’s cheaper than paying for gas.

“It’s right around two to three cents a mile as opposed to a gas car which I’ve seen eighteen cents a mile depending on the price of gas,” says Pritchard.

The low speed sells for around $20,000 while the high speed is priced around $34,000 dollars.

Pritchard Automotive has not sold one yet, but it has people intrigued.

“I think municipalities who do all kinds of city miles and everything would be really wise. As a tax payer I would love to see more municipalities invest in these and cut down on gas,” says Steve Lawrence of West Danby.

“There’s actually a lot of room in it even though its so small, it seems like there’s a lot of room for sitting and storage,” says Allison Miettunen of Ithaca.

The car can be charged with a regular household outlet or a specially purchased one to cut down on charge time.

Pritchard says if charging stations become more available it could be the car of the future.

The Wheego Life qualifies for a 7,500 dollar federal tax credit as well as many state tax incentives.

The car is available in six different colors.

“We are the first dealership in New York to have the Wheego LiFe,” said Dan Pritchard, Sales Manager of Pritchard Automotive. “In fact, we [...]]]> ATLANTA (June 24,  2011) – WHEEGO ELECTRIC CARS,  a U.S. manufacturer of all-electric cars, today announced that New York’s first highway-ready Wheego LiFe has been delivered to Pritchard Automotive in Ithaca.

“We are the first dealership in New York to have the Wheego LiFe,” said Dan Pritchard, Sales Manager of Pritchard Automotive. “In fact, we are among the first dealerships in the state to have a plug-in electric vehicle of any kind. It is exciting for our 100-year-old dealership to be on the leading edge of this technology. We’re open for test drives.”

“Early drivers of the Wheego LiFe  have been excited about the way it handles,” said Wheego CEO Mike McQuary, “and about getting  a true100-mile range per charge. We are happy to introduce the car to the Ithaca market and let them  get behind the wheel and see what all the excitement is about.”

The Wheego LiFe starts at $32,995. It qualifies for a $7,500 Federal tax credit, as well as many state tax incentives. In New York, Wheego LiFe drivers will be able to drive in the Long Island Expressway HOV lanes solo. The Wheego LiFe comes fully-equipped with driver and passenger airbags, anti-lock brakes, power windows and locks, and optional air conditioning. The 115V lithium battery pack can be charged from a standard 120V outlet, a 240V outlet or any of the J1772 standard charging stations being installed in public locations throughout the United States. The LiFe travels approximately 100 miles on a single charge. It is available in red, white, blue, black, silver, and green. The Wheego LiFe is a two-seat subcompact car with fit, finish and features designed for today’s environmentally-conscious commuters. 

About Pritchard Automotive

Pritchard Automotive is one of the oldest family-owned and operated automobile and truck dealerships in North America. James G. Pritchard arrived in Ithaca from England in the late 1800’s as a craftsman of fine custom carriages. Working with his two sons, one of whom was William T. Pritchard, he began selling automobiles in 1910. The Dodge franchise was acquired in 1915. William T. Pritchard built the present dealership on South Cayuga Street in 1921 to better service and sell new vehicles. There it has remained, as a family-owned and operated business for five generations. Pritchard Automotive is located in the heart of downtown Ithaca at 304 South Cayuga Street, Ithaca, NY 14850. For more information about Pritchard Automotive, visit the company website at www.pritchardautomotive.com.

About Wheego Electric Cars

Wheego Electric Cars is an innovation-driven and environmentally-conscious manufacturer of Electric Vehicles (EVs).  Under the leadership of Mike McQuary, CEO and former MindSpring entrepreneur, Wheego Electric Cars has become a leader in the integration of advanced technology components.  Wheego Electric Cars is one of the first EV companies to deliver affordable fully capable, street legal all-electric cars for everyday consumer use. The Wheego line of electric vehicles is emission-free, making them an ideal choice for consumers, fleets and businesses who want to reduce their carbon footprint. Wheego is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The cars are assembled in Ontario, California.

For more information about Wheego, visit the company website at www.wheego.net. To inquire about dealership opportunities, email info@wheego.net.

An Ithaca auto dealer is now offering a line of all-electric vehicles by Wheego.

Pritchard Automotive is selling the fully electric, zero emissions cars, with the Wheego Whip LSV, or low-speed vehicle, available now and the upgraded, full-speed Whip LiFe to arrive in December.

ATLANTA (October 15,  2010) – WHEEGO ELECTRIC CARS,  a U.S. manufacturer of all-electric cars, today announced that Pritchard Automotive in Ithaca, New York, is now offering the Wheego line of electric vehicles.

“When we look for dealers to represent the Wheego brand,” said Wheego President Jeff Boyd, “we seek [...]]]>

ATLANTA (October 15,  2010) – WHEEGO ELECTRIC CARS,  a U.S. manufacturer of all-electric cars, today announced that Pritchard Automotive in Ithaca, New York, is now offering the Wheego line of electric vehicles.

“When we look for dealers to represent the Wheego brand,” said Wheego President Jeff Boyd, “we seek established, respected dealerships with a reputation for service and support. Many dealers entering the Electric Vehicle space have been around for many years; they have the business acumen to evolve with the market and identify new opportunities. They are responsive to their customers’ needs and interests. It’s not surprising that Pritchard Automotive is emerging as upstate New York’s EV dealer. They are a family business that has been around for more than 100 years – they literally started by selling buggies. We are excited to have them on board with us. The Wheego Whip Low-Speed Vehicle (LSV) will be at Pritchard Automotive next week, and our full-speed LiFe will be at the dealership in December.”

The Wheego Whip LSV, arriving at Pritchard next week, is a Neighborhood Electric Vehicle targeted for campuses, fleets and consumers who want to drive emission free. It is on the General Services Administration (GSA) List, Schedule 23 LSV. It retails for $18,995 and qualifies for a 10% Federal tax credit.

The full-speed Wheego LiFe travels approximately 100 miles on a single charge and retails for $32,995. It qualifies for a $7,500 Federal tax credit, as well as many state tax incentives. The Wheego LiFe comes fully-equipped with driver and passenger airbags, anti-lock brakes, air conditioning, and power windows and locks. The 115V lithium battery pack can be charged from a standard 120V outlet, a 240V outlet or any of the J1772 standard charging stations being installed in public locations throughout the United States. It is available in red, white, blue, black, silver, and green. The Wheego LiFe is a two-seat subcompact car with fit, finish and features designed for today’s environmentally-conscious commuters. 

About Pritchard Automotive

Pritchard Automotive is one of the oldest family-owned and operated automobile and truck dealerships in North America. James G. Pritchard arrived in Ithaca from England in the late 1800’s as a craftsman of fine custom carriages. Working with his two sons, one of whom was William T. Pritchard, he began selling automobiles in 1910. The Dodge franchise was acquired in 1915. William T. Pritchard built the present dealership on South Cayuga Street in 1921 to better service and sell new vehicles. There it has remained, as a family-owned and operated business for five generations. Pritchard Automotive is located in the heart of downtown Ithaca at 304 South Cayuga Street, Ithaca, NY 14850.

About Wheego Electric Cars

Wheego Electric Cars is an innovation-driven and environmentally-conscious manufacturer of Electric Vehicles (EVs).  Under the leadership of Mike McQuary, CEO and former MindSpring entrepreneur, Wheego Electric Cars has become a leader in the integration of advanced technology components.  Wheego Electric Cars is one of the first EV companies to deliver affordable fully capable, street legal all-electric cars for everyday consumer use. The Wheego line of electric vehicles is emission-free, making them an ideal choice for consumers, fleets and businesses who want to reduce their carbon footprint. Wheego is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The cars are assembled in Ontario, California. For more information about Wheego, visit the company website at www.wheego.net.

Media Contact:

Susan Nicholson, VP- PR and Corporate Communications

Wheego Electric Cars

Cell 404-285-8988  

susan@wheego.net

September 7, 2010

Wheego CEO Mike McQuary was interviewed live on Fox Business. Watch the interview here.

Car may be king in Tompkins County, but maybe not for much longer.

Transportation planners spent much of 2009 trying to convince commuters to abandon their cars in favor of buses, bicycles and their own two feet, and 2010 promises more of the same.

ITHACA — It’s been five months since a popular Southern Tier car dealership lost its franchise as part of Chrysler’s bankruptcy re-organization.
     But now, Pritchard Automotive in Ithaca is selling a new car it hopes will take the company into the next decade.
     [...]]]> by Ted Fioraliso, WENY-TV, November 13, 2009

ITHACA — It’s been five months since a popular Southern Tier car dealership lost its franchise as part of Chrysler’s bankruptcy re-organization.
     But now, Pritchard Automotive in Ithaca is selling a new car it hopes will take the company into the next decade.
     Pritchard just got its first Wheego Whip in the other day.  The owners think the fully electric vehicle will take off in the Ithaca area.
     “We’ve been driving it all over town,” said owner Dan Pritchard.
     Pritchard showed off the Whip at the NET Impact Conference at Cornell University Friday.
     This electric car is just shy of 10-feet long, holds two people, and looks like a conventional car inside.
     But it sounds much different.  Actually, it doesn’t make much noise at all.
     “It’s pretty quiet.  Only noise you hear is that brake pump,” explained Pritchard.
     Pritchard took us on a text drive around the Cornell campus.  It tops out at only 25 miles per hour, but you don’t feel like you’re going that slowly.  That’s why Pritchard thinks it’s a perfect city car.
     “A car like this to run errands just makes a lot of sense.  You plug it in, you drive to get your paper, go to Wegmans, go to the library, bring your kid to school, come home, plug it in, and you’re ready to go again,” said Pritchard.
     That’s right — the only power the whip needs is comes from an outlet in your own home.
     It’s a completely new direction for Pritchard’s 94-year-old family business.  After Chrysler dropped them in June, the company’s stayed afloat selling used cars and with its body shop.  But Pritchard is confident going into the future with electric.
     “You either change or go away.  But it’s exciting. It’s really reinvigorated the whole dealership,” he said.
     The Wheego Whip costs $20,000.  Next year, the company is expected to release a full-speed version.

(See video on WENY-TV website).

ITHACA — The Pritchard family has always been proud of its past. As owners of Ithaca’s oldest car dealership, they’ve been Ithaca Journal, Nov. 10, 2009

ITHACA — The Pritchard family has always been proud of its past. As owners of Ithaca’s oldest car dealership, they’ve been selling cars to Ithaca motorists for five generations.

Now they are embracing the future, and they believe the future is electric.

William T. Pritchard Inc., of 304 S. Cayuga St., is the first dealership in the state to stock the Whip, an all-electric low-speed vehicle manufactured by a California company called Wheego.

The Pritchards took stock of the two-seat compact car last week, and Dan Pritchard has been using it to whip around town on errands and show off its smooth, noiseless ride.

Interest in the little red novelty has been high, he said, although no orders have been placed yet.

With a speed limit of 25 mph and a power charge that will last for about 40 miles, the vehicle is meant to be used solely for short distances, driven on roads with posted speed limits of 35 mph or less.

But its 40 horsepower motor is more powerful than many electric vehicles on the market, and a bit bigger than their traditional golf-cart sized frames. At 118.5 inches long, 63 inches wide and 63 inches high, it is surprisingly roomy inside, with space for a large suitcase in the back.

There is a socket where you would expect the gas tank to be, and a cord that plugs into any household 120-volt electrical socket. It takes about eight hours to fully charge the 12 sealed lead-acid 8-volt batteries, and Pritchard said Wheego the company encourages “opportunity charging,” frequent short-term charges whenever you find yourself parked near a plug.

The car is completely uncluttered beneath the hood, and dashboard controls are simple, with just three displays — a power charge indicator, a speed indicator, and an “ecometer” comprising five LED lights that let you know when you are driving most efficiently.

The limit on speed does force the driver to rethink where they are going and how they will get there, but Pritchard pointed out that it is possible for a West Hill resident to use the car to get to work at Cornell University, do the weekly shopping at Wegmans and visit the Farmer’s Market on weekends. Pritchard said he is in talks with Cornell, Ithaca College and the City of Ithaca about the possibility of incorporating it into their fleets.

He said the low speeds mean low wear and tear on brakes and other parts, and subsequently low maintenance costs. The only fluids to be filled are for the brakes and windshield wipers, so there are no oil change or gas bills to be paid.

He estimates the cost to power the car to be 3 cents per mile. At current gas prices of nearly $3 per gallon, even a relatively efficient gasoline car that gets 30 miles per gallon costs 10 cents per mile.

A full-speed Wheego Whip is expected next summer, with lithium ion batteries that will give it the ability to travel at 60 mph and get 80 miles on a single charge. The company will be offering a trade-up program for those wishing to swap models and willing to pay a price differential to do so.

One of the incentives to buy now, however, is a $7,500 federal tax credit, only guaranteed until the end of the year, which would bring the price of the low-speed vehicle to $12,495.

“If you are really into taking care of the environment and saving some money, it’s still not a bad deal,” he said.

Pritchard said he embraced the product after seeking ways to supplement stock when Chrysler announced in May that it would be withdrawing the dealership from its franchise as part of bankruptcy restructuring. Despite the pull-out, he said business is going well, and the change actually gave his used car sales a boost as people realized they stocked and serviced more than just Chrysler products.

“We are really excited about this,” Pritchard added. “The whole future seems to be going this way.”