Electric cars are legal quandary

Sonny Rhian with his electric car on Little Cayman

Tuesday,  August 16, 2005

The Minister for Communications, Works and Infrastructure is to make a policy statement next week about the licensing of electric cars in the Cayman Islands.

‘This is an issue that we have been dealing with for over a year,” said Director of the Vehicle Licensing Department David Dixon.

The problem is not with hybrid cars, of which several have been licensed and are on the road, but with Low Speed Vehicles (LSVs).

LSVs, also known as Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (NEV), are 4-wheeled cars that are capable of traveling at a maximum speed of 20 to 25mph.

They differ from golf cars, which generally have a top speed of less than 15 miles per hour, and are designed to be used in residential areas with low-density traffic, and low speed zones.

Under the 2003 Traffic Law, a motor vehicle is defined as “any mechanically propelled vehicle manufactured or adapted for use on roads.” 

According to Mr Dixon, it is not clear if vehicles that are totally electric should be defined as “mechanically propelled”. 

At the same time, under the Traffic Law, “dune buggies, beach buggies and other similar vehicles” are not allowed on Cayman roads, and it is possible that the law could be interpreted to include LSVs as “other similar vehicles”.

The problem also lies with their speed and with the fact that they have an open carriage, which may not qualify them to the required safety standards, said Mr Dixon. He added that a new category may be needed for these cars for legal clarification.

There is one LSV on Little Cayman, owned by part-time resident and property owner, Sonny Rhian, and six more applications from residents on Grand Cayman to license LSVs.

The electric vehicle already in these Islands has been sitting in Mr Rhian’s garage since he brought it to Little Cayman in the beginning of March 2004. He said it has passed its Cayman vehicle inspection. 

The car is manufactured by Barton Investment Group Manufacturing, which claims it is a zero emissions electric vehicle. This means it does not produce any air pollution and is run from pure electrical charge. 

The vehicle consists of a total of eight 6-volt batteries (48 volts total). This DC wound 48-volt motor requires a charging time of only 10 hours connected to a standard 110-outlet charger.

The manufacturers further claim that their LSV can travel 75 miles on a full charge. The speed limit throughout Little Cayman is 25 mph, a law established to protect the healthy population of iguanas on the Island.

In the Vision 2008 Roundtable discussion for Little Cayman, it was envisioned that electric cars be encouraged. The trouble with that is that no government has yet dealt with the legal implications, said Mr Dixon.

He advised anyone thinking of importing an electric vehicle to the Islands to consult with his department first.

In most States and in Canada, LSVs can be operated on the roads where the posted speed limit is 35mph or less. Before 1998, LSVs were classified as passenger cars in the US, and had to comply with the Federal motor vehicle safety standards for that vehicle type. However, compliance with the full range of those standards was not thought to be feasible for these small vehicles, and the US Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) defined a new category for LSVs.

The new category stipulates safety standards required for LSVs, including automotive grade headlights, stop lamps, turn signal lamps, tail-lights, reflex reflectors, parking brakes, rearview mirrors, seatbelts, windshields, and other safety equipment that golf cars don’t require. 

According to the NHTSA, these requirements appropriately address the safety of low-speed vehicle occupants and other roadway users, given the sub-25 mph speed capability of these vehicles and the controlled environments in which they operate. 

Hybrid-electric vehicles (HEVs) combine the benefits of gasoline engines and electric motors to provide improved fuel economy.

The engine provides most of the vehicle’s power, and the electric motor provides additional power when needed, such as accelerating and passing. This allows a smaller, more efficient engine to be used.

The electric power for the motor is generated from regenerative braking and from the gasoline, so hybrid vehicles do not need to be recharged from electrical outlets. 

In the US, the IRS offers a tax credit for using electric vehicles, while in the UK road tax is less than half for electric than gas vehicles.

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