Makes › Zagato › Zele · Rare production
Zagato
Zele
Electric city car, approximately 500 made
Still being researched: identification guide, full specifications. Everything shown is checked against the cited sources. Know more? Send us a source.
Photo: Vauxford · CC BY-SA 4.0
Contents
01Overview
At a glance
- Built
- Not yet verified
- Years
- Not yet verified
- Engine
- Electric motor
- Power
- 1.86 kW / 2.53 PSFactory: 2.5 hp · converted
- Top speed
- 40.2 km/hFactory: 25 mph · converted
- Body
- Not yet verified
- Designer
- Not yet verified
- In this archive
- Not yet verified
- Surviving
- Not yet verified
Sources and any conflicting figures are in the sections below.
Why it matters
A low-speed electric car built in Italy and also sold in the United States under the Elcar name. Two passenger versions were offered, the Elcar 1000 and Elcar 2000, and a running chassis was available. A four-passenger Elcar 4000 wagonette was proposed, but only a prototype is known.
How rare is it?
Six separate kinds of rarity – never combined into one number.
Each kind of rarity is rated separately and never combined.
Photos
Exterior, interior and detail photos with their licences.
Zagato Zele (Wikimedia Commons search)
Photo: Vauxford · CC BY-SA 4.0
Zagato Zele (Wikimedia Commons search)
Photo: Template:Unknown photographers · Public domain
02Production & history
Production
Every figure says what it counts.
No production figures recorded yet.
History
The vehicles had fibreglass bodies, front and rear drum brakes and independent coil-spring suspension. Much of the suspension and mechanicals were taken from the Fiat 500.
The motor ran on 24, 36 and 48 volts through a solenoid-operated speed control, which the source compares to an electric manual gearbox. The source gives a range of up to about 50 miles on one charge.
Variants
How each version differs from the standard Zele.
No variants documented yet. Have a source? Contribute it.
03Specifications
Technical specifications
Engine
| Engine family | Not yet verified |
|---|---|
| Engine code | Not yet verified |
| Layout | Electric motor1 Independently researched |
| Displacement | Not yet verified |
| Bore | Not yet verified |
| Stroke | Not yet verified |
| Compression ratio | Not yet verified |
| Fuel system | Not yet verified |
| Power | 1.86 kW / 2.53 PSFactory: 2.5 hp · converted1 Independently researchedSource gives 2 1/2 hp; no rating standard stated. |
| Power at | Not yet verified |
| Torque | Not yet verified |
Transmission & drivetrain
| Gearbox | Solenoid-operated electric speed control (24, 36, 48 V steps)1 Independently researched |
|---|---|
| Gears | Not yet verified |
| Driven wheels | Not yet verified |
Chassis, body & dimensions
| Chassis | Mechanicals largely taken from the Fiat 5001 Independently researched |
|---|---|
| Front suspension | Independent, coil springs1 Independently researched |
| Rear suspension | Independent, coil springs1 Independently researched |
| Brakes | Drum front and rear1 Independently researched |
| Steering | Not yet verified |
| Body construction | Fibreglass body1 Independently researched |
| Wheelbase | Not yet verified |
| Length | Not yet verified |
| Width | Not yet verified |
| Height | Not yet verified |
| Front track | Not yet verified |
| Rear track | Not yet verified |
| Kerb weight | Not yet verified |
| Dry weight | Not yet verified |
Performance
| Maximum speed | 40.2 km/hFactory: 25 mph · converted1 Independently researched |
|---|---|
| 0–100 km/h | Not yet verified |
| Fuel tank | Not yet verified |
“Not yet verified” means no source has been checked for that value yet. Nothing is estimated to fill a gap.
04Colours & options
Factory colours & interiors
Original paint and trim, with the number of cars in each where a source gives it.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
Factory options & codes
Codes are shown exactly as written by the manufacturer.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
05Individual cars
Chassis register
Every documented car, with its colours, history and where it is now. Open a row for the full record. Known chassis are not automatically authenticated originals.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
Competition history
Every race result of the individual cars, in date order. Click a chassis number to open its full record in the register.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
Auction & sale history
Documented public sales of the individual cars. Click a chassis number to open its full record in the register.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
See one in person
Museums where an example of this car can be seen.
No example is documented on public display yet. Have a source? Contribute it.
06Reference
Identification guide
How to tell an original from a replica or later conversion.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
Sources
Each number links to the exact facts it supports.
-
1
Zagato Elcar 1000 Level C Motorbase
- 2 1/2 hp electric motor
- 2 1/2 hp electric motor (Performance)
- 24, 36 and 48 volts from a solenoid-operated speed control system
- Much of the suspension and mechanicals were derived from the Fiat 500
- Independent/Coil Springs (Drivetrain and Suspension)
- front and rear drum brakes (Brakes)
- The vehicles had fiberglass bodies
- 25 mph (Performance)
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