🚀 go-pugleaf

Yes, cross-posting to s.e. & c.d. is intentional - sorry to inconvenience
those of you who are not interested.

I am thinking of buying an electric VAN from abroad and I don't simply
know the least about what is required to get it street legalized & reg'd in 
California.  Just guessing, but this might include having it smog-checked
and possibly modified to conform to federal standards. Whom to contact?
Where to get information about required modifications? Fees? etc. etc.
Any help you can offer is truly appreciated.

Thank you.

Jari Torvelainen

P.S.  For those of you who wonder -- yes, it is expensive ($20,000), and 
      I know that the other spec's don't measure up with my current
      Camaro 5.7 liter V8 (which cost me the same $20,000, what an irony!),
      but I just like the idea of using each vehicle for the purpose that
      it is best suitable (electric for groceries, commuting & short trips
      in the city & V8 for those pesky mountain roads with caravans...)

P.P.S.  In case it matters, here are some spec's:

General looks: 
A light duty electric van, built on the body of some Japanese small van
(could be Suzuki), looks a bit like compressed VAN, regular cabin doors, 
sliding doors on each side of the back compartment & back door. Regular
lights, wipers, etc.

Weight & dimensions:
Curb weight	1200 kg (2645 lbs)
Payload		 400 kg (882 lbs)
Gross weight	1600 kg (3527 lbs)
Length		3430 mm (135")
Width		1430 mm (56")
Height		1870 mm (74")
Min.turning rad. 3.9 mm (12')

Performance:
Top speed				72 km/h (45 mph), forget the freeways!
Acceleration	0-50 km/h (0-31mph) 	13 s or 115 m (377 feet)
Max grade that can be climbed		45 % (forget Bel Air visits??)
Range		urban			60-70 km (37-43 miles)
		at 50 km/h (31 mph)	100 km (62 miles), quaranteed, depends
					on temperature etc, could be 120 km
					(75 miles) in CA climate & temps

Transmission:	5 speed manual (not needed in most city conditions)
		Rear wheel drive

Heating system:	gasoline cabin heater w/ 10 liter (2.64 g) fuel tank
(I might scrap this and save $500.00, of which I could sacrifice $100 to
 get a solar powered window fan)

Motor:	DC series wound, electrical fan, MOSFET controller
	rated power	13.3 kW at 2500 r/min
	max power	19.0 kW at 1850 r/min
	torque		110 NM  at 0...1850 r/min (no, I don't remember
						   the conversion)
Battery:  'EV special' (12 V sealed lead-acid batteries, espec. designed
for EV's, beat vehicled equipped with nickel/cadmium batteries in a city
driving demonstration in France in September 1990):
	quantity	12
	weight		440 kg (970 lbs)
	voltage		72 V
	capacity	250 Ah / 5 h

Electronic on-board charger:
	input		220 V / 16 A / 50 Hz (yes, I have to change this)
	charging time 	0-100 %  14 hrs (will change, I guess)
			0-80 %   8 hrs
	automatic battery heating during the charge

12 V system
	12 V battery 45 Ah
	DC/DC converter 72/12 V, output 300 W

Mechanical components
	Front suspension independent, McPherson type, coil spring, stabilizer
	Rear suspension independent, semi-trailing arm type, coil spring
	Dual circuit hydraulic brakes with vacuum suspended power unit, 
	 electric vacuum pump, front disc brakes, rear drum brakes
	Steering system rack and pinion type
	Tires 155 SR 12
**********************************************************************

That's all, folks. 

All in all, it is a neat package (tested in nothern climate & postal use).
Originally they intended to go for a complete bottom-up design with 
plastic body parts etc, but after a few prototypes thought again of it and
essentially are now using a body from a regular mini (micro?) VAN.
A total of 400 built in 1992 & street legal in some European countries.
Would any of this help in getting it legalized in California?  

Yours, 

Jari.