Moon buggy or golf cart – whatever it is – it turns heads

Some call them moon buggies, while others refer to them as an egg on wheels or the bubble. Call them whatever you may, but this new kind of vehicle that has been traveling around campus can simply be referred to as a GEM car.
Auxiliary Services has just recently purchased two GEM cars and their uniqueness has made them a distinct feature to the GCSU campus.
“The GEM cars serve the same purpose as a club car,” said Kyle Cullars, executive director for Auxiliary Services. “They are a safer vehicle and are street-legal, which makes them even better.”
According to the GEM Web site, these vehicles are the first multipurpose neighborhood electric vehicles available for sale from a major automaker. They are engineered to meet federal safety requirements for street-legal operation as a low-speed vehicle (LSV).
GEM vehicles can be driven on most public roads and are powered by a 72-volt-battery system. The batteries are charged with an onboard charger that plugs into a standard 110-volt outlet. They take between six to eight hours to recharge.
Michael Blount, a sophomore art major, is not impressed with the new vehicles on campus.
“It’s just another way the school wastes our money,” Blount said. “GCSU needs bigger classes, not designer golf carts.”
Students and faculty might be wondering where GCSU got the idea to purchase the GEM cars, and the answer is just right up I-75.
“I saw them at Georgia Tech, and that is where I got my initial idea that maybe GCSU needs one of these,” Cullars said.
Georgia Tech has been using the GEM car for over two years, and the car’s reliability has impelled them to purchase over 100 more.
“I think they are a lot better looking than the old club cars,” said freshman Allie Nix.
GEM cars purchased by GCSU were under $11,000 each and the fuel savings, along with the preservation of the vehicles, is well worth the cost.
“GEM cars are just an upgrade for us,” Cullars said. “They were only $2,000 more than the club car. They are safer vehicles and are better vehicles for the folks around campus. We own two right now and we have one on the way.”
The additional GEM car that has been ordered will be used for catering services.
“The vehicle that we ordered will be used for catering. We cater a lot of events,” Cullars said. “And we drive on the street a good bit when we are catering, so this vehicle will be helpful to us.”
The vehicles can fit into areas where larger trucks are prohibited. Their weight and vehicle footprint is light enough that damage to sod areas is nearly equal to that of a lawn mower.
“These vehicles are more efficient,” said Lauren-Grace Roberts, a freshman early childhood education major. “They are cheaper than the other vehicles, and there is not as much upkeep.”
Students and faculty should expect to see more GEM cars around the GCSU campus in the next few years.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Mar 9 2007. Filed under Features. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry