No gasoline. No oil changes. No fumes. No noise.

In a lot of ways, electric vehicles sound like the perfect option for people and companies looking to free themselves from the trouble and expense of a fleet of petroleum-burning cars and trucks.

In practice, finding a solution with current technology is hit and miss, but it's getting better all the time according to some who've made the switch - at least in part.

"The production quality is just not there like it is for petroleum vehicles," said Brandon Trelstad, sustainability coordinator for Oregon State University. "That is changing really fast, but it's still not quite ready."

OSU is in the process of trying out a range of electric vehicles to move people and cargo around campus. He said no one vehicle meets all of the needs for the diverse university fleet, but some do pretty well.

The university currently operates two Global Electric Motorcar (GEM) vehicles built by Chrysler. The bubble-front cars are people movers and get a lot of use on campus, Trelstad said. One GEM has more than 1,800 miles on it.

"It's our first choice for passengers," he said. "These are one-, two- and three-mile trips on campus. Sometimes I take it on the road because it's licensed, but mostly around here."

The GEM battery-powered vehicles are classified as low-speed vehicles and are street legal on public roads posted at 35 miles per hour or less. With a top speed of 25 miles per hour, GEM cars have a range of up to 30 miles on a charge and so are referred to as neighborhood vehicles.

Trelstad said he's recently purchased two cargo vans built by Dymac. Those vehicles, with a loaded range of 50 miles, can go twice as far as most electrics and should fit the bill for bigger deliveries.

Bob's Mirror and Glass downtown added a GEM truck two years ago for short hops in town for estimates and installations. The company also uses two regular pickup trucks. Dave Alsip said it costs his company a penny per mile to haul as much as 750 pounds around town with the electric truck.

"I'm not going to load it down and try to go to Portland with a string of extension cords," Alsip said. "But for the close-in type of work, there's basically no maintenance."

That's a benefit that Tisha and Craig Briggs market with the Zap-brand electric cars and trucks they sell out of their primary business, Southside Marine. The electric vehicles are a niche item right now and the Briggses are struggling to find a single demographic to target with their advertising.

Zap cars and trucks are three-wheeled vehicles that are classified by the state as motorcycles. With a top speed of 40 miles per hour and a range of 25 miles, the electrics are for people willing to sacrifice comfort and convenience for freedom from oil,

Trisha Briggs said.

"The people who get it love it," she said. "I'm not trying to sell a person one of these who doesn't already appreciate it."

Tisha Briggs speaks a lot of "opportunity charging": plugging in the car when away from home to top off batteries and extend the vehicle's usable range. The practice extends the Zap's range from 25 to 40 miles. The trick is finding a place to plug the car in.

Corvallis' first parking space with a plug is in the works and is planned to be installed outside the Elements building downtown.

Trelstad said the basics of electric vehicles have already been worked out. Electric motors and batteries have been in regular use for more than 100 years.

For those already on the electric bandwagon, it's what's to come that is most thrilling.

"It's exciting times. This type of vehicle is what's available right now, but the future is what we're really looking forward to," Craig Briggs said, pointing to a photo of an electric sports car concept with a range of 350 miles and top speed of 150 miles per hour.

Trelstad agreed that the current crop of electric vehicles fits specific needs and customers willing to endure some inconvenience for a larger goal.

"The biggest drawbacks are fit and finish and range. If we could conquer those two, we could go all electric," he said.

Matt Neznanski can be reached at 758-9518 or matt.neznanski@lee.net.

More online

What's it like to drive an electric car?

Watch video of the Zap Xebra in action at gazettetimes.com.

To learn more about the vehicles described in this story, check out manufacturer Web sites:

Dymac: www.electricvehiclesinternational.com

ZAP: www.thezapzoneonline.com

GEM: www.gemcar.com