1980 Renault Lectric Leopard

R5 LeCar Hatchback

Unspecified

Manual

VF1122900A0022286

Electric

1980 Renault R5 "LeCar" "The Lectric Leopard" Offered in this listing here on eBay is a vehicle that combines the best of two worlds, an environmentally friendly Zero Emissions Vehicle (ZEV) with the appeal of a classic vehicle for collectors. If you are into youngtimers of the Seventies and have been observing development of gas prices with concern and are following electric vehicle development with interest, this car might just be what you need to feel good in more than one way. I myself purchased this 30 year old low mile Renault LeCar about one and a half years ago, when I completed installation of my PV solar system. Originally I thought a ZEV would go along with such system just nicely, effectively letting me use excess electricity to give me somewhat a free ride. Click the above picture to take a look under the hood from the other side In the last 18 months though I learned two things about my purchase, one being that I did not overproduce electricity as much as I though I would, effectively taking away produced electricity from what is needed to operate my household. Second I had to find out that the area and the climate I live in seems not to be well suited for this vehicle. The deserts numerous hills to climb and the scorching heat apparently affect the performance of the little critter severely, unless components installed are not working as they are supposed to. The basis for this electric vehicle built by U.S. ElectriCar Corporation is the worldwide immensely popular Renault R5 (better known as "LeCar" in the United States). For more than a quarter of a century this car was produced in France in two generations from 1972 to 1996, whereas the second generation was introduced in 1986 making the vehicle offered in this listing effectively a car of the first generation. The R5 was built in two and four door variations, and was successfully entered in many World Rallyesport events in the 70s and 80s as the Renault Alpine or R5 Turbo. In the late 70s the U.S. ElectriCar Corporation produced in small numbers electric vehicles based on small European cars. These early production electric cars were final proof, that an electric car does not necessarily need to equal golf cart. The features incorporated in this design created a fully useable electric car that would accommodate up to four passenger and could be dependably used for the daily errand or commute. Searching the internet for its history you will find two types EVs built by U.S. ECC, one based on the Renault LeCar (as offered here), another one being a Fiat Strada based EV. Both were offered as the LECTRIC LEOPARD, I have no data as to how many of these were actually produced and sold through the AMC dealer system, who U.S. ECC contracted with. The Renault appears to be of a 1978 built chassis, which was delivered without an engine to the US to be completed in U.S. ECCs factory in Athol Massachusetts to a ZEV, then being labeled and titled a 1980 produced vehicle. The 25 hp Prestolite 48 Volt motor propels the vehicle, which is connected to the stock Renault four speed manual transmission which supposedly gives it the capability to reach speeds north of 60 mph. Unfortunately I was never able to investigate this territory of speed due to the fact that the little car would bog out on me after a few miles of operation, most likely due to this region's heat and terrain. It will run fine initially, but down the road will loose power after short term operation. I am assuming that some component suffers so severely when operated, that it cuts down power to the electric motor. Check of all connections and replacement of some of the batteries employed did not bring the desired results. Once cooled down it runs again fine and very powerful, - at least for a while, until it starts to loose power again. Since I simply do not have the time or desire to furthermore invest into this project I decided to offer it in this eBay listing in the current condition as is and as shown. The operating range was predicted by the factory with 40-60 miles at times. As the initially installed set of batteries had to be eventually replaced over the years, it employs currently only two sets of four 12 Volt batteries that add up to less capacity than what was originally provided. For reasons explained earlier and the fact that steep hills did not contribute to troublefree operation I restricted my personal outings significantly, just to be safe and make it home. Once the drive train of the little car is checked and attended as needed by a knowledgeable technician there is no reason why this clean car shouldn't be able to achieve factory claimed performance or more, if upgraded and equipped with even better performing components implementing nowadays technology. What makes the car desirable for collectors is the simple fact, that it has seen very limited use, evidence being the odometer currently displaying a mere 3010 miles, (three-thousand-ten miles !). Judging by the overall condition of the car I am confident that these are in fact the original miles, even though I do not have documentation that would prove the point. As you can see in the numerous pictures posted the interior presents itself in very nice condition for a 30 year old car. Dash, seats, carpet, and headliner are all in useable condition and are in no immediate need of attention. Click the above picture to take a look at the interior from the other side Capacity inside is "grand", the rear seat, equipped with two additional seat belts does not only accommodate two more passengers, it can also be folded over to furthermore extend the trunk volume significantly if needed. No wonder these thrifty little space wonders were so popular in Europe and also found numerous followers here in the United States. The exterior presents itself overall in great shape, even though the surface finish had to take abuse from the elements over the 30 years of its existence. This apparently made it necessary to have the vehicle refinished at one point, at least this is what I assume, as I cannot imagine that the U.S. ElectriCar Corporation refinished the vehicles rightaway at the factory, and that the paint held its shine so remarkable over a 30 year period. Granted, there are some flaws to be found on the body consistent with its age, as you will notice a few small dents here and there, and the clear coat starting to fade and crack in some sections, yet the overall impression remains very presentable, as you can see in the pictures posted. The Lectric Leopard offered here is currently titled in the State of California. While the registration has expired in April of this year it was put on a non-operational status with the California DMV to avoid any additional fees when registering it again in this state. If you are into vehicles of historic interest and were waiting for a nice specimen with that very special appeal to come along, your wait may be over. Sure, this one is no fierce TESLA that we are talking about here, but unlike that cutting edge design vehicle this one definitely won't break the bank, and you still be as green as can be driving it with room for improvement as desired at your pace. As offers like these do not come along on a daily basis you may want to make sure to secure your interest early enough not to miss out at the end, and hopefully you will be the lucky high bidder that can pride himself to be the new owner of a rare classic Zero Emissions Vehicle. Please read my terms of sale ! I do my best to accurately present the vehicle for sale. If you still have any questions remaining that are not answered by the description or the pictures above, I invite you to email me before you place your bid. Arrangements for a personal inspection can be made, and I encourage you to do so, if travel distance and time permits you to fit it into your schedule before the auction ends. Please understand though, as nice as the car may appear, you are bidding on a "USED VEHICLE", and as such it surely will not measure up to a new one. You most certainly will find flaws consistent with its age and usage, and if you are an overly picky buyer, who never purchased a vehicle online before, it might not be suitable for you to purchase one through this online auction. If you are someone who wants to save a lot of money on a vehicle purchase, as it is possible in an online auction, you may have to consider putting a small portion of those savings back into it to make it as perfect as possible in your own opinion. No doubt, the car is in remarkable condition, but it is still used, and as such I cannot be held responsible for things that happen after a sale, therefore it is being sold AS-IS with no implied warranty. Please place a bid only if you are serious about owning this LECTRIC LEOPARD and have the necessary funds readily available to pay for it. I expect payment in full within 7 days after the auction ended and will not be able nor willing to assist in financing. I accept your payment in US funds only, this by means of a Cash, Cashier's Check or a Wire Transfer. I will certainly work with you on any arrangement to have the car picked up or shipped at a later time, payment terms still need to be met within the 7-day period. I will gladly assist with shipping arrangements of the car to be shipped to any location in the world, additional costs for transportation and preparation will be solemnly the high bidder's responsibility in addition to the final high bid price. If you do not agree with all of the terms above, then please, do not bid on this vehicle. Once the auction has ended and you had successfully become the high bidder, you have accepted a legal and binding contract, as outlined in eBay's rules and regulation, to purchase the vehicle offered in this auction with no room for further negotiations. In compliance with eBay's Rules & Regulations no part of this presentation may be reproduced without permission of the author + designer of the auction Axel B. Please E-mail any inquiries about use of the photos as well as the written material.