Another company from outside the traditional car manufacturing industry is planning to build a compact zero-emission urban car, this time its is Italian aluminium producer Tazzari Group that is hatching ambitious plans.

Another company from outside the traditional car manufacturing industry is planning to build a compact zero-emission urban car, this time its is Italian aluminium producer Tazzari Group that is hatching ambitious plans.

The on-going changes in automotive habits, driven by environmental and economic concerns has seen the market for electric-powered cars breaking free of its niche status with city cars such as the G-Whizz and MyCar taking to the streets of major European cities. In Italy Micro-Vett has developed alternative technologies and niche manufacturers such as Garage Italia have built tiny runabouts.

The environmentally-friendly and cost-competitive city car bar was raised considerably at the 78th Paris Motor Show last month when leading Italian design house Pininfarina unveiled the zero-emission b0 that is being realised in conjunction with major French conglomerate Bolloré which will provide the battery technology and manage the cell manufacturing. Proving that an alternative-power car can be both stylish and carry four adults in comfort, the b0 will also see its annual production breaking the 10,000 units per year barrier.

Now Tazzari Group plans to join this growth area and some sketchy details of its proposed electric car have been outlined on a dedicated microsite. The Imola-based company is mainly focused on all aspects of the aluminium industry. Through six divisions (Fomet, Shell Casting, Modelleria Imolese, Tazzari GL, Techno Lam and Concrete Systems) it centres on aluminium in the areas of foundries, pattern making, prototyping, advanced technologies and machine tooling as well as having interests in lightweight structural metal and sheet metal, and concrete pumping and placing equipment.

The 'Zero Car', as its new project is being dubbed, aims to fuse sporty and stylish attributes to the genre. Leveraging its aluminium manufacturing technology, and after three years of research and development, Tazzari promise a car that weighs just 542 kg thanks to a body made entirely out of recycled aluminium. The incorporation of lithium batteries means that a range of 150 km is promised along with a recharge time of just 45 minutes. Tazzari also claim decent performance for the Zero, with a 0 to 50 km/h acceleration time reached in under 5 seconds and a top speed of 90 km/h.

Running costs are 1p per mile and, according to Tazzari, the two-seater Zero will be commercialised in two different guises, sporty and ecology, with each one having a different "soul". Further details of the Zero are expected to be released soon.