Playa Vista Presents Neighborhood Electric Vehicle to First Homeowner

    PLAYA VISTA, Calif.--March 11, 2003--Symbolizing Playa Vista's commitment to clean, alternative forms of transportation, the company's president Steve Soboroff presented a new GEM neighborhood electric vehicle to the community's first homeowner, Dr. J. Michael Uszler, at a special ceremony held at Capri Court, a collection of single-family homes inspired by 1940s West LA architecture.
    The GEM vehicle is manufactured by Global Electric Motorcars, a subsidiary of DaimlerChrysler . Gemcars are electric, zero emission vehicles that can carry two to four passengers at up to 25 miles per hour. They plug into standard 110 volt wall outlets for charging, so Playa Vista residents will not have to install or purchase any charging apparatus.
    A fleet of GEMs is already in use at Playa Vista to transport people from the Visitor Center to many different for-sale properties in the development area south of Jefferson and east of Lincoln. The leadership at Playa Vista is encouraging new residents to lease or purchase GEMs through a special program developed with DaimlerChrysler and its local Walter Buerge dealership in Santa Monica.
    "The use of electric vehicles and other low-emission transportation solutions illustrates Playa Vista's drive to create a dynamic new community with pioneering technology and an emphasis on quality of life," Soboroff said. "They are fun to drive, good for the community and reflective of our commitment to the environment."
    "Playa Vista continues to be a leader in alternative transportation and we are proud to be associated with this dynamic new community," said Rick Kasper, president, GEM. "On any given day, GEMs can be seen shuttling visitors around the community, and we are excited to watch as the program now extends to new homeowners."

    About Playa Vista

    Playa Vista is the newest residential community to be built in West Los Angeles in the last 50 years. The community, located near the beach, is designed by leading architects and is being constructed by some of the nation's highest quality builders. Playa Vista places a premium on environmental quality, restoration and preservation, and conservation. The project is committed to sustainable development, and has been recognized as one of five P.A.T.H. (Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing) communities in the United States.

    About GEM

    Global Electric Motorcars, the largest U.S. producer of street-legal electric vehicles, has extensive experience working with planned communities around the United States. The GEM neighborhood vehicles have become a key mode of transportation in several locations around the nation, including DC Ranch in Scottsdale, Ariz., Celebration in Florida, and Bay Harbor in Michigan.