December 4, 2009 in Business

Spokane-developed electric car catches Leno’s eye

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Dan Pelle photo

In this file photo, Rick Woodbury, center left, lets Gonzaga Prep student Cameron Dolsby, 14, sit behind the wheel of Woodbury’s electric car called the Tango during a visit to the school on Sept. 26, 2008.
(Full-size photo)

Spokane car designer Rick Woodbury recently spent time with car aficionado Jay Leno at the entertainer’s garage in Burbank, Calif.

There Leno recorded a video showcasing the sporty electric-powered Tango, developed and produced by Woodbury’s company, Commuter Cars.

The six-minute video shows Leno talking about battery power, the Tango’s impressive speed and the car’s appeal to “lane-splitters.” Incidentally, the car in this video was sold by Woodbury to Sergey Brin, one of the founders of Google. The Tango costs about $140,000.

Watch the video.

Two comments on this story so far. Add yours!

• 

  UniKyrn on December 04 at 2:00 p.m.

  For as long as they’ve been at it, I hope the current interest in EV’s finally gives Commuter Cars the boost they’ve been needing.

• 

  Fuschia on December 04 at 8:27 p.m.

  Not much interest when gas is $2.57/gallon. $140,000 is 4 x’s Spokanes average wage. Seems the problem is not being able to bring the price down from a trophy car.

  One can electrify their standard car for about $12K.

  For the price of a Tango you can get a Tesla. More speed, More range and a bevey of hotties.

  Time to re-engineer their Cushman scooter on steroids.