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When I turned the key of Chevrolet’s S 10 Electric pickup truck, a faint buzz was the only sound. Not having driven an electric vehicle before, I wondered if it would it feel like a real vehicle or a grown-up golf cart.

The S 10 Electric was available for short test drives last week when Chevrolet invited journalists to preview its full line of 1998 products. While the Corvette convertible and revamped Camaro were more fun, the S 10 Electric was fascinating not only because it is unusual but also because it gives a glimpse into the world of electric vehicles, or EVs.

The S 10 Electric is not for sale and will only be leased to

commercial fleets, utility companies and state and federal government agencies. That’s good, because at this time its limited driving range and marginal payload make it suitable only for very specialized applications. It is interesting, nevertheless.

Sitting behind the wheel, I found that it all seemed pretty normal. The dash looks much like any other S 10 pickup. Standard equipment includes dual airbags, anti-lock brakes, AM/FM stereo, power steering, air conditioning and cruise control. In place of the tachometer, however, sits a large “fuel” gauge that keeps the driver apprised of the charge left in the battery.

After taking a minute to familiarize myself with the controls, I slipped the gear lever into Drive and tentatively trod on the throttle pedal. With a barely-audible whine, the truck crept forward, slowly at first, and then with a bit more vigor as I pushed the pedal even farther.

Trundling slowly out of the parking lot, it felt like any small pickup, except the ride was bouncy and harsh. Most of the bumpiness could be attributed to the 50-pound tire pressure used to lessen rolling resistance and the 1,400 pounds of batteries.

Out on smooth streets, it zipped up to 45 mph rather easily, and the lack of noise was almost surreal. The loudest sound I could hear was the hum of the air conditioner.

Under braking, the electric motor temporarily turns into a generator to recapture some of the electric energy used during acceleration.

Saving energy any way possible is necessary because electric vehicles have a

limited range. This truck, for example, can travel between 40 to 60 miles at 45 mph on a full charge. In city driving, the range is closer to 40 miles.

Chevy quotes a 0 to 50 mph acceleration of 13.5 seconds, which seems slow but in real life wasMDDN MDNMadequate. Maximum payload is 850 pounds.

Conserving energy is the order of the day, and driving as if there’s an egg under your throttle foot is the best technique. Jack-rabbit starts are anathema to an EV.

General Motors engineers have gone to great lengths to make the S 10 Electric glide down the road and slip through the air as easily as possible in order to conserve power in every way. Aerodynamic refinements to reduce the air’s grip on its body are everywhere. They are as ti ny and unnoticeable as a rubber seal between the body and the cab, a blanked-off grille and a belly pan under the front end.

More obvious are the half tonneau cover across the back half of the bed and a front bumper with an air dam shape.

The 114-horsepower, three-phase, liquid-cooled AC induction motor nestles under the hood and drives the front wheels. It weighs only 154 pounds and is 16 inches in diameter.

The large panel you see when you pop the hood is not the motor at all, but the cover of a large computer control module that regulates all functions.

Aside from the motor, the key to the vehicle is the lead-acid, 1,400-pound

battery pack that resides under the truck’s cargo box. It takes nearly three

hours to charge with a special inductive paddle-like device and an external

charger. The battery pack’s useful life is about two years under normal

circumstances.

Will we all be driving around in electric cars in the near future? I d ‘t think so. Until technology allows more range, and recharging is universally available, gasoline will still be the fuel of choice for the masses. Electric vehicles definitely have a place in our future, it’s just a limited one.

Price

The manufacturers list price is $32,795.

SPECIFICATIONS:

MOTOR: 3-phase, AC electric

TRANSMISSION: automatic

WHEELBASE: 108.3 inches

CURB WEIGHT: 4,199 lbs.

BASE PRICE: $32,795