Forty percent of all our daily trips, according to the Nationwide Personal Transportation Survey, are within just 2 miles of our home and 50% of all commutes are 5 miles or less. Despite the short distances, most of these trips- 87%- are made by personal vehicle.

Since public transport and bicycles aren’t always an accessible alternative, increasingly, Americans interested in cutting their gas bills and their carbon footprint are turning to small electric vehicles as an option to their gas guzzlers.

Approaching retirement, Rick and Gloria Owen decided to give up their second car and replace it with a sort-of golf cart. They bought a Neighborhood Electric Vehicle: a tiny EV street legal only on roads with 35mph speed limits or below.

In this video, the Owens talk about their decision to buy a secondhand GEM car (about $7500 new) and Rick takes us for a ride and shows us just how easy it is to park (note: there are doors for the vehicle, but in summer he keeps them in the attic for natural AC).