COSTA MESA, Calif. – El Pollo Loco has added electric delivery vehicles that double as a marketing tool. The three-wheel, sub-compact electric cars are covered in bumper-to-bumper brand messaging and emblazoned with scorching red flames against a vivid purple background.
El Pollo Loco, which operates more than 400 fast-casual restaurants, wanted a delivery vehicle to act as a moving billboard for the restaurant's new delivery and catering restaurant in the Beverly Hills and Century City areas, as well as contribute to the company's environmental stewardship efforts. The cars produce 97 percent fewer emissions than a gas-powered vehicle. Furthermore, a single electric vehicle driven for 30 miles a day in place of a gas vehicle saves about 700 gallons of gas per year.
El Pollo Loco purchased the Xebra electric vehicles from Santa Rosa-based ZAP!, a company that offers a full line of electric and advanced-technology vehicles. With a top speed of 40 miles per hour, the Xebra is 10 feet long, 5 feet wide and slightly more than 5 feet high with a payload of 1,000 pounds.
It plugs into a 110-volt outlet for a full charge in up to six hours and a 50 percent charge in up to 1.5 hours. The range on a single charge is 20 miles. The cost to run a Xebra, which retails for about $12,000, is about 3 cents a mile, compared to 13.3 cents a mile for a gas vehicle that gets 30 miles per gallon at $4 a gallon. Maintenance costs are one-third that of gas vehicles due to the reduction of moving parts, less wear and fewer replacements.
