Zelma Fishman - Founder, Central Coast EVs 

NEW TIMES: What was your motivation for starting an electric scooter business?

FISHMAN: It was largely my desire to breathe less CO2 and car exhaust. I’ve been into the environment all my life, and I want to keep our planet by helping reduce people’s carbon footprint.

NEW TIMES: What would you say is the biggest selling point for electric scooters?

FISHMAN: When gas prices are high, it’d be gas prices. But there’s numerous other upsides to electric scooters: you save money, you can get around town just as fast as in a car, they’re more convenient and less expensive to operate than cars, you don’t have to worry about parking, and electric scooters are silent.

NEW TIMES: Do you feel there’s an advantage to electric scooters over ordinary bicycles?

FISHMAN: They’re real good if you’re older and your knees aren’t so hot. But you also don’t get as tired and you don’t have to get sweaty on your way to work. It’s an additional perk that you can pedal as much or as little as you want on an electric scooter.

NEW TIMES: Who do you feel will make up your clientele base?

FISHMAN: They’ll be pretty varied, from middle-aged ladies to penny pinchers to high school and college students. Then there’s those who’ve gotten stranded, by a DUI or otherwise. This form of “guerilla transportation” is attractive to all sorts of people.

NEW TIMES: What would you say is the mission of your company?

FISHMAN: To sell lots of scooters and help get cars off the road, while allowing myself to make a living. The nature of transportation is changing, and I’d love to be able to make a living by helping turn things around for the environment.