Dear Sir:

I’ll be in your city soon to demonstrate the legal and licensable CITICAR SV-48 electric automobile and appoint an authorized dealer. Among the 63 businessmen now selling CITICARS in the Southeast are Chevrolet, Buick, Ford, Oldsmobile, Cadillac, Pontiac, Lincoln-Mercury, Chrysler, Plymouth, Dodge, VW, Triumph, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo and Porsche-Audi dealers. We also have dealers who are in the marine, tire, battery, tractor, lawnmower, golf car and used car business.

Both GMAC and Ford Credit will handle consumer credit, as well as floor-planning. As we expand our production up to 40 cars a day we are expanding our dealers.

We are not competing for the family car business. CITICAR takes care of the 2nd and 3rd cars in the same driveway or 38% of all automobiles. If all 2nd & 3rd cars owned by the same family were electrics this country would be self-sufficient in oil, never have to import another drum from the Arabs and free of blackmail.

CITICAR takes care of the 54.1% of all automobile trips that are less than 5 miles; the 14% of all automobile trips for picking up groceries; the 82% of all commuting to work, 56% of which is single passenger. People are buying CITICAR for what it is, rather than what it is not. It is not intended to be the most beautiful car, the biggest car or the fastest car. It is basic, dependable and economical transportation for commuting, shopping, high school and colleges, military bases, retirement areas, airports, industrial plants, meter reading, municipal use etc. It took Henry Ford 18 years to advance from Model T to Model A. This is the beginning, but we are moving much faster to prepare for the Federal Power Commission’s prediction of 38 million electric automobiles in service by 1990 – only 15 short years away.

A dealer in Birmingham, Ala. had a press, radio, TV & VIP private opening on a Friday and registered over 3,000 in his showroom on Saturday & Sunday. CITICAR is generating more floor traffic than any single promotional effort auto dealers have ever known. The first question asked by many buyers is “How is the manufacturer listed on the stock market?” They are ready for 2nd & 3rd cars that will get them from here to there without using gasoline, oil, anti-freeze or costing them an arm and a leg for maintenance.

We have a fantastic number of dealer requests from everywhere and don’t wish to waste your time or ours. The CITICAR is not for everyone and we don’t want you to bed a dealer without a genuine interest. The electric car isn’t just coming. It is here now and as an authorized dealer you can profit up to $450.00 per car and not have to discount a dime, as you would have the only game in town.

Examine the attached material carefully. Even if you do not become an authorized dealer you will want to know as much as possible about the electric car. Let me know by telephone, telegram or letter if you want to examine the CITICAR when I arrive in your city.

Robert L. Balfour – Vice President & Sales Manager
Sebring-Vanguard sales office, 604 Aumond Road, Augusta, Georgia 30904
404 736-4065

Oversight of Energy Conservation
Hearings Before the Committee on Government Operations
United States Senate, Ninety-fourth Congress, First Session
April 16, 17, and 18, 1975
Page 887