PRINCETON — A Princeton company is banking on the Minnesota Senate to follow the House's lead and pass a bill to allow electric vehicles on neighborhood streets.

E-ride Industries, which manufactures vehicles that run on batteries for local travel, has lobbied legislators to allow its vehicles to be driven in Minnesota.

On Thursday, the House voted unanimously to pass the bill that would allow electric vehicles to travel on Minnesota streets with posted speed limits of 35 mph or less. The Senate is expected to vote on the bill in the next two weeks.

"This would increase our sales and increase our business," said Kurt Bauerly, e-ride general manager.

The company on Thursday displayed three vehicles in front of the Capitol. The company was given permission to let people drive the vehicles.

Bauerly said Minnesota is one of only 10 states that don't allow the neighborhood electric vehicles on public streets.

E-ride, which started in 2004, manufactured 60 cars in 2005 at a Pierz plant. Bauerly said the company will produce about 200 vehicles this year.

Rep. Greg Blaine, R-Little Falls, authored the House bill for the electric vehicles. Sen. Paul Koering, R-Fort Ripley, authored the Senate bill.

Blaine said the bill would benefit Central Minnesota by expanding the customer base for e-Ride.

He also said the vehicles provide a mode of transportation that doesn't have harmful emissions.

Blaine expects both bills to easily pass.

"I'm looking forward to the day in the not-so-distant future where the governor signs this bill into law," he said.

See Source: St. Cloud Times