The most exciting news in alternative propulsion technologies tends to come from Japan, Europe, our own US of A and... Canada?

That's right. ZENN, which stands for Zero Emissions No Noise, is a Canadian car company that is betting on an all-electric future. The production of its 3-door hatchback EV is in full swing with units being exported to Europe and even US.

The $12,750 ZENN gets 80 percent of its charge in just 4 hours from a standard 120 volt outlet. That amounts to a range of up to 35 miles, with a regulated top speed of only 25 mph. That's pretty meager stuff, considering that other similar EVs like Th!nk or Miles are already fairing much batter. As such, a high output Li-ion pack in lieu of the archaic lead-acid would do ZENN a world of good.

Of course raw performance specs are not the end of the story. ZENN happens to be one of the most fictional and ergonomic EVs in the pack. That often goes a long way with thrifty, eco-conscious car buyers. ZENN is also quite easy on the eye. Sure, its rival NmG may boast a top seed of 76 mph. But how many folks will be all together comfortable driving around town in a giant rubber ducky?.

Check out the video of ZENN on the Rick Mercer Report