BURBANK ASSEMBLYMAN LEADS WAY IN ELECTRIC CAR.

Byline: Paul Hefner Daily News Sacramento Bureau

Assemblyman Scott Wildman plans to become the first state lawmaker to use an electric car on the job.

Wildman, D-Burbank, expects to take delivery Monday of an EV1 made by General Motors. He said the two-door car will serve as his official state vehicle, to be used on district business by him and members of his staff.

The $400 monthly car allowance available to all legislators will cover most of the cost of leasing the car, but Wildman will have to chip in about $80 more a month.

``I think it's really the cutting edge of new technology and the kind of message we need to send,'' he said. ``I really believe that electric vehicles have enormous potential.''

He said the teardrop-shaped car, which has a range of 70 to 90 miles between charges, has ``pretty good acceleration.''

Burbank's municipal power company is putting in a public charger near his district office, he said.

Wildman plans to show off the car Monday at Burbank City Hall. Calstart, a Burbank-based nonprofit consortium for electric-car technology, will present Wildman with an award for ``not blowing smoke.''

He said he was inspired to use an electric car by thoughts of his grandchildren.

``When you see the smog that we get down here some days, you really think this is the kind of thing we need to be doing,'' he said.