BUZZING ABOUT TRANSPORTATION; WESTLAKE, T.O. MAY GO ELECTRIC.

Byline: Kevin F. Sherry and Sonia Giordani Daily News Staff Writers

The cities of Westlake Village and Thousand Oaks are dipping their toes in the pool of electric transportation.

Westlake Village City Engineer John Knipe and City Council members Betty De Santis and James Henderson will test drive some of the latest electric car models today when they take a field trip to Southern California Edison's Electric Vehicle Test Facility in Pomona.

Meanwhile Thousand Oaks' three-year lease of an electric Saturn EV1 is expected to begin by the end of the month, said Grahame Watts, the city's environmental programs analyst.

Last month, Westlake officials tested an EV1, a two-seater manufactured by General Motors Corp., and available through Saturn dealers.

Although the ride was impressive, De Santis said, it would be impractical for the city, which intends to use its car to transport several city officials around town for business meetings.

``At this point, a mini-van is probably the way to go,'' said De Santis, a member of the Public Safety Committee, which advised the council last month to approve funding for an alternative-power vehicle.

Electric cars have a range of about 80 miles before they run out of juice.

Thousand Oaks' light blue EV1 cost about $15,000, which was paid for by a previous grant of $34,000 from the county Air Pollution Control District. Westlake Village expects to spend about $20,000 in Air Quality Management District funds for a three-year lease, which includes use of the car and of an electric battery charger, said City Engineer Knipe.

``The city has a need for a city car anyway. This would be a clean car and a great education tool as well,'' Knipe said.

Westlake Village planned to purchase a city-owned car to help cut down on mileage reimbursements to city employees which total about $4,000 each year.

If the city selects an alternative power vehicle, it could cover the costs of city transportation by qualifying for AQMD funds earmarked to cities for transportation programs that cut emissions, said Raymond Taylor, city manager with Westlake Village.

Taylor said the city has more than $44,000 in its AQMD account for such programs.

In addition to its use to transport city officials, the city plans to use the new vehicle as an educational tool, especially in local schools, to raise community awareness about alternative-power vehicles and how they work.

``First of all, we can get AQMD funding to help with the lease payments. And then, we are setting a great example for the city to cut emissions,'' De Santis said.

De Santis said the Public Safety Committee will submit a recommendation to the council for the best electric vehicle to meet the city's needs.

Currently Thousand Oaks has two electric-car charging stations at the Civic Arts Plaza, and hopes to secure additional money to promote their installation across town, Watts said. Right now $100,000 in state money for the city's electric-car program awaits Gov. Pete Wilson's signature, Watts said. Wilson has to sign the measure by Sunday, Watts said.

An additional $125,000 from the state is scheduled to go to the Ventura County pollution district, which sponsors electric-car programs, he said.

With matching funds and supplements, the city encourages the installation of charging stations at shopping malls, libraries and theaters.

Aside from the two stations at the Civic Arts Plaza, the closest battery chargers are at the Costco in Westlake Village. Costco installed two chargers when it was built in August 1996, said Thad Koeszcz, the store's assistant warehouse manager.

The service is free, but because there are so few electric cars on the roads, the chargers aren't always occupied, Koeszcz said.

``I can't say that it's an everyday thing,'' he said.