It doesn't happen often, but when your Eye is on the Sparrow, sometimes it does. This is the true story of a man's passion, dedication, courage and vision, and that of his family and followers who, captivated by the dream are making something extraordinary happen. Like its namesake, the Sparrow is small, swift and efficient. It will change personal transportion forever.

Thirty four years ago in a 900 s.f. factory in Bolton, Connecticut, 25-year old Mike began what would become the world's preeminent motorcycle seat and accessory business. Mike, taking his cue from what he wanted to pursue personally and what was going on around him, probably had little idea of the magnitude of the profound effect he'd have on how the world would think about transportation. The Navy-trained master electrician's penchant for electric vehicles fueled the development of his first electric mini bike. It had an automobile starter, 12-volt Delco truck battery and handcrafted metal tubular frame. Mike made 20 of the mini bikes, even sold a few to motorcycle dealers. The success of the mini bike was small, but it marked the beginning of the dream - to make a complete and working electric vehicle. In 1969 the movie Easy Rider came out ushering in an era of unprecedented motorcycle industry growth. As the industry grew so did Mike's business, from 3 employees to 9. Still dreaming about producing an electric vehicle the World would embrace, Mike honed his skills in making seats, handlebars and frames. He designed new products, made them, taught others how to make them, and marketed them. The demands of producing seats, running the factory and meeting payroll put the development and perfecting of his electric vehicle on the sidelines - for awhile. (From son Tom's distilled memory of riding that mini bike on the gravel, five years old, feet barely touching, we know it was more than learning to ride a motorcycle for him. It, too, was the beginning of the Dream.)

Mike's company was growing at an astounding rate for two major reasons: Incredible growth in the motorcycle industry and unique innovations Corbin was developing for the motorcycle accessory market. In 1973 alone, Mike filed for four U.S. patents, three design and one mechanical. Three were in the area of motorcycle saddles and one concerned with motorcycle chassis design. All four were granted and later issued to Mike by the United States Patent Office with gold seal copies. While serving an enlistment in the Navy, as an electrician in the early 60's, Mike rode Honda scooters in Japan, rented on weekends. This was his first exposure to Japanese motorcycles. He was also beginning to hear about the legend of Mr. Honda himself, starting from nothing at the end of World War II and developing a motorcycle company, part by part. In 1973 Corbin bought the old Somersville, Connecticut Woolen Mill, a 200,000 square foot multi-story brick complex which had actually started construction in 1836. Straddling a pretty little river from which it got its mechanical power through a water turbine, years before the abundance of inexpensive electricity. Corbin loved the new home in the beautiful countryside of Connecticut and now the company had a building large enough to grow into after moving four times in five years. The old woolen mill was dirty and rundown, but Mike established an in-house fixer upper team and renovating one area at a time they proceeded to do a wonderful job. The biggest local contractor said, "Corbin pours more concrete than any contractor in these parts." The new Corbin complex even encompassed its own waterfall. The major product lifeline of the company was the world's premier motorcycle saddle and the developing line of motorcycle chassis and chassis subcomponents. Mike developed new ideas that made it possible to dismantle a stock motorcycle and assemble it into a Corbin chassis, yielding the thorough custom look of the current day choppers. Mike designed with a high steering head location and lower engine position which made a dramatic looking motorcycle with a favorable center of gravity, providing a good handling bike with safety, style and function. Honda was one of the driving forces that made the motorcycle industry grow so fast in the early seventies with its commitment to excellence and new invention. Mike was amazed at how dominant it had become in the previous ten-year period. And amazed at coming from a motorcyclist riding Honda scooters in Japan to now making saddles for the dominating street bike in America. "You meet the nicest people on a Honda" and hopefully they will come to Corbin for an upgraded saddle. British motorcycle companies were dwindling quickly in the face of aggressive product development from Japan. Mike watched and learned that the most important part of being an entrepreneurial company is envisioning invention and product development. Ideas started swimming around in Mike's head. Honda started out making parts with his own brain and hands. Mike was a model maker, electrician, seat maker and sewer with a desire to build a personally unique business. Could Mike become a motorcycle manufacturer? Other guys had, and after all, he was building chassis. From the 60's hippy antiestablishment mentality came real public concern. The world was starting to worry about energy, clean air and the price of gas in the early 70's. Mike realized that he could build an electric motorcycle. After all, he developed and built a basic mini bike. Now it was time to tackle a register-able street vehicle that would bring value to commuters in congested smoggy areas. The lights were coming together. Many years later Mike realized that was the most important time, developing as an entrepreneur. Mikes first project was to build two electric racing motorcycles that ran on electricity and visit the Salt Flats in Utah at the annual Bonneville Nations. Mike went on to set the Electric Motorcycle Land Speed Record of 101 mph. The second bike set a record at 99 mph. Mike proved that electric vehicles can go fast and he became the fastest man in the world on a two wheeled electric vehicle at 101 mph. This was really the formation period, when Mike started dreaming about unique kind of vehicles that could bring value to Mother Earth and its temporary population. Mike saw himself as half environmentalist and half capitalist. Mike started wondering how he could turn this idea into his going concern, to actually bring zero emissions vehicles to market at a profit. This was not being in America, which further excited Mike's sense of challenge. He felt he needed to do something and it must be a sustainable company.

Mike applied for four patents in 1974. Three were for motorcycle seat designs and the fourth was a mechanical patent describing a new development in motorcycle swing arm design where the electric motor is actually part of the unsuspended vehicle weight. The new design represented a number of advantages in the development of an electric powered vehicle. This patent was granted with a gold seal copy issued by the United States Patent Office in 1976. All three seat design patents were granted, two in 1975 and the third in 1976 with U.S. Patent Office gold seal copies. Corbin was putting together his building blocks and barriers to entry, knowing the commitment was long term. The record-setting victory at Bonneville in 1973 brought a great deal of attention to Mike's work on electric vehicles, and now to the registrable street electric motorcycle. Mike ordered a special drawing board for his office. It was five feet tall and ten feet wide, allowing him to draw the entire X1 electric motorcycle in a life-size 1:1 scale. Mike personally drew up the vehicle before he presented to the company's fabricators the X1 challenge. THE CORBIN GENTRY ELECTRIC MOTORCYCLE: (as described in the original specifications tear-sheet released in 1974) The Corbin electric powered motorcycle was initially designed by Mike Corbin in 1973. It was, at that time, one of the first total electric design concepts for a full size motorcycle. Two prototypes were completed in early 1974 and tested. One was placed on a dynometer and wired to an automatic cycling monitor. Number 1 bike was timed in this manner for a grueling life test for thousands of miles. It was from this testing that final components were selected.. Corbin Electric Number 2 was registered and put into street use for application and reliability studies. Results of this test were extremely favorable. It was found that the motorcycle was extremely easy t ride, service and required very little maintenance; and was definitely superior to mini-versions of two wheeled electric vehicles.. The Corbin Electric is offered in two different control variations; one or two forward speeds. The two speed model starts on 12 volts for a smooth controlled acceleration. Further, by sitting at normal height, visibility in travel is excellent. The large motorcycle wheels roll easier and produce less friction and handle the normal road surface defects safely. Wheelbase and frame geometry are properly balanced for effortless handling.. Results of this preliminary program brought Corbin-Gentry engineering and management to the current model which is marketed world-wide. A basic philosophy in Corbin Electric production is quality. Each motorcycle incorporates high quality parts, is wired and built by hand and each stage of production is test inspected. This particular attention to hand-crafted precision and detail is part of the Corbin-Gentry style and your assurance of the finest electric vehicle available.. Will It Work For You? The Corbin Electric is an extremely efficient method of travel; 28-30 mph with a one charge range of 30-40 miles. When you are not riding, just simply plug the bike into an ordinary 110-volt outlet. It is extremely reliable, noiseless, produces no smog and travels at a full cost of six cents ($.06) per 30 miles.. The motor is fully guaranteed at over 400 service centers in the United States and many foreign countries. The battery average life is 6000 miles and replacements are readily available from the factory or any authorized dealer.. The Corbin Electric functions best in short range travel situations. In such commuter type patterns, electrics work far batter than other types of vehicles. Fuel is becoming in short supply, air pollution-increasing daily, traffic congestion clogs our cities. Electric vehicles make four times more efficient use of energy wherever electricity is produced from petroleum and a continuing supply of such power for electrics seems assured when other power sources such as solar, wind and hydro are considered. We are convinced there is a place in every community for the Corbin Electric motorcycle. It is interesting to note, while using the Corbin Electric to commute, run errands or leisure riding, you have then traveled without upsetting the balance of nature.. Available as follows: Environmental Green or International Orange. Single Speed - $1,395.00 and Two Speed - $1,495.00 Plus Freight and Dealer Preparation..

CORBIN GENTRY 1974 PRESS RELEASE: (taken from the orginal document in its entirety) DURING THE MORNING OF JULY 13, 1974, PROF. CHARLES E. MACARTHER, RIDING A CORBIN ELECTRIC MOTORCYCLE (XLP-1), ASCENDED MT. WASHINGTON, NEW HAMPSHIRE VIA THE AUTO ROAD, A DISTANCE OF EIGHT MILES WITH A MAXIMUM GRADE OF 18% AND AVERAGE GRADE OF 12%. A TOTAL CLIMB OF 4688 FEET. THIS WAS THE WORLD'S FIRST ELECTRIC VEHICLE ASCENT. THIS ASTOUNDING ACCOMPLISHMENT OF MACARTHURS AND HIS ELECTRIC MOTORCYCLE, HAS EVOLVED INTO AN ANNUAL RALLY NAMED "THE MT. WASHINGTON ALTERNATIVE VEHICLE REGATTA."

Mike started the motorcycle saddle company in 1968 and had developed it into a reasonably good family business. Corbin actually invented the market which he dominated, then and now. He was able to continuously bring in new ideas which kept the market and the business on a constant growth pattern. By 1994 Mike had the family business running along very well, after coming through the 1991 recession. The motorcycle industry slowed, but thankfully only for a short period of time. Tom was a real estate developer in Sacramento and was enjoying a good business that he had started in 1983. At 18 years old, out of high school, Tom went directly out on his own to work, starting with selling vacuum cleaners to parlaying fixer-upper houses. Tom admired entrepreneurs and studied the art of "living by one's wits." Entrepreneurs start young and in Tom's case, with the exposure to his Dad's motorcycle business and electric vehicle involvement, his education was rich with risk and imagination. Mike had asked Tom to go to college after doing very well in private high school but Tom insisted in starting on the road of entrepreneurship. Mike and Tom started talking about long range plans involving commitment to the Sparrow. Father and son knew it would take years to develop a successful niche car company. The Sparrow idea haunted Mike constantly, but at 51 years old he wondered if he was too old to start an electric car company. He knew that he had come up with an innovative niche vehicle idea that would be very helpful to commuters and to the environment. Having been in business most of his life, Mike knew this would be a long-term developmental endeavor and it would require all his financial and intellectual resources. The Sparrow project could easily take twenty years before it would be a sustainable business plan. There were extreme risks involved and a project like this was really too large for a company the size of Corbin Motorcycle Saddles. Mike felt good about the trek of testing himself against the odds of starting a car company from scratch-if Tom would join up. The project needed a young man willing to commit to a long term challenging endeavor. Tom was ready, willing, able and fascinated by the challenge of actually starting an electric car company. The idea of tackling the almost impossible aroused the adrenalin of the born entrepreneur. "Entrepreneurship = Envisioning a business that is beyond the reach of current assets; the vision exceeds the capital and human resources of the enterprise." Mike and Tom loved the idea and vowed to work at maximum effort for as long as it would take to bring Sparrow to an enlightened and sustainable business that brings high value to owners while reducing air pollution.

New Years Eve 1995 Mike and Bev threw a party at their home and invited the key folks at Corbin to announce that Mike and Tom had decided to go forward with the Sparrow commitment-to design and build a running concept car in less than one year. The Company was running fairly well, only limited by the outgrown Castroville building and the struggle to fill customers' backorders of motorcycle saddles. Mike attended an electric vehicle symposium to bring himself up to date on the state of the art. He learned only of two improvements in electric vehicle technology since his involvement twenty years ago. Batteries were still lead-acid cell, but now starved electrolyte rather than liquid, and there was more being done with direct current controllers. There was talk about alternating current electric cars but unfortunately there were no components available to the market for composite car manufacturing. At the time, very few specifically designed vehicles were on the scene, with the exception of General Motors' EV1. Mike liked the way it looked, but saw the EV1 as being in a completely different category than the idea he was working on. Mike started running into consultants and manufacturers that preached about designing and building brushless DC motors with controllers. The advantage was that the brushes would be eliminated, which was a maintenance issue and greater motor efficiency. The idea was sound and Mike continued exploring these possibilities. The brushless DC motor has permanent magnets on its rotating shaft rather than the windings. This means that the power in the windings stationary field must be alternated in order to create rotation. This would require a specially designed controller for the electrical car because no off-the-shelf production parts existed. It seemed to Mike that this would not be a big deal for an electronics company to design. His education was as an electrician with many years working in an electrical engineering capacity, but not electronic design. His background was in electro-mechanical design and repair, with experience in fabrication of chassis, aerodynamics and electrical drive lines. No hardware was actually developed at Corbin during 1995 but everyone involved became familiar with the art form, and that was important. Nobody seemed to be on the same trail as Mike. Sparrow would be a unique new way to find a path into the world. Everyone on the team was convinced Corbin's Sparrow would make an improvement in the word.

1996 was another year of incredible growth at Corbin, over 20% up in all areas, saddles and fiberglass sales. Tom was working hard to get us a larger building and the decision to make it in Hollister was pretty much decided . We moved to Hollister on Christmas/New Years '97/'98. Tom had been working hard on trading our building in Castroville for land to build a large facility in Hollister. His formal real estate experience paid off. In California the extra time it takes to permit and build industrial buildings is longer that one usually expects. Mike was granted a mechanical patent on a method to manufacture motorcycle saddles and was awarded a gold seal copy. This invention revolutionized the aftermarket motorcycle saddle industry, stimulating much excitement at Corbin. Mike went ahead and filed for an additional mechanical patent on similar subject matter. That second mechanical patent was awarded to Mike in 1997. These two patents still are barriers to entry, helping Corbin to do enlightened work in the motorcycle industry. M ike and Tom were looking for opportunity in the car business, knowing they did not want to make a car like cars that were already in production and enjoying economy of scale. Mike put a 4x8 foot piece of plywood on the floor, a stool, three car wheels and a kitchen chair on it. He sat down and told the team he believed a single passenger electric three wheel car could be designed to take up about as much room as a motorcycle. Mike had collected a good team of fabrication model makers over the last few years who developed a wonderful "Let's do it!" attitude. Designers and artists sometimes seem like dreamers, but more often are powerful observers and beautiful packagers of ideas. Sparrow was taking on a shape and concept of its own based on the packaging of several ideas. 1. We want her to be a zero emissions vehicle so she will be electric. 2. We want her to be small in the city because cities lack space. Four Sparrows can park in the space of one car. Call it four-to one-parking. 3. Motorcycle parking would be splendid for the little bird. It's inexpensive and sometimes free. It requires a motorcycle license plate. 4. Sparrow would like to fly in the commuter lanes during peak hours, so a motorcycle license plate and one seat would classify her as 100 percent occupied. She'll save time-imagine passing a thousand sedans on the Golden Gate Bridge I the morning. "Make Sparrow's Day" 5. Low mass. A one-person Sparrow could be made with a great deal less weight, saving energy and extending the electric vehicle capacity for travel. It would require less raw materials and less labor. 6. Ovalic shaped sphere could be small and strong. The sphere would actually serve as master attachment bracket for body, chassis and safety cabin. Consolidation is our design advantage. 7. Three wheel vehicle under 1500 lbs is classified as a motorcycle by the Federal Department of Transportation (DOT) so Sparrow can fly in the diamond land and perch in motorcycle parking. 8. The small ovalic shape helps hold down the Coefficient of Drag Times Area (CDA) numbers; smaller and cleaner; more performance saving energy with less pollution. 9. Three wheels reduces the rolling friction by 25 percent and eliminates the heavy cross axle in the rear; More efficiency. 10. Three wheels sit on the road nicer and reduce a high percentage of chassis twisting forces, enabling a reduction in chassis weight. 11. An enclosed vehicle provides security and weather protection. 12. Sparrow will have her own look. She will look like her job and her purpose. 13. A new vehicle that does not do what common cars do, but does things that common cars cannot do. Sparrow shall not be developed to replace cars but to add dimension to the ways people move around. 14. 78% of America travels 18 miles per day. That can be done in an electric car creating no air pollution. 15. 93% of the time one drives a car, the driver is solo. 78% (electric) multiplied by 93% (solo) = 72% of America's trips can be done in a Sparrow. Oh yea, you are unable to carry plywood so let's reduce 72% to 70%. Seven out of ten times an American gets into a car, Sparrow is capable of finishing the flight. 16. Don't sell your regular car; you'll need it for going on trips and carrying plywood. That old car is needed about 30% of the time and it will last you much longer because you won't need it that much. The opportunity for Sparrow was coming together in Tom's and Mike's minds. They were niche hunters, looking for a fraction of a percentage of the world's most prevalent industry, automobiles, the largest industry on earth. Both father and son felt that they needed a definable product at the century's turn, even without big numbers, they felt physical realization of the Sparrow dream should be flying around. Can we make money with the Sparrow? No, not for many years. Not until each Sparrow can be brought to flight with a net profit on each bird. Mike was always a bird lover, living with parrots in his homes for years, admiring Sparrows for the quick, agile determination. The name "Sparrow" was starting to take on status. Mike committed to Sparrow and everyone loved it. In December of 1996 Mike filed for a United States registration for the word "Sparrow" to be used as a name an electric car. The registration was granted by the U.S. Patent Office in 1999 and carries a U.S. registration number. Two major areas of work began with Corbin toolmakers, design ideas onto paper and actually begin building the prototype. Two outside companies were attempting to develop brushless DC motors and controllers specifically for the Sparrow, but both failed and were unable to deliver anything that would work. Tom and Mike weren't overly surprised because neither one of these entities had an achiever's track record. Work at Corbin moved along very quickly from a March '96 starting time. We wanted to show up at the San Francisco Auto Show for Thanksgiving week 1996. Think about that. Have you ever seen a totally new concept car generated in seven months that ran, and still runs well? Corbin has always been a company able to develop and hold wonderful artists and craftspeople. The Sparrow was invented like most original car concepts, on passion, with entrepreneurship, by artisans, with determination, financial commitment and risk of straying from the comfort zone. We built a couple of rectangular metal tubing test cars to help develop the running gear and drive train. We tested battery placement ideas. Driving the test chassis around was very beneficial and pretty much is the way Corbin engineers develop and perfect things. These test cars were referred to as "mules." We were surprised at how rapidly we were able to establish a very good three wheel electric car platform, thus develop the suspension and motor drive. Fiberglass design model making team developed the oval sphere three wheel electric car egg, which actually does not have a metal frame. The egg has metal apertures imbedded into the fiberglass providing high strength attachment points. There was an essential driving force at work at Corbin-the commitment from product champions willing to use their own resources and time. Extreme loyalty and commitment to Sparrow was prevalent. We all worked beyond resources and experiences. Mike remembers guys asleep in the cafeteria with their faces laying in pizza that the company kindly provided since the team was literally working 24/7. Every team member considered the time of the Sparrow concept car an enlightened learning time. We all went on to become better and more courageous. In the years since there has been a constant "Parade Of Fools (POFs) that has given themselves credit for Sparrow and the nay-sayers hoping to elevate themselves. The dedicated team of enlightened characters that worked on the concept car know who was there and find comfort in Sparrow's worldwide fame today. We did special thinking, commitment and real work attempting to make commuting a little nicer in Future City. The incomparable commitment to challenge paid off and in seven months of tedious brainstorming, fast-to-market craftsmanship and direct risk at its highest level, Sparrow concept car went to the San Francisco Auto Show for her debutante debut. She received overwhelming rave reviews. The Corbins did not get paid to do this project, they worked on future dreams. Each person who worked on the car was paid either salary or overtime. Sparrow concept car cost over $1,000,000 and was paid for lock, stock and barrel by Corbin. There were no outside concerns helping out financially. Sparrow concept car had eight batteries and a forklift motor. That's what was available in 1996 to composite builders that depend on shelf parts to build a product. Sparrow concept car remains in Corbin's Hollister showroom today and is loved and revered by its creation team. When viewing Sparrow concept car one sees passion, love, paradigm change and the stimulation of risk and imagination. Sparrow will eventually take over the world. Mike was frightened before the show opened, expecting to be laughed at, because that had happened before. The opposite happened! Folks loved Sparrow. We actually wrote up orders, first evidence that Sparrow would sell. Once they knew she would sell, the most profound question was put to rest, "Would anybody buy one?" 1996 was a fantastic year at Corbin. The new facility in Daytona Beach, Florida opened that provided a new showroom and warehouse for our products on the East Coast. When one looks at life, one sees the high points first. In the Corbins' lives, the year of the Sparrow concept car sits richly in their minds as one of the best years ever. The passion flows forward.

CORBIN 1996 PRESS RELEASE: (taken from the orginal document in its entirety) Station Car Concept Like many of the world's greatest inventions, the Sparrow concept seems obvious in retrospect. By identifying all that is required, Corbin was able to design a vehicle to suit the needs of today's commuter. 1) Since most people commute to work solo, the Sparrow offers seating for one. This not only keeps the size of the vehicle small, but since the driver is using 100% of the vehicle's passenger capacity, it is qualified to use "carpool lanes." 2) The Sparrow features a composite mono-coque chassis. Lightweight and extremely strong, over 50% of the vehicle's total weight is batteries which gives it the highest electrical-power-to-vehicle weight ratio available. 3) Three-wheeled design is extremely agile and provides a small footprint. Due to its size, the Sparrow could effectively quadruple the parking capacity of most lots since it takes little more space than parking a motorcycle. 4) The price point is low and performance is high! Corbin expects to mass produce Sparrows with an end user price of $12,500. This makes it an ideal second vehicle to be used for commuting within a range of 60 miles. 5) The Sparrow will take a full charge in six hours plugged into standard 110 volt power. Carrying its own charger on-board, the Sparrow is always ready to plug in wherever it may be. 6) Attractive design! Engineered for safety and designed for good looks. The Station Car Concept: The "Station Car" concept is currently being developed by many mass transit organizations around the globe. One of the largest problems facing mass transit authorities is parking availability at the terminal departure. Someone taking the train to work may have to arrive at the station 1-2 hours early must to get a parking space for his car. Additionally, once the commute is over, he must be close to the final destination from the transit station since his vehicle is now many miles away. This makes "taking the train" an attractive option to many possible users. The solution again is brilliantly simple. As an example, a mass transit system like BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) could purchase a fleet of Sparrows to use as Station Cars. A commuter pays a subscription fee that covers use of a car and train fare for a day, week, month or year. Several current problems are overcome by this system, but to fully understand the implications, one must follow the process from start to finish. As a Station Car Commuter, your day begins differently than many others. In your garage Is a new Sparrow fully charged and ready to go. You get in your Sparrow and drive to the nearest BART station where you arrive at your leisure, because you know you will have a parking place waiting for you when you get there. You pull in to your parking slot/charging bay, plug in the car and board the next train towards your office. When you get off the train, you walk to the parking lot where a Sparrow sits in its charging bay waiting for your use. You hop in and drive the last couple of miles to the office, using the commuter lanes and leaving all of the traffic congestion behind. At your office you may choose to plug the car in and refresh its charge, where it will wait for you to run those errands your lunch break. At the end of the day, you drive the Sparrow back to the BART station and pull into the nearest charging bay, board the train and head for home. Upon arrival at your home station, you again take the nearest available Sparrow for the drive back home where you will pull into your garage and plug in for the morning drive back to BART. This is one of many possible uses for the Sparrow. It is cost effective, clean and overall, convenient! Corbin expects to have production units of the Sparrow available in Summer of 1997 with an anticipated price tag of $12,500 (deposits are now being accepted to reserve early serial numbers). The current prototype car can be seen at the San Francisco Auto Show taking place at the Moscone Center from Sunday November 24 through Sunday December 1 1996. We encourage you to call us for up-to-date information as well as test drives.

Specs: · 3-wheel vehicle · Roughly 4 feet by 8 feet · 900 pound gross vehicle weight · Double A-arm suspension in front · Single-sided swing arm in rear · Rear wheel drive · 990 lbs gross vehicle weight / 540 lbs of Batteries · Low center of gravity / Center of roll · Double "A" arm suspension in front · Single sided swing arm in rear / Rear wheel drive · 3 Wheel Disc Brakes / Manual parking brake · Radial Tires P145/80R13 · 8 Kilowatt hour each / Sealed lead acid valve regulated · Advanced Composite Fiberglass Mono-coque Chassis · Range of 60 miles at 60 MPH · Charge time: 6 hours @ 110V /15 amp and 2 hours @ 220V · Onboard 110V charger (220V optional) · DC Series 400 Amp 15-Horsepower motor · Solid Sate Controller / Fuel gauge / Heater · Radio /CD Player Upgrade · Rear hatch (production model) has room for 4 bags of groceries · Mono-coque has room for briefcase and laptop computer · Windows roll down · Exterior colors: Red, Teal, Plum, Yellow, Silver, Blue · Interior colors: Black, Grey, Crème · Optional interior welt matching exterior color · Affordable at $12,900 (approx.)

"Invention is a part of the spectrum of activity. At one extreme is creativity, the artistic side, and at the other extreme, discovery, which is the scientific side. Invention happens somewhere between the two." -Chuck Hoberman Saturday, November 23rd, 1996 is a day for the history books. It is on this day that the new concept car dubbed "The Sparrow" debuts at the 39th Annual San Francisco Auto Show. The Sparrow is destined to revolutionize the automotive and electric vehicle industry and bring to light the world's first "Personal Transit Module." The Dilemma: It is estimated that 87% of the population of the United States commutes less than 18 miles to work and back daily. The vast majority of these commuters do so alone! Not only does this practice create gridlock on America's freeways, it is also polluting the very air we breathe and the environment that our children will inherit. Every American recognizes this problem, but very few can offer any type of solution. Currently electric vehicles (EVs) are well above the price range of the average citizen and none seem to offer the type of performance necessary to make them a viable alternative to the family sedan. Few people have the budget to invest in an EV and those that do, generally, are not your everyday commuters. Additionally, freeways remain over crowded, city parking is still very limited and mass transportation is limited by the cars that can park near their terminals. To aggravate the situation, most American require the convenience of having a vehicle at their disposal during working hours and their office is not nearby a mass transit terminal. The Solution: Inventor /Designer Mike Corbin, a long time veteran of electric vehicle development has a solution. The Sparrow is a niche vehicle, it's designed specifically for commuters. We're not trying to replace the family car" says Corbin who is the larges aftermarket motorcycle seat manufacturer in the world and holder of twenty-five U.S. patents. You might say that Corbin is a man well qualified in this arena. In 1974, at the Bonneville Salt Flats, Mike set the land speed record for an electric powered vehicle at a round trip average of 165.367 mph with a to speed of 171.102 mph. A record that stood for over twenty years! In that same year, Corbin took First Place at the Mount Washington Electric Vehicle Regatta (for the second year in a row) by being the first person ever to climb the highest mountain on the east coast with an EV…twice! Calling on all of his experience and the skills of some of the finest designers and engineers in the world, Corbin is ready to launch the Sparrow. This car is an entirely new approach to providing a permanent solution. Designed specifically as a commuter vehicle, the Sparrow offers seating room for one (Personal Transportation Module) and a range of 60/60, (that's 60 mph for 60 miles).

In June of 1999 when Corbin Motors, Inc. preferred stock was first offered the Stock market was effervescent. There was a constant parade of IPOs and stock holdings were increasing in value everyday. Corbin Motors heard from every quadrant of the business community that the Sparrow would be a perfect IPO. Corbin's business culture changed from one based on product championship, building products for value and growing the business on earnings from the sale of quality products, to one that positions itself for imminent public offering. Corbin retained a securities attorney to help construct a private offering of preferred stock to accredited investors. There was an energetic supply of investors anxious to be part of the Sparrow dream, buy stock and participate in an IPO. The perception was that it would be like the Dot.Coms, producing an early high rate of return on the investment. Enthusiastic investment bankers were visiting on a regular basis exploring the possibility of taking Sparrow to an IPO. These were heady times. There was enormous optimism in the stock market and for IPO opportunities. Then, from the Fall of 2000 and up to the Summer of 2001, company IPOs began to fall off to the point of nonexistence and Dot.Coms began to fail at a shocking rate. Investment bankers stopped showing interest in new innovative ideas and individual investors saw their holdings dissipate. Individuals who wanted preferred stock were few and far between. It looked like the Sparrow's path to Wall Street with an IPO would be a very long shot. The Sparrow was still in its proof-of-concept phase and industry tooling was not in place to build Sparrows at a profit. The Company still needed time and money to accomplish profitable Sparrow II manufacturing. The Corbin family, the most ardent Sparrow supporter, saw the time it would take to get the Sparrow II tooled and into production was much greater than the time it would take to get Corbin Motors profitable. Something needed to be done. Mike Corbin picked up a concept drawing of a Merlin Roadster from the design lab and saw the solution. The Roadster uses existing parts readily available from the motorcycle and automotive industry, not ones that need to be developed. The parts are very cost effective and readily available in commercial quantities. Corbin has been part of motorcycle industry everyday for 34 years. With its motorcycle design and appeal the Roadster could easily be sold to that market. Although automotive sales were dramatically down, motorcycle unit sales were up 15% for the year 2001. The Roadster would be fast-to-market, could be sold for a higher price than the Sparrow and would be sold into the motorcycle industry which continued to grow despite the recession. 2001 was the most challenging year that Mike Corbin had seen in over three decades of business. From a management view, the Corbins had two companies with two different architectures that required a great deal of thought to get pointed in the right direction. Corbin Motors presented the most strenuous challenge. Drastic measures were necessary for Corbin Motors' survival. The concerns were great: wanting the founding investors to have a financial return in the future, preserving the dream of the Sparrow as the finest form of urban travel in our changing times, and preserving as many careers as possible. Unfortunately, Corbin Motors required serious cutbacks in jobs. This was anguishing for management as some of the people laid off had worked hard to contribute to Sparrow's success. In May 2001 Mike got the idea of producing the Merlin Roadster as a profitable product to save Corbin Motors. With his years of product design, development and fabrication, he knew the vehicle could be produced within a year, and he knew he had the right team in-house to create a running Roadster pre-production model and take it to the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in August 2001. The Merlin Roadster made its debut at the "gathering of the clan in the high country" with 300,000 in attendance. Motorcycle riders and automobile enthusiasts absolutely loved the Merlin Roadster and were clamoring to place their deposits to get on the early reservation list. They loved the concept, they loved the beautiful design, and they loved the exquisite craftsmanship by the Corbin team. The switch was on. The final decision was made. The Merlin Roadster would be built and would be available to the public by Spring 2002.

CORBIN 2001 PRESS RELEASE: (taken from the orginal document in its entirety) Save the World in Sparrow Style The most important fact about Spaceship Earth: An instruction booklet didn't come with it. - R. Buckminster Fuller (1895 - 1983) May 17, 2001 Humankind forever changes the face of the planet we call home. Many of the changes lately are for the worst... they are irreversible. From an ecological standpoint we have created holes in the Earth's atmosphere, poluted the air we breath and the water we drink, destroyed natural habitats, driven species to extinction and are currently in the process of depleting our natural resources. If our planet had come with an owners manual, would we have had the humility to read it? Headlines read of US President Bush speaking of "the most serious energy shortage" since the 1970's. The state of California is experiencing rolling blackouts and the cost of energy has skyrocketed. By summer, gas prices are expected to exceed $3 per gallon while the finite supply of fossil fuels depletes at a rate 3 times faster than new sources are discovered. Meanwhile the cost of obtaining fuel increases since we have already used up the easily obtainable sources. This leaves only the multi-BILLION dollar oil rigs as our sole hope of keeping the fires burning. Complacent and confident we pilot our seven-passenger SUVs down the over-crowded highways complaining about the cost of "a fill-up". Sure that it is just a passing phase, a large portion of the population cruises along totally unconcerned and oblivious to the hazards ahead. Yet in their wake they leave a world running low on petroleum. Professor Albert Bartlett of the University of Colorado defines modern agriculture as "the use of land to convert petroleum into food." Without petroleum to run tractors, plows and transportation systems, we will not be able to feed the global population. Today's average farm would require roughly 118 field hands to do the work of modern petro-fueled equipment... our population is shored up at the expense of petroleum, and when it falters, the population will too. "[without petroleum] we now feel the planet and humanity can only coexist as a living system for a long time if the human population gets down to 1/70 to 4/70 of the present level." Perhaps an energy crisis is just what this world needed and we should accept it gratefully as a much needed wake-up call. Save the World in Sparrow Style If the world should blow itself up, the last audible voice would be that of an expert saying it can't be done. - Peter Ustinov Can we really expect the world is going to change overnight? Certainly not. It is said that American's have a love affair with the automobile. In reality, it's not so much the auto that we love, but the freedom, convenience and mobility that it provides. Cars support our lifestyle and allow us the freedom to live wherever we wish regardless of the proximity to our workplace. Furthermore, the auto is often felt an extension of our personality and a measure of our success. In short, American's won't willingly part with their autos. Europeans have already begun to change-over to smaller, more efficient vehicles. Emerging technologies and new vehicles are providing options where the expense of larger vehicles and costly fuel has become prohibitive. This change in consumer attitude came about as a result of the mid-1970s oil-price shock. Tax policies kept energy prices in Europe high whereas the United States returned to pre-crisis pricing and habits. As a result, in 1999, energy consumption in the US was greater than that of any other nation and exceeded energy use in ALL of Western Europe. With the current crisis at hand in the US, changes can't be far behind. I must commit myself to reforming the environment and not man; being absolutely confident that if you give man the right environment he will behave favorably. - R. Buckminster Fuller Obviously the best solution would be one that provides the best of both worlds. We want to keep our cars, but we don't want to pay exorbant amounts of money to keep them running and we certainly don't want to destroy our future. Mobility, for many, is not just a convenience, its a requirement. Mass transit systems that were once rated the best in the world have been grossly neglected as the automobile took over. An impass... Where do we go from here? One of humankind's greatest attributes has been our uncanny ability to adapt. From this adaptation will come the changes that will shape the future of the planet and the human animal. The changes may not be abrupt or even dramatic, but they will come. Changes will arrive in the form of new inventions and in our own transition of how we conduct our daily activities. One such transition will be our chosen mode of transportation. Smaller, more efficient vehicles will become more prolific as the need for convenience and cost of ownership will dictate. One such vehicle will be the Corbin Motors Sparrow. Save the World in Sparrow Style I may be going to hell in a bucket babe but at least I'm enjoying the ride; at least I'll enjoy the ride ... - Jerry Garcia & The Grateful Dead The Sparrow is a single seat, three wheeled electric vehicle (EV) designed as a supplimental commuter car for inner-city drivers. It offers all of the convenience of your full size automobile, without the innefficient use of fossil fuel and the by-products associated with burning it. Adding to the benefits of Sparrow ownership is the vehicle's unique ability to register (and be recognized) as a motorcycle; which makes it eligible to use the High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) traffic lanes and even exempts it from tolls in some states. Since the Sparrow is electric, it is a zero emmission vehicle which makes a lot of sense to those of us that prefer not to see the air we breathe. The Sparrow's compact size (an approximate 4' x 8' footprint) also makes it an excellent choice for crowded cities where parking is not always abundant. In fact, a Sparrow can usually park in a motorcycle parking space, giving it a parking ratio of four to one over an average car. The single passenger capacity makes the Sparrow a viable option as a Station Car1, a concept that extends the abilities and reach of public mass transit systems. As the cost of energy rises the need to have transportation options, like a versatile mass transit system, becomes more important. So too will the efficiency of a vehicle's design. If one were to compare the amount of energy it takes to operate a Sparrow versus that used by an average ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicle, they would find the Sparrow outperforming a common car by a ratio of eight to one. Naturally, its not easy to compute the efficiency of an ICE car in Kilowatt Hours, so a reasonable comparison would be to say that you can power a Sparrow down the carpool lane for approximately one-cent per mile. Installing a simple timer in your garage enables you to charge your vehicle in the off-peak hours, taking full advantage of your power company's lowest rates. It's not hard to see that as the price of gas passes $2 per gallon, the Sparrow is a sound financial decision as well as an environmental one. Being a Tree Hugger (environmentalist) isn't always easy, but in Sparrow's case its downright fun. Less time spent in traffic, zero emmissions, more parking availability, low maintenance and ownership cost, performance and it's fun to drive. All this and it helps you save money! This is the kind of change that's easy to accept.