Student’s Name
Dr. Gilstrap
COMM 211
25 July 2008
Electric Gasoline
General Purpose: To inform
Specific Purpose: To inform my audience about the Xebra, all-electric car.
Thesis Statement: In order to be more knowledgeable about the Xebra, it is important to
understand what the Xebra is, how the Xebra differs from traditional
vehicles, and some of its advantages and disadvantages.
Organizational Pattern: Topical
Introduction
I. Attention Getter: It’s something none of us look forward to. Those dreadful
few minutes of standing at the gas pump, painfully watching the price of your
purchase climb higher and higher. Face it; everyone’s wallet takes a beating
at the pump today. Even my small, “fuel-efficient” car costs upward of $30 to
fill. Now imagine you could fill your vehicle for only a dollar. Yes, a dollar.
The good news is you don’t even need to use your imagination, because
according to a 2007 article published in Popular Science, the cost to refuel a
Xebra is only about one dollar (Popular Science, 2007).
II. State Topic: Today I will tell you about the Xebra all-electric car.
III. Audience Relevance: This topic is important to you because in my in-class
survey five out of six of you said you own a car and drive regularly, and four
out of six indicated that most of your driving is short distance and in the city.
IV. Preview Statement: In order to be more knowledgeable about the Xebra, it is
important to understand what the Xebra is, how the Xebra differs from
traditional vehicles, and some of its advantages and disadvantages.
Transition: First, I will discuss what the Xebra is.
Body
I. The Xebra is one of the first all-electric cars to be marketed in the United
States.
A. According to a 2007 article in the Chicago Tribune, the all-electric Xebra
is produced by Shandong Jindalu, a taxi maker in China (Chicago
Tribune 2007). (VA, Chart of Descriptive Information)
1. In 2006, ZAP (which stands for Zero Air Pollution) became the
first company to sell Xebras in the United States.
2. A 2007 Inside Bay Area article revealed that Xebra dealers are
now scattered throughout the nation at specialized dealerships,
with locations as close as Columbia, MO (Inside Bay Area
2007).
B. There are two Xebra models available for consumers to choose from.
1. The first model is a four-door car. (VA, Picture of Car)
a. According to the previously cited Inside Bay Area article,
the car model is about ten foot in length and comes in a
variety of bright colors, as well as zebra strips (Insider Bay
Area 2007).
b. The previously cited Chicago Tribune article lists the retail
price of the Xebra car at around $10,000 (Chicago
Tribune 2007).
2. The second model option is the two-door truck. (VA, Picture of
Truck)
a. According to the previously cited Chicago Tribune article,
the Xebra truck is approximately the same length as the car
and features short 4 foot bed with sides that fold flat
(Chicago Tribune 2007).
b. The truck model sells for around $11,000.
c. The previously cited Inside Bay Area article revealed that
paint options for the truck model include a bright blue and
tamer white (Inside Bay Area 2007).
Transition: Now that I have discussed what the Xebra is, next let’s take a look at how it
differs from traditional gasoline-powered vehicles.
II. The Xebra differs from traditional gasoline-powered cars in 2 ways. (VA,
Chart of Differences)
A. The first major difference is the Xebra’s vehicle type.
1. According to a 2007 Seattle Times article, the Xebra is
technically classified as a 3-wheeled motorcycle and features
one wheel in the front and two in the back (Seattle Times 2007).
2. The Xebra’s simplicity and single front wheel is the secret to
keeping the selling price low.
B. The second major difference between the Xebra and traditional gasoline-
powered vehicles is its battery.
1. According to the previously cited Chicago Tribune article, the
Xebra runs entirely off six rechargeable, lead-acid batteries
(Chicago Tribune 2007).
2. An article in a 2007 issue of the McClatchy-Tribune Regional
News reveals that the Xebra’s plug fits into a standard household
outlet for charging (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News-The
Bellingham Herald 2007).
3. A single charge will allow the car to reach top speeds of 40 mph
and travel for up to 25 miles, according to the previously cited
Seattle Time article (Seattle Times 2007).
Transition: Now that we have looked at how the Xebra differs from gasoline-powered
vehicles, finally let’s examine some of its advantages and disadvantages.
III. The Xebra has both advantages and disadvantages.
A. There are 2 major advantages to the Xebra. (VA, Chart of Advantages)
1. The first advantage of the Xebra is that is saves owners money
both in their purchase of the vehicle and at the pump.
a. According to a previously cited Inside Bay Area article, the
selling price of a Xebra vehicle is between $10,000 and
$11,000; this is about $15,000 cheaper than the average
vehicle (Inside Bay Area 2007).
b. Because the Xebra runs entirely off rechargeable batteries,
it also saves drivers from paying high gasoline prices.
2. The second major advantage of the Xebra is that is very eco-
friendly.
a. According to the previously cited Inside Bay Area article,
because it is run entirely on batteries, the Xebra emits
almost zero air pollutants (Inside Bay Area 2007).
b. It also reduces gasoline usage.
B. Although the Xebra has advantages, it also has 3 disadvantages. (VA,
Chart of Disadvantages)
1. The Xebra’s first disadvantage is its lack of amenities.
a. According to the previously cited Chicago Tribune article,
all Xebra models have no air conditioning (Chicago
Tribune 2007).
b. In addition, the car model does not have a trunk.
c. Finally, all models have only crank windows because any
additional power items would drain the vehicle’s batteries.
2. The second disadvantage of the Xebra is its size.
a. Because the Xebra is technically classified as a motorcycle
it is not required to meet same the standards as a typical
car, and as a result, is not built with 5 mile per hour
bumpers or air bags (Chicago Tribune 2007).
b. The previously cited McClathy-Tribune Regional News
article also describes how the Xebra’s light weight makes
driving in snowy and windy weather a hazard (McClatchy-
Tribune Regional News-The Bellingham Herald 2007).
3. The Xebra’s third disadvantage is its short battery life.
a. According to the previously cited Chicago Tribune article,
recharging the Xebra requires plugging the car in for 8
hours (Chicago Tribune 2007).
b. In addition, the vehicles can only go about 22-25 miles
before requiring charging.
Conclusion
I. Summary Statement: Today I have explained to you what the Xebra is, how
it differs from traditional gasoline-powered vehicles, and some of its
advantages and disadvantages.
II. Closure: Think back to the last time you had to refuel your vehicle. With the
high gas prices, most likely you were not overjoyed when it came time to pay.
Today consumers not only have the opportunity to save money at the pump,
but help save the environment as well, and it’s all possible with a Xebra.
References
Electric cars charge ahead. (2007, June 15). The Seattle Times, p. F1.
New Xebra sparks interest all over Bay Area. (2007, January 27). Inside Bay Area.
Plug in and drive with electric car. (2007, June 10). McClatchy-Tribune Regional News-
The Bellingham Herald.
Who killed the gas guzzler. (2007, March). Popular Science.
Xebra’s lack of amenities could be a jolt. (2007, February 8). Chicago Tribune.
Name_________________________
Informative Presentation Proposal Form
(Part II)
Your Information
1. My specific topic is (provide formal name if one exists):
2. My general purpose is:
3. My specific purpose is:
4. My three main points are:
I. ___________________________
II. ___________________________
III. ___________________________
5. My preview statement for this speech will be:
6. I am planning to arrange my main points in a ___________________ organizational pattern.
Example
(see full sample Xebra speech outline
on DU Guides)
1. Xebra, all-electric car
2. see outline for formatting – should be just 2 words
3. see outline for formatting
4. (see preview statement on sample)
I. What the Xebra is
II. How it differs from traditional vehicles
III. Advantanges and disadvantages
5. see outline example (must be complete sentence and clearly include your 3 main points)
6. Pick one of the 3 discussed in Chapter 9
(TURN OVER →)
Reminders:
1. The name of your topic should be in the:
a. Specific purpose
b. Thesis statement
2. Should be using short phrases to describe the main points (including in thesis)
3. Use concise and clear language in preview statement
4. Should be 2-4 words to describe main points in list
5. Should be no “and” in main points because signals you’ve put more than one distinct idea in that main point. (only exception is advantages and disadvantages)
6. Make sure the order of the main points makes sense.
Name_________________________
Informative Presentation Proposal Form
(Part I)
1. Topic (needs to be specific and meet the guidelines discussed in class). Provide the name of your topic (if it has one) and a brief description.
Long lasting non-rechargeable batteries. Scientists have come up with a new and fascinating technology in which the batteries are composed of nanowires that are far much thinner than the human hair increasing the surface area for holding the battery charge for an extended period.
2. This topic is interesting to me because: it embraces modern technology and offers a solution to a persistent problem of batteries running low while using appliances
3. This topic could be relevant to my audience because almost everybody in the modern world uses electronic gadgets that use rechargeable batteries.
4. Based on the information provided in the Audience Analysis chapter of your text, what kind of presentation are you giving? (i.e., what is the general purpose of your speech?)
(TURN OVER →)
5. What could be some obstacles that your audience may face in understanding your proposed topic?
· Nonpracticality: - the discussion topic has a lot of theory in it, there is no enough time to demonstrate how long lasting the battery is.
· Lack of exhibition samples: - it will be hard to get the samples for testing.
· The audience could not have an opportunity to have a look at the nanowires.
· Distraction: - the audience is to be distracted by trying to get out their batteries to compare with mine
6. Your textbook discusses the importance of assessing what your audience knows about your subject matter (i.e., audience knowledge level) which is essential when constructing your presentation. Since your audience is most likely unfamiliar with your topic, what are the three things your audience will expect from your presentation? (just write out what the authors say here)
1. A clear definition of key terms
2. Accompanying my presentation with demonstrations.
3. Give the direct benefit and help to the audience
7. What is one thing discussed in the Audience Analysis chapter (not discussed thus far on the proposal form) you find helpful in working through the audience analysis process for your proposed informative presentation topic? Why?
Creation of an audience profile. After collecting data of the audience on whether the topic is of help to them, it’s good to create a profile to guide you while conducting your speech.
(SOURCE ) The link to article: http://www.zdnet.com/article/telstra-signals-bigger-push-into-global-cloud-market/
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