PFLUGERVILLE, Texas -- From the outside it's easy to miss -- a business so new there's not even a sign on the door. But on the inside, a flurry of hands help shape the future of transportation.
"It's the most important thing in my life," said 31-year-old Stacy Zoern. "Failure is not an option at this point."
Zoern is a young CEO. Still, she's been gaining experience for this job since she was born, when a genetic disability confined her to a life on wheels.
"The only option for someone like myself in an electric wheelchair who wants to drive and be independent is to buy a van and then put modifications in to allow you to drive," explained Zoern.
The cost to complete is around $100,000. Zoern's electric wheelchair by itself runs $35,000. Frustrated with cost and forced to rely on friends, she found her answer online in a tiny Hungarian car with a funny name -- the Kenguru.
"I just kind of went for it because I knew the end result that I wanted," smiled Zoern.
Two years and five Hungarian work visas later, Zoern's dream is up and running, putting out 10 cars a month. What sets the Kenguru apart is its design's focus on ease of use. A push-button entrance allows wheelchair users to roll right inside where they have easy access to controls similar to a motorcyles.
"I think this is probably one of the most important things I've done in my whole life really," said technical advisor Mike Grooms.
After 40 years building planes and cars, Grooms now creates Kengurus. Street legal everywhere except the highways, Grooms says the car's electric motor tops out at 25 miles an hour with a range of 60 miles.
In their stock room, future car bodies wait for the finishing touches. At only $25,000 a Kenguru, it's the answer Zoern has waited a lifetime for.
"My entire adult life my friends have had to cart me around, " said Zoern. "You know, if they want to invite me to a movie, they know what that means; they have to come and pick me up and take me there and bring me home. So now it's going to be nice when I can say, 'Hey I'll meet you there.'"
It's a convenience taken for granted Zoern will soon give to all. Community Cars will roll the first Kenguru off the line next Thursday at their grand opening in Pflugerville.
