A British retailer of electric vehicles says it will start selling an Italian-made two-seat electric car in its showrooms this month.

EV Stores -- which sells electric cars, bikes and scooters -- says the Tazzari Zero will go on sale for about $33,000 Sept. 12, BusinessGreen.com reported Wednesday.

he Zero uses rechargeable lithium-ion batteries and can go about 85 miles between charges with a top speed of about 62 mph.

Tazzari is an Italian firm with a background in aluminum casting and engineering services. Use of aluminum in the Zero means the car, with battery pack, weighs less than 1,200 pounds.

The Zero qualifies as a quadricycle under European regulations, meaning it is not required to pass crash tests or meet other safety regulations cars must meet, the Web site said.

Because of its quadricycle designation the Zero will not qualify for the $7,700 rebate the U.K. government plans to make available to purchasers of full-blown electric cars like the upcoming Nissan Leaf, authorities say.