Automotive

Cruser Sport EVs could be coming to a neighborhood, sand dune or golf green near you

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The Cruser Sport Off Road Experience, or ORE
Eco-Cruise
The Cruser Sport Golf Cart
Eco-Cruise
The Cruser Sport ORE swaps in off-road tires
Eco-Cruise
The Cruser Sport Golf Cart has a rear golf cargo area
Eco-Cruise
All versions of the Cruser Sport feature LCD instrumentation
Eco-Cruise
The Cruser Sport Off Road Experience, or ORE
Eco-Cruise
The Cruser Sport Neighborhood Electric Vehicle, or NEV
Eco-Cruise
A front view of the Cruser Sport NEV
All three Cruser Sport models feature a 5-kW brushless DC motor powered by a lithium iron phosphate 72-volt 62-Ah battery pack, anti-lock disc brakes on all four 14-inch aluminum wheels, plus front and rear suspension
Eco-Cruise
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Perhaps you'd like to own an electric car, but you simply can't afford something highway-worthy like a Tesla or Leaf. Well, if most of your trips are made up of short jaunts within your neighborhood, you may be able to get away with a slower-but-cheaper electric runabout. Eco-Cruise recently launched just such a vehicle, in the form of its Cruser Sport.

There are actually three versions of the car – the Neighborhood Electric Vehicle (NEV), the Off Road Experience (ORE) and the Golf Cart ... which is just what its name implies.

All three models feature a 5-kW brushless DC motor powered by a lithium iron phosphate 72-volt 62-Ah battery pack, anti-lock disc brakes on all four 14-inch aluminum wheels, plus front and rear suspension. The top speed is 25/35 mph (40/56 km/h) depending on local regulations, and the range is 35 miles (56 km) per charge – an optional higher-capacity battery boosts that figure to 60 miles (97 km). A regular wall outlet is used for charging.

The Cruser Sport Neighborhood Electric Vehicle, or NEV
Eco-Cruise

Other features include a removable T-top, LCD instrumentation, a 2-speaker audio system, and a covered rear storage compartment with hydraulic lift assist.

The ORE swaps in off-road tires, while the Golf Cart substitutes a bench seat for the other two models' bucket seats, plus it adds a carbon fiber body and a rear golf cargo system.

The Cruser Sport Golf Cart has a rear golf cargo area
Eco-Cruise

The Cruser Sport line is currently available for test drives in select US states, with a wider dealership network in the works. Although it should be priced less than a full-on electric car, exact pricing has yet to be determined.

A fleet of NEVs can be seen in action, in the video below.

Source: Eco-Cruise

View gallery - 8 images
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10 comments
Bill Bennett
When I saw the first picture I thought they cut the sides off of a Fiat 500.
christopher
My skateboard arrives next week (Bajaboard). It's 12kw. Hmmm...
Milton
love it. I'd love to see 'em priced in the $6,000 - $8,000 range. Not sure if that's possible though.
Tom Lee Mullins
I think that is neat looking.
It looks like a Google car that got mugged. :)
Germano Pecoraro
I don't understand this bodywork: half close and half open
POOL PUMPREAPAIR guy longwood
Taste the dirt,mud,water and roadkill. so this is just for golf use ?
DavidB
Looks like they tried crossing a New Beetle with a Smart ForTwo but ran out of money before designing doors. I don't hate the look, but the vehicle as shown is useless to me.
Note to the manufacturers: It rains in some parts of the world.
Jeff G
Cars like these make a lot more sense than EV's like the Leaf. The range is about the same or greater. They should cost a lot less while still being ok as a second family car to use around town.
Don Duncan
It's too hot here in Vegas for this most of the year. Also, it's too cold or too windy/dusty/wet sometimes.
I'm waiting for the Tesla Model 3.
Daishi
Polaris has a lineup that is pretty similar to this in the GEM car. They are actually pretty popular for hotels, campuses, security vehicles, and small neighborhoods.
They are street legal with a 25 MPH top speed. The GEM e2 starts at $7k and has a 35 mile range using gel batteries. I still don't understand why if Polaris already has an established market position with EVs that they don't look to Lithium Ion to expand the GEM car lineup. They even own Brammo Motorcycles now so I can't imagine Lithium Ion would be that hard to do for the GEM.