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.
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 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
It looks like a Google car that got mugged. :)
Note to the manufacturers: It rains in some parts of the world.
I'm waiting for the Tesla Model 3.
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.