Eli has opened U.S. order books for its Zero electric microcar, which starts at $11,900. “Microcar” may even be a charitable term, though, as this is a Neighborhood Electric Vehicle (NEV) legally limited to 25 mph.
It offers a 90-mile range in the U.S.—note that as it isn’t a car, this isn’t an EPA cycle figure, just a general claimed range—and a 3.2-kW onboard charger that can recharge it in under 3 hours on a 240V connection. It’s designed for quick trips around town, with a tiny upright frame and two seats with a small trunk. It’s 88 inches long, about 55 inches shorter than a Fiat 500e.
Neighborhood Electric Vehicles
The U.S. heavily regulates its passenger vehicle market, making it challenging for small, affordable cars to enter the market. Some companies get around this by producing Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (NEVS), which can be anything from the Eli Zero to a road-registered golf cart. These vehicles have lower safety standards and cannot be driven on highways, but tend to be far cheaper than cars.
Because it’s a Neighborhood Electric Vehicle, federal regulations prohibit driving it on roads with a speed limit greater than 35 mph. And with that 25 mph speed limiter, you’re even more restricted. It’s closer to a golf cart than a full-fledged passenger car, but it’s priced closer to that end, too.
And it’s got some nice features to make it more livable than a golf cart. It offers an enclosed cabin with heat and air conditioning, power steering, a rear-view camera and an optional head unit with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality. Eli says new features are on the way and will be announced closer to its official launch later this year. Eli plans to sell Zeros through a dealer network—though we don’t know what that will look like yet—and has the capacity to produce roughly 4,000 per year.
You can reserve your Eli Zero for $200 here.
Via Electrek.
