At 25 mph, here comes the Wheego Whip
by Jim Motavalli for Mother Nature Network.
Georgia-based company starts out with a low-speed, lead-acid two-seater, but it’s planning to deliver a lithium-ion battery electric next year.
The concept of an electric vehicle that can’t exceed 25 mph isn’t likely to get anyone’s heart racing, especially with that speed demon the Tesla Roadster around. But they may be on to something with the Wheego Whip.
The car is an LSV, which is short for Low-Speed Vehicle. Through federal regulations, they’re permitted on roads with speed limits of 35 mph or less, but can’t exceed 25 mph. Also, known as Neighborhood Electric Vehicles, some, like Chrysler’s GEM, are more like glorified golf carts. But the Wheego Whip is a real enclosed car, similar in shape and concept to the Smart. For $18,995, you get a two-seater with air-conditioning, power windows, locks, four-wheel disc brakes and an MP3- and iPod-ready stereo. A federal income tax credit covers 10 percent of the purchase price.
Cars like this work for gated communities, college campuses, sprawling tech centers and resorts. According to the Christian Science Monitor, there are 40,000 already on American roads.
There’s an interesting history here. As President Jeff Boyd explains it, the company was founded (as Ruff and Tuff Products) several years ago in South Carolina, primarily making golf carts. In 2007, company head Bo Huff approached a merchant bank looking for expansion capital. One of the bank’s partners just happened to be Mike McQuary, former president of Internet provider Mindspring Enterprises (now merged with EarthLink).
McQuary liked the technology so much that he invested in it and became CEO. “I have a driveway full of electric cars,” says McQuary. “The Whip is the best electric car in the world!”
Ruff and Tuff will sell you anything from a golf cart to a camouflage-painted, four-wheel-drive hunting vehicle. The really exciting news, says Boyd, is that the Wheego part of the company will be fielding a highway-capable small car, based on the Whip, early next year. The unnamed new car with lithium-ion batteries, will have a 100-mile range. The price will be in the $24,000 range.
The Wheego Whip costs three cents a mile to operate, and the highway car shouldn’t cost much more. “Our research shows that 80 percent of commutes are under 40 miles,” Boyd says. “So if we achieve a 100-mile range with the highway car, that’s like three days of commuting, a nice place to be. Of course, the holy grail is 200 miles, which closely approximates what you can get with internal combustion.”
These electrics have an international supply chain. The chassis is made in China, and the cars are shipped to California for installation of the U.S.-made components. The first Whips will be on the road in May.
I would like to see an all electric vehicle that can easily do 45MPH.
It does not need to be able to go on the freeway but there are many areas where there is a 45 MPH speed limit with no other options to get from point A to point B.
As for the range, It would be nice to see 30 miles as this covers 99% of my driving.
I think many other people have the same needs.
This is why I’m waiting and waiting and waiting.
I could go with a plug hybrid but the cost and engine are what I don’t like.
Just my opinion, take it or leave it.
Lithium is the only way to go. They last longer, work in the cold and heat and are very light weight. Best of all they are non toxic.
Lead acid is so last century , we have to move on. We got lead out of out paint and even gas so let’s get it out of our batteries. They make a world of difference.
Lead-acid will always be around in one form or another.Pound for pound lead acid gives you a price to power to range
ratio that is hard to beat in an “econo” vehicle. Lead acid batteries have a high recycle percentage. I’m all for lithium but they had best get the price point down and the thermal safety
on the battery pack pretty fool proof.
How much money is backing this particular company? Is it enough to pay off the legislature of the State and Federal Governments? Wouldn’t you think that LEV’s would include all vehicle’s that could all go 30 miles+ on a charge, would go 25 miles per hour, and would be street legal as a normal car would be?
NO!!!!!
I expect to see something that might not be up to the standards of the American public, borderline illegal. Somehow, someone is pushing legislation to only include these vehicles and exclude the vehicles that meet all the same requirements of the NEV’s(Neighborhood Electric Vehicles) or LSV’s.