Author Archive

by Michael Lee for Red Herring

Electric car manufacturer Wheego Electric Cars on Tuesday announced that it has applied for $15 million in low-interest federal loan funds for its electric vehicle, the Wheego Whip.

The funds would go toward the construction of two assembly plants and a testing facility.

The testing facility is important to development of the Whip. While the Whip can travel up to 60 mph, the vehicle does not yet meet the U.S. Department of Transportation crash test standards and is currently classified as a low speed vehicle meant for local roads only in the states.

“[The light speed vehicle] is just a stepping stone, though,” Wheego CEO Mike McQuary said. “Our ultimate ambition is to have a full speed car that can be put on the highway.”

The two-seater Whip has a top speed of 35 mph and a range of 30 miles per charge. The projected price is under $20,000.

The company should hear back about the loan by the end of March, at which point it will be able to determine how on-track it will be with crash testing and production. The funding will also allow RTEV to ramp up the speed and range of the Whip.

Mr. McQuary is confident, though, that the company can attract customers regardless of technical specifications.

“Electric car consumers are a very discerning lot,” he said. “People expect a more personal relationship, such as good customer service. We’re going to try and establish that connection.”

Wheego hopes to have the Wheego Whip out on the road before the end of 2010.

By Amanda Lester Trevelino for The Atlantan

Mike McQuary steps out of his car, and bystanders do a double take. Not because he’s a striking guy(which he is), but because this six-foot-tall former college wrestler travels most everywhere in a tiny prototype electric vehicle that he says “looks like a Smart Car that’s been to the .gym.” McQuary, or “McQ” as he’s better known, has been the CEO of Wheego Electric Cars, an Atlanta-based, environmentally conscious manufacturer of electric vehicles, since January 2007. And he’s a man on a mission. “My vision is to bring street legal electric cars back to the forefront,” he says.

Although some might say that’s an uphill haul, McQuary, 49, knows something about turning vision into reality. He became a driving force on the Atlanta business scene in 1995 when he joined his friend Charles Brewer in developing the fledgling Internet Service Provider Mindspring with its signature “Core Values and Beliefs.” The company grew to become the second largest ISP in the world before merging with Earthlink, and when McQuary resigned (after his wife Sheryl had triplets) as President and COO of Earthlink in 2002, it was a $1.5 billion company with five million subscribers.

Free to pursue other interests, McQuary became CEO of an independent record label, Brash Music, that empowers artists by using the same values-based culture that was successful at Mindspring. Artists have included Jump Little Children and American Idol’s Chris Sligh. “It’s a combination of music we love and people we love,” says McQuary. “Our concept is to have acts that are doing well and funding the
company, so we can find other acts we love and give them a platform.”

Because Brash Music has an open submission policy, McQuary is forever listening to new talent. On his own iPod: Mike Farris, Elbow (from the UK), Wilco and Lucinda Williams. “Run, don’t walk, and get her music,” he says of the latter artist.

McQuary is on the Board of Governors for the Atlanta chapter of the Recording Academy (NARAS) that hands out The Grammys, but music is just one of his areas of interest. You might call him a serial entrepreneur. He’s a partner in Ellis, McQuary & Stanley, a merchant bank which acquires and invests in media, technology and service companies, with two of the businessmen he admires most: Bert Ellis, who started the web design firm iXL, and Bahnson Stanley, who launched the Weather Channel. His ventures have included an Internet billboard company, real estate, a restaurant, a California television station, and now, an electric vehicle (EV) company.

Inspired by the movie Who Killed the Electric Car?, the 2006 documentary that chronicled the rise and fall of General Motors’ EV1 electric car, McQuary bought a stake in a small South Carolina comp, any that manufactured golf carts. Under his leadership, the company has become a leader in the integration of advanced technology components that distinguishes the brand from other EVs. McQuary believes there is “a perfect storm” of events going on now that make the market for electric cars viable: “We’ve seen the price of oil and gas go up dramatically,” he says. “We’ve seen a groundswell movement of people more concerned about the environment, in particular about global warming. And our foreign policy is dictated by dependence on foreign oil.”With this in mind, Wheego will launch its first street-ready, low-speed vehicles (traveling 35 mph) in April 2009, and it plans to come to introduce fullspeed electric cars priced around $25,000 by 2010.

Meanwhile, McQuary continues to commute from his home in Sandy Springs to his headquarters in West Midtown in his prototype .”Wheego,” where he’s likely to have a copy of a music magazine or a book by David Halberstam flung onto the passenger seat. In his downtime, he works out in his home gym, or plans his next of many visits to Asia where Wheego’s component parts are manufactured. He thinks of Atlanta not only as a place with a vibrant music scene and leaders in green technology, but also a place with a highly educated population that will welcome EVs. “I think we’re going to see more and more ‘green’ businesses,” he says. “It’s not a fad; it’s not a cycle. We’re going to have to look for an alternative to oil.”

By Jason Sattler for Wired

“If you’re eager to get your hands on an EV but don’t have the money for a Tesla or Mini-E, the time to wait for a Mitsubishi iMiEV or the smarts to build your own, the guys at Wheego Electric Cars may have just the ticket – an electric car that looks a lot like a Smart and costs $19,000.

Wheego has teamed up with China’s Shuanghuan Automobile Company to bring the little EV to America as early as next spring. The two companies hope to break into the budding market for EVs that are (relatively) inexpensive, safe and cool enough for urban environs. The way they see it, the time is right to bring an affordable EV to the masses.

“There is a perfect storm of macro-events that are causing people around the world to take inventory of their personal habits and their effect on the environment … and Wheego is entering the marketplace at this pivotal time,” says company CEO Mike McQuary.

Although the Wheego Whip is capable of 60 mph, it’ll be restricted to neighborhood electric vehicle status and limited to 25 or 35 mph, depending upon the state, until the feds sign off on its crashworthiness. That isn’t expected until 2010, by which time several cities will have some serious EV infrastructure in place.

The Whip, which will be called the E-Noble everywhere else, is made in China and based on the gas-powered Noble that Shuanghuan already builds. Once the cars arrive in America, Ruff & Tuff will do the final assembly, fine-tune the drivetrain and program the controller. No one involved in the venture provided much in the way of details about the Whip beyond saying it will use AMG dry cell batteries that provide a range of 50 miles.

This partnership wants consumers to see EVs as more than golf carts or toys for the rich. They want you to drive your Wheego Whip to work. “The long-held assumption has been that electric vehicles are quirky and impractical for everyday use, and are of interest to only a small group of eco-friendly consumers,” McQuary said. Their plan may be just ambitious enough to work.”

from Novogreen

Stealthy electric vehicle startup Wheego Electric Cars and Chinese carmaker Shuanghuan Automobile said today they plan to partner to release an electric car to the U.S. market in May 2009 and global markets about two months later. Mike McQuary, CEO of Winnsboro, S.C.-based Wheego Electric Cars, told the Cleantech Group that the companies expect sales of about 1,000 cars the first year in the U.S. and significantly more abroad. Initially the cars will be marketed as low-speed electric vehicles, but the companies are seeking crash-test certification to take advantage of the $19,000 car’s ability to reach 70 miles per hour, McQuary said.

from Green Car Congress

Wheego Electric Cars and Shuanghuan Automobile Company have formed a partnership to produce and market affordable all-electric cars for sale around the world.

The first automobile will be a two-seat compact car that will be launched in the United States in May 2009. It will be marketed exclusively by Wheego Whip name in North America and by Shuanghuan Automobile as the Electric Noble (E-Noble) in the rest of the world.

While the car is capable of speeds of 95 kph (59 mph) it will be sold to different countries specifically designed to meet the safety requirements of the particular country. In the US it will be launched as a Low Speed Vehicle (25 mph max) or Medium Speed Vehicle (35 mph max) depending on local state regulations, until it passes US Department of Transportation safety crash requirements, which is expected sometime in early 2010.

The E-Noble will be manufactured by Shuanghuan at their factory in Shijiahuang. While the Wheego Whip will be based on the Noble platform, it will undergo final assembly, including the motor, drive train, controller, electronic components and be programmed in the US.

The cars will feature dry cell sealed (AGM) lead-acid batteries, which require no maintenance and feature an on-board high tech charger. The car will travel 80 kilometers (50 miles) on a single charge, and plug in for a recharge on any standard household 110 or 220-volt electrical outlet.

There is a perfect storm of macro-events that are causing people around the world to take inventory of their personal habits and their effect on the environment across a wide spectrum which includes transportation, and RTEV is entering the marketplace at this pivotal time.

The long-held assumption has been that electric vehicles are quirky and impractical for everyday use, and are of interest to only a small group of eco-friendly consumers. We believe that our vehicles appeal to a huge market segment and will fill a middle market demand gap at the right time, with the right vehicles, and a with national dealer network to provide service and support.

—Mike McQuary, Wheego Electric Cars CEO

McQuary is a former president of internet service providers MindSpring and EarthLink.

US and Chinese Companies Combine Efforts to Produce and Market Electric Cars Internationally

ATLANTA, GA & SHIJIAZHUANG CITY, CHINA (November 19, 2008) – Wheego Electric Cars and Shuanghuan Automobile Company announced today that they have formed a partnership to produce and market affordable all-electric cars for sale around the world. The first automobile will be a two-seat compact car that will be launched in the United States in May 2009. It will be marketed exclusively by WHEEGO under the Wheego Whip name in North America and by Shuanghuan Automobile as the Electric Noble (E-Noble) in the rest of the world.

While the car is capable of speeds of 95 kHz (60 mph) it will be sold to different countries specifically designed to meet the safety requirements of the particular country. For example in the U.S. it will be launched as a Low Speed Vehicle (LSV- 25 mph max) or Medium Speed Vehicle (MSV- 35 mph max) depending on local state regulations, until it passes U.S. Department of Transportation safety crash requirements, which is expected sometime in early 2010.

The E-Noble will be manufactured by Shuanghuan at their factory in Shijiahuang. While the Wheego Whip will be based on the Noble platform, it will undergo final assembly, including the motor, drive train, controller, electronic components and be programmed in the U.S. The cars will feature environmentally friendly dry cell sealed (AGM) batteries, which require no maintenance and feature an on-board high tech charger. The car will travel 80 kilometers (50 miles) on a single charge—and plug in for a recharge on any standard household 110 or 220 volt electrical outlet.

“What has really impressed us with Shuanghuan is their attention to detail in providing a high-quality fit and finish and smooth ride to the car,” explained Mike McQuary, RTEV CEO. “Once we locked down the systems and components for a high quality electric drive system, we undertook a global search for a car manufacturer that would meet our expectations of a driving experience that was seamless when compared to its gasoline counterparts. While several car companies that we talked to had solid mechanical systems, it was Shuanghuan that emerged with a commitment to meet the quality standards that American drivers have come to expect in an automobile. Their production of the gas powered Noble gave them a great head start, in that it was more a matter of adaptation of a vehicle, rather than trying to develop something from scratch. They share our vision and see the important potential for the emergence of an electric car as an everyday part of consumer transportation.”

“When we were first approached by RTEV, it was their passion that first got our attention. There have been several companies that have approached us and bought one or two cars and tried to convert them to electric. But it was RTEV that quickly emerged as the technology leader for electric vehicles. Combine this with their successful track record as a management team in other ventures and we knew we had made the right choice for a partner,” said Shuanghuan General Manager Cheng Bing.”

“There is a perfect storm of macro-events that are causing people around the world to take inventory of their personal habits and their effect on the environment across a wide spectrum which includes transportation, and RTEV is entering the marketplace at this pivotal time,” said McQuary, former president of internet service providers MindSpring and EarthLink. “The long-held assumption has been that electric vehicles are quirky and impractical for everyday use, and are of interest to only a small group of eco-friendly consumers. We believe that our vehicles appeal to a huge market segment and will fill a middle market demand gap at the right time, with the right vehicles, and a with national dealer network to provide service and support.”
Shuanghuan Automobile Company has been making cars since 1988. Its current car models include the SCEO SUV and the Noble. The company is focused on zero defect manufacturing processes and passed the ISO9000 quality control system certification in 2000, and gained 3C constraint products certification in 2003.

from TechLINKS

RTEV (Ruff & Tuff Electric Vehicles) and Shuanghuan Automobile Company announced today that they have formed a partnership to produce and market affordable all-electric cars for sale around the world. The first automobile will be a two-seat compact car that will be launched in the United States in May 2009. It will be marketed exclusively by RTEV under the Wheego Whip name in North America and by Shuanghuan Automobile as the Electric Noble (E-Noble) in the rest of the world.

While the car is capable of speeds of 95 kHz (60 mph) it will be sold to different countries specifically designed to meet the safety requirements of the particular country. For example in the U.S. it will be launched as a Low Speed Vehicle (LSV- 25 mph max) or Medium Speed Vehicle (MSV- 35 mph max) depending on local state regulations, until it passes U.S. Department of Transportation safety crash requirements, which is expected sometime in early 2010.

The E-Noble will be manufactured by Shuanghuan at their factory in Shijiahuang. While the Wheego Whip will be based on the Noble platform, it will undergo final assembly, including the motor, drive train, controller, electronic components and be programmed in the U.S. The cars will feature environmentally friendly dry cell sealed (AGM) batteries, which require no maintenance and feature an on-board high tech charger. The car will travel 80 kilometers (50 miles) on a single charge-and plug in for a recharge on any standard household 110 or 220-volt electrical outlet.

“What has really impressed us with Shuanghuan is their attention to detail in providing a high-quality fit and finish and smooth ride to the car,” explained Mike McQuary, RTEV CEO. “Once we locked down the systems and components for a high quality electric drive system, we undertook a global search for a car manufacturer that would meet our expectations of a driving experience that was seamless when compared to its gasoline counterparts. While several car companies that we talked to had solid mechanical systems, it was Shuanghuan that emerged with a commitment to meet the quality standards that American drivers have come to expect in an automobile. Their production of the gas powered Noble gave them a great head start, in that it was more a matter of adaptation of a vehicle, rather than trying to develop something from scratch. They share our vision and see the important potential for the emergence of an electric car as an everyday part of consumer transportation.”

“When we were first approached by RTEV, it was their passion that first got our attention. There have been several companies that have approached us and bought one or two cars and tried to convert them to electric. But it was RTEV that quickly emerged as the technology leader for electric vehicles. Combine this with their successful track record as a management team in other ventures and we knew we had made the right choice for a partner,” said Shuanghuan General Manager Cheng Bing.

“There is a perfect storm of macro-events that are causing people around the world to take inventory of their personal habits and their effect on the environment across a wide spectrum which includes transportation, and RTEV is entering the marketplace at this pivotal time,” said McQuary, former president of internet service providers MindSpring and EarthLink. “The long-held assumption has been that electric vehicles are quirky and impractical for everyday use, and are of interest to only a small group of eco-friendly consumers. We believe that our vehicles appeal to a huge market segment and will fill a middle market demand gap at the right time, with the right vehicles, and a with national dealer network to provide service and support.”

Shuanghuan Automobile Company has been making cars since 1988. Its current car models include the SCEO SUV and the Noble. The company is focused on zero defect manufacturing processes and passed the ISO9000 quality control system certification in 2000, and gained 3C constraint products certification in 2003.

By Sebastian Blanco

“The last time we spoke with Jeff Boyd, he was still COO of Miles Electric Vehicles. This week, though, Ruff and Tuff Electric Vehicles (RTEV) announced that Boyd will take over as president of RTEV’s Wheego Street Division. Regular readers will remember Ruff and Tuff as the makers of the Hunter 4×4 EV. Back at Miles EV, Boyd was able to drive the upcoming XS500 highway speed sedan on his way to work but his electric rides will be going a bit slower in the coming months. Over at RTEV, Boyd will lead the Wheego Street Division, which might sound fun (wheeee! go!) but whatever highway-speed vehicle RTEV is working on, it’s likely far behind the XS500 development.

Boyd will be responsible for all aspects of the company’s launch into electric cars and scooters that are street legal under the current US DOT Low Speed and Medium Speed Vehicle class and also the development of RTEV’s full speed highway car.

Not a lot of details there, but Boyd does say that a new Wheego car is coming in spring 2009. Stay tuned.”

Former Miles Electric Vehicles CEO Jeff Boyd Tapped to Lead Wheego Street Division

Ruff and Tuff Electric Vehicles (RTEV) today announced the hiring of Jeff Boyd to the position of President of the Wheego Street Division.

Boyd will be responsible for all aspects of the company’s launch into electric cars and scooters that are street legal under the current US DOT Low Speed and Medium Speed Vehicle class and also the development of RTEV’s full speed highway car. Concurrent with this hiring, Ruff & Tuff founder Bo Huff has been named to head up the RTEV Recreational Vehicle Division.

Boyd comes to RTEV from Miles Electric Vehicles where he was the CEO for the last two years. He has also worked in the automotive industry for over 25 years in a variety of roles on both the dealer and distribution sides of the business including positions with the O’Brien Auto Team, National Business Brokers, and UnitedAuto Group.

RTEV CEO Mike McQuary explained, “we decided a few months ago to split the company into two divisions — Recreational, under the Ruff & Tuff brand name; and Street, under the Wheego brand name. The marketing and distribution channels for the two divisions have very little overlap, and unique challenges, so we were just waiting for the right candidate to emerge so we could put this structure into place. When Jeff told me he was interested I jumped at the chance to get him on board.”

“There are a lot of exciting developments going on at RTEV that I can help accelerate. We will launch a new car in the spring of 2009 that should capture the consumer’s imagination and create a lot of excitement in the electric vehicle industry. I’ll be working diligently in the next six months to find dealers who share our enthusiasm and see the potential for electric cars. I’m thrilled to be joining the RTEV team and helping build upon what Bo and McQ have started,” said Boyd.

http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/content/jul2008/db20080729_471760.htm