The one vehicle unveiled at the Washington Auto Show today was the Wheego Whip LiFe, an upgraded version of the company’s neighborhood electric car that we took for a quick spin last fall. The high-speed LiFe – a clever name based on the car’s 28 kWh lithium (Li) iron (Fe) phosphate battery pack – will come to market later this year at a very affordable price of under $35,000, and that’s before any tax incentives, according to Wheego’s vice president of marketing, Les Seagraves. Wheego has a 30-dealer network in the U.S., and the Wheego LiFe will be available there sometime this summer. The car has a top speed of 65 mph and a range of 100 miles. You can see the Whip’s full spec sheet here.

Wheego is currently undergoing crash testing the lithium model, a project that required fundraising in the realm of $2.5 million (the money was also used for other thing). Virtual testing has been underway since October and has led to a few changes in the battery pack shape andvehicle structure. Two Whip LiFes will be built to be sent into the crash chamber, and two others will be made for the company to show off (the first was the vehicle displayed today).Speaking of this particular body style, regular readers will remember that the Whip is a modified Shuanghuan Noble. Seagraves said that the Wheego team in Atlanta has made “over 100″ changes to the body and chassis and therefore “it’s ours now.”

Wheego’s low-speed vehicle (LSV) Whip went on sale in October, and Seagraves said that around 200 units have been sold thus far. That car costs around $19,000, and you can learn more about it here. Further down the line, Wheego is looking at a full-speed four-seater, possibly some time in 2011.

“This car will shake up the landscape of the American auto industry,” predicts Wheego CEO Mike McQuary. “At a target price of $32,000, plus a $7,500 Federal Tax Credit which brings it down to $24,500, it is the first affordable all-electric car. This summer, it will be fully crash-tested and highway-ready. Americans are eager to step up to the plate and take charge of our energy independence and address environmental issues; all we have lacked is the right car for the job. In mid-2010, Wheego will answer that call.”

The Full-Speed Wheego Whip LiFe runs on Lithium Ion batteries, and is expected to go 100 miles on a charge.

A prototype of the Wheego Whip LiFe will be introduced to the public at the Washington Auto Show. Wheego will be joined at the show by their Washington, D.C.-area dealers Ted Britt Automotive from Fairfax, Virginia, and Apple Wheego of Columbia, Maryland.

The initial Wheego offering is the Whip LSV, which is available now. The Whip LSV is an all-electric Low Speed Vehicle which can drive on roads with posted speed limits of 35 miles per hour or less. The Wheego Whip LSV is a fully-loaded two-seat compact car with fit, finish and features that compete with any other subcompact car on the market. Features include remote keyless entry, air conditioning, and an MP3 stereo system. The all-electric Wheego Whip LSV runs on sealed lead-acid batteries and can be charged from a standard household outlet. The Low-Speed version of the Wheego Whip will be available for test drives at the Washington Auto Show in the ride-and-drive area.

About Wheego Electric Cars
Wheego Electric Cars is an innovation-driven and environmentally-conscious manufacturer of Electric Vehicles (EVs). Under the leadership of Mike McQuary, CEO and former MindSpring entrepreneur, Wheego Electric Cars has become a leader in the integration of advanced technology components. Wheego Electric Cars is one of the first EV companies to deliver affordable fully capable, street legal all-electric cars for everyday consumer use.

For more information about Wheego, visit the company website at wheego.net.
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