Posts Tagged ‘test drive’

by Lynne at Electric Cars Are For Girls, July 1, 2010

The Wheego Whip has gone on a diet, lost a little weight, and is now officially a hottie.

This cute little NEV, in case you’ve never met, looks quite a bit like a Smart ForTwo, and it’s a two-seater just like the Smart. It’s got an AC motor, and the NEV version comes with 96 volts, so that’s quite a lot of power and weight for a neighborhood electric car, don’t you think? (It doesn’t take 96 volts to move a small, light car peppily up to their legally-governed speed of 25-35 mph…so most NEV manufacturers go lighter.)

What those extra volts should give you is acceleration, hill-climbing ability, and the gumption to carry around two full-sized Americans. The trade-off is that every time you add another battery, you add weight. The Wheego Whip with lead AGM batteries is heavy; 3600 pounds with batteries, according to this Autopia Wheego Whip review. It wasn’t all that peppy from 0-35 mph, according to the review, but it was respectable, solid, and decently-appointed.

Wow, a grown-up urban commuter with bigger muscles than the Zenn. Okay.

But don’t they still make their NEV version of the Wheego Whip? Yes, they do. There are two models now, the Wheego Whip and the Wheego Whip LiFe with lithium.

[Virtual Wheego Test Drive]

So why would I prefer the Wheego Whip to the Smart electric car (which is limitedly available in the US for lease only)? Oh, yes; because the Smart EV is limitedly available in the US for lease only. Right. You can BUY a Wheego Whip, take it home, plug it in, paint daisies on the side, and smoke in it if you’re so inclined. It’s YOURS.

Um, that Smart EV lease will cost you a pretty penny, too, if you can even get one now. The Wheego Whip is 11,500 USD after all the tax incentives.

And the best part: now the Wheego Whip is also getting crash-tested and fitted with a 115v set of lithium batteries so it can be a freeway-flyer. They’re calling it the Wheego Whip LiFe (that’s short for lithium iron phosphate).

Essentials of the 2011 Wheego Whip LiFe

• Air conditioning.
  What? I’m going to start with the stuff that’s most important to ME first. Get used to it. Now, air conditioning might drain the battery pack, but so what? This is CRUCIAL. These guys were actually listening to us when they built this electric car.
• Stereo.
  AM (who needs that?)/FM, CD, MP3, USB…absolutely.
• Cabin heat.
  Obviously. No, I’m not going to throw on an extra coat. Give me Real. Proper. Heating. Thank you very much.
• Defrosting.
  Both front and rear, just like a regular car.
• Remote keyless entry.
• Power steering.
• Power windows and electric mirrors.
• Safety rated (on-board) charging.
  All the electrical bits won’t bite you, no matter how absent-minded or sleep-deprived you are. Non-scary charging works for me.

More Wheego Whip LiFe Features

• Regenerative braking.
  Absolutely predictable with an AC motor system, but nice to see. This will both save on brake pads and increase battery range. Nice.
• AC brushless motor.
  I guess I sort of let the cat out of the bag with that last item, but it’s got an AC motor. It’s not your usual 3-phase induction AC, it’s more like a per-mag. A little different. 95 ft/lbs of torque.
  Because I know you like that sort of thing. What this means is that it will get up and move when you put your foot down, and honey, we all like THAT.
• Front wheel drive.
• Anti-lock brakes.
• Air bags.
• Unibody frame.

[Wanna look underneath?]

The Long and the Short of it…

AutoBlogGreen heard it called the Cadillac of NEVs when they test-drove it at Marc Korchin’s Green Motors electric car dealership, and I have to agree: it’s more Zen than Zenn and smarter than Smart! This pocket-sized electric car has quietly shot all the way to the top of my “gotta have it” list.

For a list of Wheego Whip dealers in the US, click here.

From Energy-Overviews.com, June 17, 2010

Atlanta, Georgia-based Wheego is taking $100 reservations for the all-electric Wheego Whip LiFe car on the company website. The highway-ready Whip LiFe can travel about 100 miles per charge, and retails for $32,995 — which drops to a sticker price of $25,495 once the federal tax credit is applied. Other states, including California and Georgia, are offering tax credits and rebates to drop the price further.

“We are on schedule to be the first company to offer an affordable all-electric car in the US,” said Wheego CEO Mike McQuary. “Other auto companies have made announcements of the upcoming availability of their electric cars, but for the most part, their cars are being released in only a few cities, and in limited quantities. Our Wheego Whip LiFe will ship to customers first-come, first-served across the US beginning in September, and everyone who makes a reservation will be driving their car before the end of the year. The Whip LiFe has a lithium battery pack, is made of 75% US content, and is assembled in Ontario, California. It is an example of American ingenuity at its finest.” (Source: PR Web, June 15, 2010)

by Sebastian Blanco for Autoblog Green, June 15, 2010

Well, it isn’t going to be available in August as hoped, but the $32,995 (before incentives) Wheego Whip LiFe has been re-scheduled for delivery in September and Wheego Electric Cars is now accepting $100 refundable reservations here. Wheego CEO Mike McQuary was quick to point out in a statement that his car will beat both the Nissan Leaf and the Chevrolet Volt to market:

We are on schedule to be the first company to offer an affordable all-electric car in the U.S. Other auto companies have made announcements of the upcoming availability of their electric cars, but for the most part, their cars are being released in only a few cities, and in limited quantities. Our Wheego Whip LiFe will ship to customers first-come, first-served across the U.S. beginning in September, and everyone who makes a reservation will be driving their car before the end of the year. The Whip LiFe has a lithium battery pack, is made of 75% U.S. content, and is assembled in Ontario, California. It is an example of American ingenuity at its finest.

That last sentence requires some unpacking, since the LiFe is without question a modified Shuanghuan Noble, which is built in China. Wheego is quoting a 100-mile range and a 65 mile per hour to speed for the LiFe from a 28 kWh lithium (Li) iron (Fe) phosphate battery pack. It’s unlikely to get those two numbers to play nice together. If you don’t live in an area where the Leaf will be available right away, does this car appeal to you?

*UPDATE: Wheego has updated the battery to a 30 kWh pack that uses 36 (3.2V) cells at 260AH. Wheego also wanted to respond to the China comment with:

When the chassis comes to us from China, it’s just a sled that we reinforced for safety to pass crash-testing– then in our US assembly plant we add the transmission, motor, batteries, wiring, and controller (which are all US-made), as well as all the software that ties the components together.

ATLANTA (June 14,  2010) – WHEEGO ELECTRIC CARS today announced they are taking reservations for the all-electric Wheego Whip LiFe car on their website at www.wheego.net.

“We are on schedule to be the first company to offer an affordable all-electric car in the U.S.,” announced Wheego CEO Mike McQuary. “Other auto companies have made announcements of the upcoming availability of their electric cars, but for the most part, their cars are being released in only a few cities, and in limited quantities. Our Wheego Whip LiFe will ship to customers first-come, first-served across the U.S. beginning in September, and everyone who makes a reservation will be driving their car before the end of the year. The Whip LiFe has a lithium battery pack, is made of 75% U.S. content, and is assembled in Ontario, California. It is an example of American ingenuity at its finest.”

The highway-ready Wheego Whip LiFe goes approximately 100 miles on a charge, and retails for $32,995. The Wheego Whip LiFe qualifies for a $7,500 Federal tax credit, dropping the net price to under $26,000. States such as California and Georgia offer State tax credits or rebates up to $5,000 to further reduce the net price of the car. In addition, Congress has legislation pending that proposes an additional $2,000 electric vehicle incentive.

“We have had incredible interest in our Wheego Whip LiFe,” said McQuary. “I think the public understands that the time has finally come to make electric vehicles a part of everyday life. The recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has certainly highlighted that it’s time for a change. There are a lot of people talking about this problem, and now there is a chance to take action. A groundswell of public support for electric cars continues to grow. Once you have gone a few months without filling up your car at a gas station, you will be hooked on the idea of never doing it again. Americans are insistent on decreasing our dependence on foreign oil now; and on domestic oil, for that matter. You will recharge this car every night in your garage, and be good to go for 100 miles the next day: around the neighborhood, on the highway, everywhere you took your gas guzzler- except to the gas station.”

The new Wheego Whip LiFe comes fully-equipped with driver and passenger airbags, anti-lock brakes, air conditioning, and power windows and locks. The 115V lithium battery pack can be charged from a standard 120V outlet, a 240V outlet or any of the J1772 standard charging stations. It is available in red, white, blue, black, silver, and green. The Wheego Whip LiFe is a two-seat subcompact car with fit, finish and features that compete with any other subcompact car on the market. 

Drivers can reserve a Wheego LiFe by:

• Visiting www.wheego.net
• Making a fully refundable $100 down-payment
• Receiving a reservation number
• Providing contact information for follow-up by a registered Wheego dealer

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. The Wheego line of electric vehicles is emission-free, making them an ideal choice for consumers and businesses who want to reduce their carbon footprint. Wheego is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The cars are assembled in Ontario, California.

For more information about Wheego, and to view the list of Wheego dealers, visit the company website at www.wheego.net.

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by Loralee Stevens for the North Bay Business Journal, June 14, 2010

All-electric vehicle that can handle highways debuts in Santa Rosa

SANTA ROSA –  Can incentives and rebates do for electric vehicles what they did for solar?

Jim and Barbara Bennett of Good Stuff Auto in Santa Rosa hope that’s the case as they debut the Wheego line of all-electric cars in the North Bay.

The 20-year purveyors of pre-owned BMWs are currently selling the low-speed Wheego Whip as a town car alternative to gas-powered vehicles. But this month they start taking orders for its highway-safe, high-speed sibling, the Wheego LiFe.

The LiFe joins the Nissan Leaf and Chevrolet Volt, both due out later this year, in the race to provide all-electric vehicles to the public.

“We think the LiFe will be the first affordable all-electric vehicle available in the country,” said Mr. Bennett. “Plus, they’re built in the U.S. and assembled in California.”

“Affordable” is a tricky term to apply to a vehicle powered by a lithium battery, which itself costs more than $10,000.

Most EV cars cost three times that in total, putting the lowest-cost cars in the mid $30,000 range, he said. The LiFe is expected to retail for $32,995.

But California’s Clean Vehicle Rebate Project has $4.1 million from the state EPA to promote zero-emission vehicles through 2015. Light-duty all-electric and plug-in hybrids earn $5,000.

Then there’s a federal tax incentive of up to $7,500, depending on battery capacity. The Nissan Leaf, also currently under development, and the Wheego LiFe, both qualify for the maximum amount, bringing the sticker price to about $20,500.

The Leaf is a sedan, while the LiFe seats two. Otherwise, both cars will go approximately 100 miles on a charge, which takes about six to eight hours on a standard outlet, less on a 220 volt outlet.

According to Wheego manager of corporate communications Susan Nicholson, the LiFe was retrofitted from a gasoline model vehicle, “which we think adds to highway safety.” Wheego is based in Atlanta, Ga.

Good Stuff Auto has the exclusive right to sell the Wheego line in Sonoma, Marin, Napa, Lake and Mendocino counties.

For more information visit www.goodstuffauto.com or www.wheego.net.

by Erica Hobbs for AnnArbor.com, June 10, 2010

This Saturday’s Michigan Electric Vehicle Rally and Show promises to be exciting for electric car enthusiasts.

Michigan Electric Auto Association President Larry Tuttle of Ann Arbor said many of the organizers and participants in the event are from Washtenaw County.

The second annual event will feature more than 40 electric vehicles ranging from recent models, such as the 2010 Tesla Roadster, dating back to a 1916 Detroit Electric. It runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the campus of Schoolcraft College on Haggerty Road between Six and Seven Mile roads in Livonia. It is sponsored by the Michigan Electric Auto Association and the Schoolcraft College Electronic Technology Program and is free and open to the public.

“Everyone is hearing about electric vehicles but very few people have ever actually seen one,” Tuttle said in a statement. “This is a chance for people to experience an EV firsthand and to talk with someone who owns one.”

Along with viewing the cars, participants will be able to meet the vehicle owners and go for a ride with them, something Tuttle said is important to potential future electric car owners.

“The big question people have is, ‘how will an EV fit into my lifestyle?” he said in the statement. “The best way to answer that question is to talk to someone who is already living with an electric car.”

Vehicles will include production vehicles from the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s and gas vehicles that have been converted to electric. Brands will include a Ford plug-in hydrogen electric vehicle, Th!nk City, Wheego, Current Motors scooter, EcoV Electric, Honda and Toyota hybrids and eCo Wheelz electric bicycles.

The event will also include booths displaying new products and services from the electric vehicle market, a presentation on how to convert gas-powered vehicles to electric power and information on Schoolcraft programs related to the electric vehicle industry.

(NECN: Peter Howe and Lauren Collins, Hudson, N.H.) May 13, 2010, New England Cable News, It’s a piece of history being made — very quietly — here this week:  The launch of the first all-electric, American-made car to hit the road in New England.

Daniel Enxing, who sells new and used cars in Hudson, has won the exclusive franchise to sell the Wheego Whip in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. The Wheego is aiming not to replace conventional cars, but to be a local commuter alternative. The two-seater’s top speed is 35 miles per hour, and it has a 40-mile travel range before it has to be recharged, which takes 8 hours. The list price is $19,000, less some federal tax breaks.

Enxing explains how “where the gas door usually is, you plug in right there” with a regular 110-volt cord you plug into a standard home or business power outlet. It’s also possible to use a 220-volt charger tied to the kind of circuit you’d use for a home washer or dryer, which cuts charging time to 4 hours.

This version’s speed and range are limited by the fact its power plant is a bank of standard lead-acid car batteries under the floor. Coming as soon as August or September, after crash tests and other hurdles are cleared, is a “high speed” Wheego Whip that promises to go 100 miles at up to 70 m.p.h. with a $32,000 list price.

The car looks a lot like a Mercedes SmartCar — so much so that Mercedes has sued the Chinese manufacturer of the car chassis and body.

Officials say more than half the car’s parts, though, come from America. It’s assembled in California. Sometime this year Atlanta-based Wheego is set to get some all-electric competition, as Nissan and Chevrolet roll out all-electric rechargeable vehicles.

Having ponied up to be the exclusive Wheego dealer locally, Dan Enxing’s confident that this little car heralds something big. “This is really the beginning car of the electric car revolution that’s going to be happening,” Enxing said.

One interesting footnote on the story: The key person behind it doesn’t come from the world of cars, but from the Internet. Wheego’s founder, Mike McQuary, made his fortune with Internet access provider mindspring.com, and the company focuses on design and marketing and leaving manufacturing to subcontractors.

While the $19,000 low-speed version is in some ways a marketing tool designed to get buzz going around the car and raise the profile of Wheego, Dan Enxing says he actually is getting some serious interest from municipalities and business-fleet operators who oversee workers that do limited amounts of slow-speed driving or deliveries within a very closely defined area in the course of a day and would always be close to recharging plugs.

Wheego has been added to the evrace.com list of Electric Vehicles.

Hopes are high for EVs, although some hurdles remain.

by Jim Motavalli for the Daily Green, March 17, 2010

Nobody knows how many people will be lined up at the dealership doors with checkbooks on hand when the new wave of battery electric and plug-in hybrid cars–including the Nissan Leaf, Chevrolet Volt, Coda sedan, Fisker Karma, Wheego Whip Life and BYD E6–enter the market by the end of the year.

It’s a no-brainer that green cars–if they’re produced in sufficient numbers–will be a boon to the economy, and a rare lift for American auto manufacturing. A new report issued Tuesday by the Center for American Progress, the United Auto Workers and the Natural Resources Defense Council concludes that new vehicle technology could create as many 150,000 U.S. jobs (whether they’ll also be unionized is anyone’s guess).

Many of those jobs will flee overseas, the report says, unless the Department of Energy continues to subsidize car and battery plants on American soil. “We want to reduce carbon pollution and many unemployed people want to return to work, and building better cars can help with both,” said Peter Kehner, executive director of NRDC. The report estimates that the U.S. could capture as much as 75 percent of the “total technology value” (and the same percentage of job benefits) from the new green cars.

Any potential for job creation, of course, is tied to the size of the market for green cars. Several players in the emerging EV industry, from suppliers and auto companies, testified in a little-noticed Senate hearing in February, talking about what could be “a very significant demand gap,” as Mary Ann Wright of battery maker Johnson Controls described it. She said the worldwide capacity to build EVs by 2015 could be four million vehicles, but there might be demand for only two million.

The solution, as the suppliers saw it, was for the federal government to step up in the short term and not provide start-up capital for American plants, but actually buy large fleets of green cars. “These fleet programs are a great way to stimulate demand,” Wright said.

Federal buy-in is indeed important. The green car market could be slow to develop. “I think pure battery EVs have a relatively limited market,” said David Cole, chairman of the Center for Automotive Research. “There’s a lot of range anxiety. You have to fill the back seat and trunk with batteries to create a long-range vehicle.”

Other barriers to widespread adoption besides range anxiety include high purchase prices (Corolla-sized and appointed cars will cost $40,000), sheer unfamiliarity with new technology, and a lack of dealer networks (at least for the startups). The federal $7,500 tax credit for battery cars will help with the former issue. And their advantages in dealerships will help Nissan and Chevrolet gain market share.

There are a number of surveys that measure potential EV sales in the early years. IHS Global Insight sees three scenarios with the most optimistic (51 percent of the market for battery EVs and plug-in hybrids in 2030) depending on an activist federal intervention in the market. “Business as expected” (ie, limited federal help) gets us to 20 percent market share by that date.

A recent Deloitte survey also sees three possible outcomes, with a conservative volume (again, of both battery cars and plug-in hybrids) amounting to 1.9 percent of a 15 million U.S. car market in 2020, or 285,000 cars and trucks. In 2015, the conservative view is that only 45,000 cars would be sold, making up just .3 percent of the market. The “aggressive” scenario has green cars with a 5.6 percent market share by 2020 (840,000 sold). Deloitte’s key takeaway: “Due to barriers such as battery cost and gas prices, adoption will be slow for the first three years, but will pick up as battery costs decrease.”

Ending on an optimistic note, there’s the report from the University of California at Berekley’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology last November. It says EVs could account for 64 percent of light vehicle sales in the U.S. by 2030 (when they’d be 24 percent of the cars and trucks on the road). That’s certainly encouraging. The report uses the phrase “electric cars,” and doesn’t clarify if that includes both battery cars and plug-in hybrids.