Sebastian Blanco
Maybe they want to be Elon Musk. Maybe they want to change the world. Maybe they’ve forgotten the names Aptera, Zap, or Bright. Whatever the case, a fair number of small electric vehicle start-ups were scattered around the floor of the Los Angeles Auto Show this week with big dreams and some small cars. Here’s a list of the ones that I simply couldn’t miss.
Redspace Reds
Probably the weirdest electric vehicle at the LA show was the Reds (pictured above) from a new company called Redspace. Designed by former BMW design chief Chris Bangle, the Reds EV is meant to offer occupants the ability to enjoy the car even when it’s parked. Maybe especially when it’s parked. With a driver’s seat that can spin around to face the rear-seat occupants and a video screen that pops up out of the dashboard to play video games or watch movies, the Reds is meant to be a small living room on wheels. Funky, chunky wheels.
A mobile entertainment pod might not sound that useful for people on the go, but the Reds was developed for busy megacities, where sometimes you just want to escape your crowded home and get some time to yourself. Maybe go sit in your parked car and play the latest Forza game.
Arcimoto
Sebastian Blanco
It’s been a long road for Arcimoto from humble beginnings back in 2009 to delivering its first vehicle at the 2017 LA show. The three-wheeled EV’s name and shape have changed dramatically in eight years, but Arcimoto founder and President Mark Frohnmayer was nevertheless excited to finally get his new ride. Originally called the Pulse, the trike’s new name is the FUV (Fun Utility Vehicle) and the company is ready to start production next year, with a target of 2,000 units by the end of 2018. Since Arcimoto already has 2,000 reservations, the Oregon-based company could spend all of next year building and delivering vehicles just to fulfill today’s demand. If it all goes well, then an “optimized production” rate could mean 10,000 vehicles produced in 2019.
Ampere 1
Sebastian Blanco
The official launch of the teardrop-shaped Ampere 1 three-wheeler took place late on Thursday afternoon with perhaps a half-dozen journalists being handed granola bars after a low-key press conference. The unusual vehicle (it will need to be registered as a motorcycle) on display was just a prototype, but its one that the team has apparently been testing and driving for a year already. Co-founder Tony Chan said that what you see is 90-percent production ready and that the plan is to start building these trikes in the summer of 2018. Ten colors and an optional roof top will be available.
The cost for the 100-mile base model will be $9,900, with a higher-end, 150-mile vehicle on offer for $13,000. Using a Level 2 charger, the base model will charge up in three hours. Look for a production model at CES in January.
Bollinger B1
Sebastian Blanco
The outlier, sizewise, was the Bollinger B1, which is a big, square utility vehicle that made its debut in New York earlier this year. To match the Jeep-like look, the company has big plans for this truck. That’s a good thing, since they already have over 12,000 no-commitment reservations in place. The 360-horsepower EV is supposed to go on sale in mid-2019 with a range of either 120 or 200 miles, depending on if you opt for the 60- or 100-kWh battery pack. Performance is supposed to be impressive, with a 0-60 time of 4.5 seconds and a 127 mph top speed. Important details – like the price – should be coming soon, so stay tuned.
