We’ve been talking about DARTZ for years and years, ever since the company showed the world that whale foreskins were of interest to humans and not just cetacean mohels. DARTZ is now branching out from its usual absurdly opulent armored SUVs for the global dictator market, and moving into a bold new segment. It’s one in which, at least at the time of this writing, the company will be the sole: the electric open roadster market. Behold the majesty of the ‘Freze Froggy EV Beachstar The Winners Edition,’ the only EV roadster on the market right now.
I mean, I there are certainly more EV roadsters coming, and I suspect that if you really dig, you can find something on the Chinese market that qualifies as an EV roadster, but this is absolutely one of the very few out there.
The Freze Froggy EV Beachstar The Winners Edition (I’m just going to call it the Freze EV, if that’s ok) is based on the Wuling Hongguang Mini EV, but DARTZ has done a lot of modifications to the car, not the least of which is lopping the whole roof off and turning the boxy little four-seat commuter EV into a two-seat fun roadster that feels decidedly unlike a commuter EV.
That Freze name has historical precedent, in case you were wondering. Frese and Company were Russian builders of electric vehicles around 1900, so there’s some heritage there. 
The point of this little thing is that DARTZ wants to bring the same level of absurd opulence to more affordable, small EVs, and they’re going all out for that, with a Bang & Olufsen audio system, seat made with leathers from at least two animals, including ostrich, alligator, and I swear I thought I heard him say “pony,” but I could be wrong. Perhaps the Aston Martin Cygnet would be the closest analogy I can think of?
There’s also a lot of carbon fiber, and a special “Swiss Army Trunk” that Leonard Yankelovitch, the main madman at DARTZ, is quite proud of, as you can see in this video:
It looks like the fridge and burger (maybe that means a grill?) set in the lower trunk aren’t installed yet, but if there’s anything I trust, it’s DARTZ ability and willingness to put stuff like that in cars. He also told me that each car will have two umbrellas (I guess in lieu of a roof?) and, of course, the picnic sets in the custom backpacks in the upper trunk section, as you can see here, in closed and then open positions:
At least one of these exists already, as you can see, and despite being a “Beachstar” it’s a child of a cold Latvian winter, as you can see as its being snownut tested at the DARTZ facilities:
To compensate for the lack of a roof, the structure of the little EV has been extensively reinforced, and a pair of roll hoops have been added, and Leonard tells me that the motor has been upgraded as well:
As far as technical specs go about the Freze EV, like power and range and that sort of thing go, here’s all that Leonard told me:
All spec on EV is bullshiting – let’s be honest only I can say for sure – it did close to 200 in one charge. As car became lighter – not ⅓ body, no back seats carbon hood etc.
When it comes to speed or acceleration or zero to 100 km time, this is what Leonard would reveal:
“We didn’t measure it but the guys driving it told us “not bad!” Also, it’s winter and all cars we have are on summer tires!”
I’m not sure exactly how many they’re planning on making, or what the price will be, but Leonard did tell me:
“This is fucking cheap, fucking simple, fucking cool EV ROADSTER Any student can buy!”
…so, any students out there, pay attention.
Leonard also likes sticking it to a certain carmaker CEO peer who also runs a rocket company, which should explain the caption here:
…and with this in mind, I have confirmed that the Freze EV’s primary market will be Earth-based, so this all checks out.
As always, this is DARTZ, so that means it’s going to be pleasingly bonkers and unhinged in the best possible way. The very idea of a DARTZ For The Rest of Us, whatever that ends up meaning, exactly, feels exciting, and we have to give these guys credit for being first to market with this newest generation of EV roadsters.
Leonard seems very proud and excited by this one, so expect more details and videos in the future, I’d think.
RELATED STORIES
DARTZ Head Madman On The Autopian Podcast
Our Pal Doug DeMuro Borrows Our Aston Martin Cygnet, The Smallest And Strangest Aston Ever
How My Changli Inspired A Man To Start Selling Cheap, Low-Speed, Street-Legal EVs In The U.S.
Kids, this is what happens when you combine too much money and exotic drug cocktails. And I’m here for it! Well, the car anyway.
I genuinely can’t tell if he’s doing some kind of performance art long con or not.
I think he has found a way to sell performance automotive art to rich people, like a modern Gemballa. I suspect most of his customers are in on the joke and enjoy the attention the cars draw.
New logo The Victor.
I don’t remember much from the first Dartz article, but I had the impression this guy was a bit of a caricature-a playboy. This logo right now is him trying to get Putin’s attention, right? It’s just too blatant on that cutesy car. He’s not just playing : he really wants to oligarch! What an odious fuck
I don’t think he’s an odious fuck. I can’t really explain it, normally I’d find a guy like him insufferable, but he’s just funny. He’s a bit of a weirdo with a penchant for ridiculous ideas, but he doesn’t strike me as the type of greedy motherfucker that actually aspires to be an oligarch. If anything, he found a way to monetize making fun of oligarchs – he openly talks about how his $1M/bottle vodka is actually just some shitty vodka in a new bottle, and that he will only sell one bottle, to whichever rich asshole is stupid enough to buy it.
If you hear him talking about Dartz and their clientele, it becomes very apparent that he doesn’t take himself or the company too seriously and really enjoys “performing” his role as the outlandish Dartz guy. He just seems like he was born fresh out of fucks to give. I don’t know how he made his wealth, and sure, I can see him not necessarily being the most honest of self-made men, but he also doesn’t strike me as an awful person. The podcast episode that he was in is one of the funniest so far inn my opinion.
Yeah; I had pretty much the same impression. That he was playing a caricature. But , putting 3 of those skulls on this funky little thing just really stood out. Other thing that I noticed was the trunk latches. For what he charges for his creations, they should have soft open&close-maybe with the Star Trek door sound. The latches are just cheesy.
I’ll have to watch again later and see if I have the same reaction. Was more than a bit impaired last night
I like the part where he narrated that he was opening the trunk and then coughed
The Frese Froggy Josh Freese Edition. Comes with a drum kit.
Some of the links are broken, at least for me.
I am not exactly sure what the definition of a roadster is. Is it like coupe, flexible, Aloha meaning more than one? But i dont think of this when I hear roadster. Either way i wonder what cheap means. Otherwise buying an EV and have someone cut the top off and install a convertible roof, or put 2 umbrellas in the frunk. I bet it would be better, cheaper, and sell better.
Roadster is broadly defined as a small, sporty-looking 2-seater with an open roof. I guess the sporty looks aren’t entirely there, save for that weird looking wing, but this is Dartz so I guess they get to bend the rules a bit 🙂
You had me at “Latvian car-customizer”.
“The Freze Froggy EV Beachstar The Winners Edition (I’m just going to call it the Freze EV, if that’s ok)…”
I’d rather see the entire name, the Freze Froggy EV Beachstar The Winners Edition, repeated every time the Freze Froggy EV Beachstar The Winners Edition is mentioned in this article or indeed in any of the no doubt many future articles devoted to the Freze Froggy EV Beachstar The Winners Edition, personally. I think the Freze Froggy EV Beachstar The Winners Edition deserves no less.
That’s… that’s certainly something
Those seats are interesting (which is how my wife passively tells me that something is hideous).