Day by day, month by month, year by year, car buyers in America are getting more and more choices for EVs. There seems to be an EV for everyone, from motorcyclists to lovers of big and chunky SUVs. This weekend at the 2022 Los Angeles Auto Show, I got to drive an EV meant for the minimalist. The ElectraMeccanica Solo is one of the cheapest highway-legal EVs in America, and it’s a single seater that gives you nothing more than you need.
The past seven days have brought a number of firsts for me. On Friday, I flew into Los Angeles aboard a Boeing 777-200. It wasn’t just my first time in a 777, but my first time riding in a wide-body aircraft of any kind. While here, I’ve gotten more firsts like my first time at the Petersen Automotive Museum, first time at the LA Auto Show, and first time in Pasadena. On the way to the LA Auto Show, I saw another first: an ElectraMeccanica Solo on LA’s freeways. Seeing that Solo on the highway is perhaps my biggest surprise of the whole show.
Where The Solo Came From
I was surprised because I’ve known about and seen pictures of the ElectraMeccanica Solo for a while, but production always seemed to be off in the near future. The story of ElectraMeccanica technically starts in 1959 in Italy with a different company, Intermeccanica. Founded by Frank Reisner, Intermeccanica was–and still is–a tuning shop, making go-fast parts for Renaults, Simcas, Peugeots, and more. Later, Intermeccanica got into coachbuilding and crafting bodies for projects like the Apollo GT sports car, the Italia, the Indra, and more. Intermeccanica also got into making Porsche 356 replicas. Reisner died in 2001, and his son Henry took over. Today, Intermeccanica continues its tradition of custom-built cars, and you can still buy a handcrafted Porsche replica from the company.
Along the way, Henry Reisner decided to open up another venture. As Automotive News Canada reports, in 2012, Reisner joined forces with Jerry Kroll to create ElectraMeccanica. This venture wouldn’t involve coachbuilding or replicas, but instead focus on building a three-wheeler. Kroll, as tech business site Seeking Alpha writes, has a long history of launching and being involved in various startups.
But the experience perhaps most related to ElectraMeccanica is the fact that Kroll had been involved with the Corbin Sparrow (above), a three-wheeler first built in 1999. At one point he even ran Corbin Motors Vancouver. In 2015, Kroll purchased the rights to the Corbin Sparrow, and while the ElectraMeccanica Sparrow looked pretty much the same as the Sparrow did in 1999, the new version ditched the lead-acid batteries for lithium. The plan, as Canadian car publication Driving.ca wrote, was to produce a handful of Sparrows before shoving the drivetrain into a sleeker body. Kroll touted his company’s EV as the new people’s car:
“This is the Volkswagen Beetle for the 21st century,” Jerry Kroll declared in the Westin-Bayshore parking lot during my pre-test drive briefing. “After 30 minutes of driving it, you feel like you are wearing Robert Downey Jr.’s Ironman suit. You’re wearing the car. It’s the way driving should be.”
In a video, Kroll went even further, saying the Solo would end up “as ubiquitous as the iPhone within a year” and calling it the best experience that you could have that isn’t sex. But what wasn’t happening were deliveries, and after those 2015 teasers of the production version and tens of thousands of pre-orders, sites began to doubt whether the cars would ever reach customer hands.
ElectraMeccanica Pulls It Off
I am happy to say that the ElectraMeccanica Solo is not vaporware and the company actually pulled it off! At least, to some extent. Before I continue, I should note that the marketing strategy for the Solo has changed. Kroll was replaced as CEO by Kevin Pavlov, and the marketing strategy has dialed back far from calling it the 21st Century Beetle or as present as an iPhone. Instead, ElectraMeccanica today is more reasonable, touting the Solo as an inexpensive electric commuter that’s also fun.
I started my journey with the Solo by climbing around it and feeling the little three-wheeler up. The Solo’s configuration is that of a reverse trike. A single, belt-driven rear wheel propels the vehicle, while two front wheels do the rest of the work. In my experience, this is a stable configuration. It doesn’t feel tippy or like you’re going to lose grip while doing spirited driving. And that rear wheel is far enough back and thick enough that you don’t feel like it’s going to swap ends, either.
The exterior design does come with some touches similar to that of the Sparrow, like the tapering rear end and a headlight placed centrally below the windshield.
But unlike the Sparrow, this design is fresh and doesn’t look like a suppository. Though, from certain angles it does look like a car that was cut in half, which makes me smile. Overall fit and finish on the exterior is good, with everything feeling like it belongs on a motor vehicle that will be exposed to the elements. I love the badging, too, though you’ll probably notice the orange peel in the paint.
The first thing that you’ll notice when opening one of the doors is just how big the sills are. That’s because the vehicle’s batteries are under those sills. Getting in involves either crouching in like you’re getting into a sports car, or sitting down backward, then rotating yourself in. I preferred doing the former.
Inside, you’re greeted by a surprisingly roomy interior. At 10.1 feet-long, it’s a little over a foot longer than a Smart Fortwo. This results in an interior with a lot of space for you to spread out. You also get a small frunk and a small trunk, so you could carry some gear with you, too.
Looking forward, this interior appears to be a parts bin special. I feel like I’ve seen all of these bits and pieces in many other vehicles before, and the radio is something that you’d find at your local Best Buy. But that’s fine, because making a bespoke interior for a vehicle like this seems like it would be a waste of resources. Vehicles like these sort of should be a parts bin puzzle. As far as quality goes, everything in here feels no worse than, say, a mid-2000s General Motors product. Which again, I’m fine with for a vehicle like this.
The features list is pretty stacked, too. You get air-conditioning, a heated seat, big heated side mirrors (no rearview mirror), keyless entry, and a reasonably comfy seat. Hopping in and closing the door, I started pretending that I was a character in Top Gun, and I was about to go tear up the sky. I do wish that the interior design embraced the cockpit feel a bit more, but I still dig it.
Going Solo
As a motorcyclist, one of the things that I wanted to find out about the Solo was if it drove like a car, or handled like a motorcycle. Three-wheelers walk an interesting line. Trikes like Can-Ams feel like motorcycles with an extra wheel, while something like a Vanderhall should feel like a car that’s missing a wheel.
On paper, the Solo is like a Japanese Kei Car. It weighs 1,769 pounds, is powered by a 56 HP, 103 lb-ft torque electric motor, and has a top speed hovering around 80 mph. Those are very much Kei Car specs, but for sale here in America. If you think that weight is porky, ElectraMeccanica tells me it’s because of those batteries. The engineer on hand didn’t know the exact weight of the battery packs, but told me that the 17.3 kWh battery consists of multiple square packs combined. That battery is good for up to 100 miles of range, and unlike some of the cheap EVs that I’ve written about, it does have regenerative braking.
Punching the accelerator pedal, I expected the Solo to do something dramatic. EVs have the benefit of instant torque, and since this one is sending its power to just a single wheel, I expected some wheelspin. ElectraMeccanica’s people tell me that while the Solo has stability control, it does not have traction control. Thus, a burnout is theoretically possible.
Instead of a burnout, my test Solo took off gently without any commotion. I was a bit surprised; ElectraMeccanica’s represetatives told me the Solo could hit 60 mph in about 8 seconds. I did hit 60 mph in my test, and it took about 10 seconds. The ElectraMeccanica site says 12 seconds. And while this may be slow for an EV, it does the job. My Smart Fortwos are slower than this and they get by in traffic just fine. What I did find to be good in my short test was the handling. The little Solo scampered around city corners, only showing signs of distress when one of the front wheels dipped into a pothole. With a pothole, you get a little bit of wheel hop, but I expect that from a reverse trike.
Sadly, my test run was short, and I never got to see a freeway. Though, this was in Los Angeles, where the freeway near the test was completely gridlocked. Thus, I didn’t get to do a top speed run. Other high notes in my test include visibility. I’m not sure what car these mirrors came from, but they’re so huge that you won’t care that there isn’t a rearview mirror. And should you really need it (you won’t), there’s even a reversing camera.
I ended my test drive smiling. The Solo was legitimately fun, and I concluded that the Solo drives more like a car than a motorcycle. And it drives like one of my favorite classes of car, the kei car. I can totally see myself using one for a short drive out to the beach, or customizing one to have neon lights and big speakers. So ElectraMeccanica’s people tell me, that’s just what a number of its customers have done. These aren’t being bought just as commuters, but as tiny blank canvases. It even has a weight limit of 287 pounds, which is decent for a single person and the morsel of gear that they can carry.
Who Is This For?
ElectraMeccanica is marketing this vehicle to two types of buyer. The first is the daily commuter. ElectraMeccanica says that the average American drives just 39 miles a day, and the vast majority of them are all by themselves, taking empty seats and extra car where they go. So, the Solo cuts out everything that those people do not need most of the time. The second group is the business owner. There is a cargo version of the Solo, which ElectraMeccanica says is great for stuff like local package delivery or pizza delivery. Plus, since the Solo is so distinctive, it’s also a rolling advertisement. And while not officially targeted in ElectraMeccanica’s marketing, the company sees car customization enthusiasts buying them, too.
As far as where this vehicle sits legally, it’s not a car, so it doesn’t have to be crash-tested. But in most states, it’s also not a motorcycle, so you won’t need to wear a helmet or get a motorcycle endorsement. Instead, it sits in a middle ground where in most places you’ll drive it on a regular driver’s license. Still, ElectraMeccanica says that the vehicle features a safety cage and an integrated roll bar.
The price for any of these groups to get in on a Solo is $18,500, and that might be a slight problem. You can buy a Chevrolet Bolt for $25,600. That aggressive pricing alone nets you a lot more car for not a lot more money. But then, the Bolt should get even cheaper when 2023 rolls around. GM has reportedly said that its EVs should qualify for the new EV tax credits under the Inflation Reduction Act. If true, that means a Bolt buyer will be paying $400 less to get more electric car than the buyer of a Solo. As of now, a Solo would not be eligible for the credit in-part because ElectraMeccanica farms the Solo’s manufacturing out to Zongshen in China.
I love the concept (a small vehicle requires less energy to move, which means a smaller battery goes a longer way) and execution of the Solo. Heck, I’d love to see one of these decked out in huge speakers, maybe a lowering kit, and bright colors. But the price might make the sale a little harder for some Americans. Still, I’m so happy that this even exists, and maybe I’ll be able to do a longer term test in the near future.
Intermeccanica you say? That thing is cute and all, but i’d rather have a 1967 Intermeccanica Torino
Less than 100, hand made
Ford 289 HiPo drivetrain
https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1GCEB_enUS921US921&sxsrf=ALiCzsbCHapNvHs10w4IORPjQ_ACUotXRw:1669146590510&source=univ&tbm=isch&q=1967+intermeccanica+torino&fir=QXrUmSaBhW43DM%252CQTkeirWzKEzDTM%252C_%253BdRRnQY_YHRCBnM%252Cqi4AnZRrV3FoqM%252C_%253B-W7vf_UkcRiTLM%252CEjPOdVxFhx4GHM%252C_%253B_2jfxMGvzVctVM%252CQTkeirWzKEzDTM%252C_%253BKdPZOHyvPcWwgM%252CWUBMizKf6U3PGM%252C_%253B2ofXcgoEdQxz_M%252CwDYBJRlScTCocM%252C_%253BW6Wu2mYI3yNNVM%252Cqi4AnZRrV3FoqM%252C_%253BARRkn0hVv7yTYM%252C8G7i9qKyVrTnnM%252C_%253BQjLSKUyYwogfCM%252CC_FEBTWm4WiaOM%252C_%253BtmhgSOHW8fjHDM%252C117oMawd7fh_iM%252C_%253B9rRSFg3ULXOFBM%252CyODOhFo5EGtNNM%252C_%253B8UXHzcMjz8M7aM%252CKnVYIKzyKTf2kM%252C_&usg=AI4_-kRz0T01y8klCHczcef0fEPFHO57mA&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwizq-vMx8L7AhXVjIkEHVdcDgYQjJkEegQICBAC&biw=1920&bih=880&dpr=1
Da-yum! Yes, please!
Would an owner be allowed to park in designated motorcycle spaces?
I think think the primary actions/feelings of motorcycling are leaning and countersteering. Without those it isn’t “motorcycling” (by this definition a sidehack is also not motorcycling). CanAms don’t do either and have always felt more like a quad-minus-one rather than a bike-plus-one. I certainly don’t think anything with a wheel will feel akin to motorcycling.
Right! But at least for me, there’s more to it than just leaning. Does the vehicle’s construction scream “motorcycle plus a wheel” or “car minus a wheel?” Is operating it similar to a motorcycle? Does it share some of the feelings that I get when riding a motorcycle?
With this, it was “no” across the board, but I was still curious. At least to me, a Can-Am, specifically the Ryker blurs the line a bit. I’d say that one of those handles more like a snowmobile than a quad. And that makes sense, considering Bombardier’s heritage. So, they’re basically snowmobiles with tires, and I’m cool with that.
ND. I’ll take a used Leaf for half the price. Same range, seats four times as many people, has more than four times the cargo space, and easily more than four times the safety as well.
While I like the looks of it and I’m glad they made it to production I don’t care for vehicles with low ground clearance.
Don’t get me wrong, the worse roads I see are mountainous logging roads once in a blue moon, however in my area the speed bumps are pretty dang tall and the ramps that lead to and from parking lots to the public roads are of varying standards which makes it easy for lower cars with not good approach and or departure angles to scrape. I don’t care if the skid plate is designed to scrape, I hate the sound and I never want to scrape any automobile.
That frunk trim is the sort of lazy CAD that makes me furious. You can see they just kept chopping chunks out for clearance with no thought at all for how it would look when it was done. And no attempt at all to make the front edge look like it sort of fits the front of the vehicle.
It’d be stiffer and lighter, and look a lot better, if they gave the design engineer another couple of days to throw it in the bin and do it again.
A sliding canopy would have allowed for lower weight and greater rigidity over redundant doors. It’s not like this is conventional, so embrace the possibilities of the weird. Also, it’s too expensive or slow/short of range for the price. If the Aptera actually makes it to market, it would be this concept done MUCH better for not that much more considering even the base model would be a major bump in performance, range, practicality, and even safety not just in terms of structure, but visibility from its larger size.
If they could price this closer to 10k I think they could actually grab some people. But that price, as you said, it just gonna be a turn off.
Honestly for that price it needs to either be a range monster, a bullet in terms of speed, or luxurious as hell. Unfortunately it has none of that, which is sad because I love plucky little cars like this.
Something like this could be both range monster and bullet for not a lot of money. But it would end up looking like a radically different vehicle in the process. More like a velomobile-turned-sports-car. Instead, it was designed to be a jack-of-all-trades, and when one doesn’t have mass production capability and the cost is as high as it is, the buyer ends up not getting much value for the money. Trying to pander to the lowest common denominator on limited resources is a fool’s errand. The smarter strategy is to find a niche, even a tiny one, and give that niche the best value for the money, even if that means going to extremes to do so.
Is the headlight in the middle to get around some regulation that would classify it as a car? Are the two on the front corners just turn signals with DRLs? If they are doing some parts-bin engineering here, why not go with an existing headlight/turn signal assembly and ditch the middle light entirely.
I’m not aware of a regulation but my understanding is that it’s generally considered poor practice to have two distinct headlights on a narrow three-wheeler like this because the lights still can’t be all that far apart, therefore it’s too easy for others at night to conclude that the vehicle is farther away than it really is. Since it’s legally a motorcycle, only one headlight is required and in this instance it’s probably safer for everyone involved to stick with expectations.
The prototypes had only the outboard lights. The center light was added to comply with motorcycle lighting requirments.
I’m disappointed this thing is so inefficient for what it is. It uses about 50% more energy per mile than a Solectria Sunrise sedan, which weighs a half ton more, can seat 4 people, and had a real world 150-200 mile range on a 26 kWh battery pack.
This means its aerodynamics aren’t very good. I suspect the drag coefficient on this thing is well over 0.3.
For what it is it is also quite heavy, and most of that isn’t batteries. It weighs almost as much as my Triumph GT6! It probably is a lot safer than my GT6, to its credit.
It’s still an interesting design, to say the least. I like the overall concept, but I don’t think it is well executed.
An engineer on hand told me that most of the weight is somehow in the batteries. Granted, he could have been wrong. He was off on the horsepower by 3. 🙂
I could see that if it was NiCd batteries. “Most”, or a majority, of the weight would be something over 900 lbs, and it only has 17.3 kWh? 17.3 kWh of some of the less dense LiFePO4 would be around 400 lbs, and potentially as little as 200 lbs for the more dense varieties. The most dense Li Ion available on the mass market, that 17.3 kWh could be as little as 140 lbs. This doesn’t include packaging for the battery or the cooling system, but those things are commonly greatly less than the batteries themselves. So accounting for that, if the majority of the car’s weight is battery, it is probably using lead acid!
In that case, I’m definitely leaning towards the idea that the engineer misspoke, or perhaps exaggerated. The Solo’s site and documentation says that there are lithium nickel cobalt aluminum oxide batteries under those sills, so by your calculations they shouldn’t weigh *that* much.
The concept version of the Solo was said to have a chassis weighing just 40-lb due to extensive use of carbon fiber. I wonder how much that one would have been!
Random thought: conventional door cards look so odd in a narrow car
With no crash test rating, this looks to be uninsurable.
Probably a bad choice. When you get run over by a brodozer on your way to work, your family will not be compensated.
The Solo is actually as insurable as any other three-wheeler! 🙂 It’s registered and insured as a motorcycle.
But despite the registration, most states don’t require a helmet or an endorsement because it has three wheels.
Here in Washington it’s a bit more restrictive than that. In order to be operated without an endorsement and a helmet, a three-wheeled motorcycle must have a seat instead of a saddle, a seat belt, a steering wheel instead of handlebars, and be partially or fully enclosed, although I don’t know what the minimum legal limits of “partially enclosed” are in practice. If a motorcycle doesn’t have all that, there’s a specific three-wheeled endorsement required for its operation, which would cover, for example, a typical VW trike conversion or a conventional motorcycle with a sidecar.
Still, the Solo would qualify for use without an endorsement here, registered and insured as a motorcycle.
Makes perfect sense.
“…big heated side mirrors (no rearview mirror)…”
Speaking as the owner of an HMV Freeway, there’s really no way to install a rearview mirror inside something like this if you want it to be big enough to be useful and yet be situated far enough off-center to actually show something other than a reflection of the driver’s head.
It shouldn’t cost more than $10k, as it doesn’t require the testing and shit for car standards, and it’s Chinese.
They should make a Duo model with a passenger seat.
What’s bothering me is how claustrophobic it looks with the back end all paneled up.
Just like riding a motorcycle, if I’m driving a tiny little thing like that, I need visibility in all directions, quickly, easily and instinctively.
Even if the panels don’t block the view, the problem is that they look like they block the view, and that’s just as important when you’re trying to entice a buyer to test drive a funny looking little thing like this.
Glass that greenhouse!
Honestly, the taper is so aggressive that I forgot the rear end is as stubby as it is. 180-degree visibility (and the mirrors) is good enough that I never felt cramped or that I couldn’t see.
That said, ElectraMeccanica missed an opportunity for a clear roof for a more open feeling.
I wondered about that. The rear end looked like a blind spot nightmare.
Well, Ms. Streeter, I was so intrigued by your article that today I drove from Seattle to Portland to test drive one of these myself. So, well done you! I have always been intrigued by this kind of form factor and this is the first time I have had a chance to actually drive one. I missed a chance to get a Corbin Sparrow several years ago (which is probably why I’m still alive), and I would sell two kidneys* to get a Carver One, so this was an exciting day.
Overall you are spot on with your review. It was an absolute hoot to drive and felt way more solid and planted than I expected. I am mildly claustrophobic and had zero problems in the cockpit. It feels very roomy and I am 5’11” and 200lbs so that was a pleasant surprise. I even got it out on the highways around Portland and got the little bugger up to 83mph and it felt fine. I never felt like it was squirelly or dangerous. And as a bonus that storage area was bigger than I expected. You can probably fit 3-4 full bags of groceries in there. As for blindspots there are none. Really. It’s kind of unnerving. The taper and the big mirrors eliminate it. I found myself looking over my shoulder for lane changes and that just made things worse. Once you trust the mirrors you are golden. So a fun little scoot with OK range and solid handling. If I was still commuting I would definitely consider it except…
The ride is really really hard. If the road is even a bit bumpy you really feel it. I can’t imagine spending more than the hour I drove today in it.
The seat was weird. Maybe I didn’t have it adjusted right but it didn’t feel centered and that made me lean to one side a lot.
Finally, and I am not the first to note this, the price. It’s just too pricey for what you get and the fun factor/carpool lane/easy parking just doesn’t balance it up for me. It doesn’t help that I also drove a 2017 Fiat 500e while I was down there and while it had a bit less range (rated at 84), it was just as much fun, if not more, to drive, has more than one seat, easy to park and cost $2k less.
So there you go. Thanks for the inspiration Mercedes!
*not mine, of course
One seat, two doors? Why?
ElectraMeccanica says that the two doors are there for symmetry, and to offer the driver the ability to exit the vehicle outside of traffic.
This needs to be a lot cheaper. Right now, a high-end e-bike or electric motorcycle would handle commutes just as well (in LA) for a fraction of the cost.
Mine can do 150-200 miles on about $0.15 of electricity. Albeit, it’s not fast enough for LA. This figure is at 30-35 mph cruising speeds, with my pedaling accounting for about 1/3 of the motive force. Once I complete some upgrades, it will be capable of sustaining highway speeds, although since it’s legally a bicycle where I live, it won’t be legal on any interstate highway. State highways are already fair game though and I cruise 45 mph on them at times.
I wouldn’t want to go 45 MPH on a highway in a car, much less a freaking bicycle. This seems like a very dangerous and pointless exercise whereupon the rider becomes a speed bump for some clown in a brodozer who is recording his latest TikTok video.
I’m picky about which state highways I ride it on. Speed limits for the state highways I use tend to not exceed 45 mph, and then I do that in the slow lane. And only after I did a brake adjustment that morning and first verified it will stop straight at speed. Most of my riding is currently done on side streets at 30-35 mph.
The Avid BB7s are sketchy after 35 mph, but they are okay if they’ve been freshly adjusted and tested that same morning. When they go out of tune, there will be a bias towards veering to the left or right instead of stopping straight, because they are cable-pulled. They’re being replaced with a custom-designed hydraulic system that used DOT 3/4 fluid and a motorcycle brake lever with a built-in fluid reservoir. Absolutely necessary for the speeds this thing will be capable of. And the seals will be able to handle boiling fluid, and the new rotors will be sized for a single panic stop from 110 mph without warping. There will be enough fluid to avoid boiling from such a stop as well. The new rotors going in are from an ATV. Motorcycle rotors are much larger for the application than is necessary, but there are no bicycle brake rotors suited to the task. There will be not only regen in the rear, but also an emergency cable-pull brake.
Once I finish the upgrades, it will be fast enough not to be a speed bump. I plan to pass cars doing 80+. While it won’t be all that safe, it will have a roll cage and crumple zones and probably be safer than a modern motorcycle or a car from the 1940s in a collision. I’d probably road pizza regardless, given this vehicle will be at about 100 lbs.
Yep. Also it only seats one. Two seats would be preferred to beat any motorbike. Have to pick up the kid? Can’t do it in that.
“…a high-end e-bike or electric motorcycle would handle commutes just as well…” In rain? In the cold?
Mercedes!!! I’ve got a trike with your name on it. Hit me up – I’ll happily trade you for one (1) Smart ForTwo and you can live your blinged out beach buggy fantasy (plus this one seats two).
https://imgur.com/a/7CMovrp
Nice! It’s reminiscent of the HMV Freeway from the 1970s, but it is unique and I can’t identify it. Any more info?
Here’s mine:
https://i.imgur.com/1KvhZN8.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/j75uGn7.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/tzO209r.jpg
150-200 miles range @ 30-35 mph on 1.5 kWh of battery, top speed of 50 mph, 0-30 mph in around 5.5-6 seconds, and the ability to do donuts. If I disabled the motor, it can be pedaled to 35 mph in a sprint and hold about 23-25ish mph on flat ground for long periods of time.
I could easily double that range at 30-35 mph with better aero. Currently upgrading it with roll cage, crushable sub structures, light-duty DOT rims, solar car tires, and will be upping the power from 4 horsepower to 13 horsepower. The goal is 0-60 mph in under 8 seconds, 100+ mph top speed, and 100+ miles range at 70 mph on a 2.5 kWh battery. The finished vehicle will be under 100 lbs and will remain very pedalable with the motor disabled, and might be so slippery I can pedal it to 45 mph in a sprint.
The hubcap on that thing that Buzz posted says Subaru, so, you know, more or less one of these:
https://images.craigslist.org/00T0T_erT8P8YmnAsz_0CI0t2_1200x900.jpg
It’s a 1981 Honda cb400a bolted to a… Subaru Something. The front wheels are 4×140, so most likely a Leone or XT, even though the steering wheel appears to be from a Brat.
I bought it from the estate of a deceased metal sculptor in NW Michigan, so details are pretty non-existent. He had to have made this thing by hand, because I can’t find anything like it online either.
It should be re-wired and the bike part needs some basic maintenance, but it has lights, signals, a radio, a windshield wiper, and a functioning 2 speed semi-automatic transmission, and if you really want to go out in a (literal) blaze of glory, I think it would be pretty easy to swap in the big boy cb750a engine and transmission.
No, it needs a Hayabusa. Seriously cool ride though.
Oof. About what I expected unfortunately.
These are fine commuterboxes, make no mistake. But they’ll never sell over here. $19k for a car with 1 seat, a crappy stereo, an iffy heater, minimal warranty, in a weird layout, from an unknown manufacturer?
The Mitsubishi Mirage is perfectly normal, seats 5, eats gas, and starts at $17k when you include destination.
And the overlap between these two is a lot larger than you think. Anyone not specifically wanting one of these is looking at something like a Mirage. Which is going to win every time because it’s familiar, it’s not weird in any way other than being tiny, doesn’t require you plug it into your house every day, and the dealer’s right around the corner.
For those consumers, 39 miles vs 39MPG is an absolute no-brainer. And that’s where the volume is.
I kept my comparison to cheap EVs, but yeah, even the Mirage offers more for less! I reckon that people would line up to buy them at $10k, but that would be a huge price cut.
Probably better off in Europe/Asia where these smaller vehicles are more widely accepted
This is a way better take on the concept than a lot of the predecessors. Twizy gives you a second seat, but makes you fight to get cargo back there. And short trips for a few bags of groceries are exactly where a vehicle of this sort will shine. That looks like a very useful and accessible cargo area. Three wheels with two up front for stability, enclosed so unlike the Can-Am etc it is usable no matter the weather. Looks less weird on the outside than anything in its class, and probably feels like a normal car inside. And when you’re sitting in it, you don’t have to look at it. If they could get the price down it might have a chance.
The problem for me is right there in the lead photo. There’s no way that the driver of any SUV of that size would ever, ever be looking for something this small in the blind spots.
I currently drive a Golf and already feel unsafe in the sea of crossovers and SUVs.
There will eventually be a boatload of tiny cars and velos on our roads so this problem
needs to be solved.Protected lanes are the long term answer.
Short term- maybe flashing lights on stalks?Set them at eye height so the SUV drivers cant ignore them
They’ll still ignore them when their eyes are glued to their smartphones or fiddling with their vehicle’s touchscreen and infotainment center.
The weight limit will weed out plenty of potential customers in many parts of the US.
Americans keep getting fatter and fatter. Most of what passes for food in this country is straight-up poison. Government policy has also been used to economically force everyone into a sedentary lifestyle. The results are simple cause and effect.
Sparrow failed, this will too. still I have to wonder what happens if you get T-Boned, how likely are the Li-On batteries to electrocute before catching fire?
“…I have to wonder what happens if you get T-Boned…” Compared to a motorcycle?
I was onboard until that price. I know they’re not quite manufacturing on the same scale as GM or Toyota, but still.
Unfortunately it has priced itself out of contention for almost anyone who is looking for a truly basic and cheap electric commuter. In the $10-12k range I could see this winning people over. If it is even close in price to a regular 4 wheel EV though it makes no sense to buy a Solo over something that is safer, more versatile, and has probably twice the range.
Elio Motors (vaporware though they are) had the pricing model right – this is an /accessory vehicle/ and should be priced accordingly or there’s going to be about a zero take-rate from anybody that’s not up at the “spend some money on silly toys” level of income.
I’d /like/ one of these to get to/from work efficiently, but I /need/ something else entirely to get anything or anyone besides myself somewhere (kids, dog, spouse, groceries for any/all of the aforementioned) so this is as much a toy as my motorcycle except that I can probably do a bigger grocery run with the motorcycle.