I didn't even know this was a thing, but it popped up as an ad on top of a website I was looking at. Isn't this the same concept as Elio, except in electric form?
I sure as E36 M3 hope one of these things makes it to market. I loved the concept of the Elio.
Arcimoto is located here in Eugene. I don't know much about them other than they are located next to the cool hipster taqueria in the brewery district and they are building a new showroom next to their main site.
They seem to hire very talented machinists and fabricators and from what I have seen of their vehicles they are beautifully made. There is a "pride in workmanship" going on there that I really respect. When you see an Arcimoto on the road it isn't like seeing one of the old Gizmo electric trikes or the Indian import plastic 3 wheel electrics. These things come off as high end exotics next to other EVs.
If you head down to their area on a Friday or Saturday for lunch they will often have a handful on display in front of their shop. Always a crowd looking them over.
actually, that Acrimoto looks quite cool. What do you all think about this as an investment?
Acrimoto looks very cool indeed. If I were in the market for a commuter for back and forth to work duty (12ish miles each way) I would totally look into one
Interesting, like the Elio I would DD one. The big difference between the two is the upright vs. recumbent seating position.
I dig the Deliverator version. These things are always interesting but until I can actually buy one (with snow tires) it remains a pretty proof of concept.
I hope they have their act together. Elio looked promising then sunk themselves building their own engine for some god awful reason.
Another option if you can get away with a single seater:
I like the idea but it's limited on storage which seems like an issue given the likely audience would use this to run neighborhood errands. With room for only two bags, that really cuts down on what they claim is a utilitarian vehicle - or maybe I'm over-thinking this. Maybe it's intended more for mid-week when the bread-winner's out making money (meaning single-occupant), where you head to the spa, then buy another pair of shoes, so maybe it can work.
https://arstechnica.com/cars/2017/08/this-three-wheel-ev-is-still-the-most-fun-thing-weve-driven-all-year/
I honestly don't get the use case/market for it.
You could try to convince me I want one of these. You could try...
4cylndrfury wrote: You could try to convince me I want one of these. You could try...
I would like one.
I just don't want to store it, maintain it, or pay for it.
Other than the $100 deposit, I don't see a price shown anywhere?
ProDarwin wrote: https://arstechnica.com/cars/2017/08/this-three-wheel-ev-is-still-the-most-fun-thing-weve-driven-all-year/ I honestly don't get the use case/market for it.
Think of it as the attraction to Smart Cars in Europe. They're miserable little E36 M3 boxes here but if you're doing a bunch of urban run about and need something smallish and cheap to operate there's a pretty good case to be made. The enclosure panels make it a bit more attractive than most other three wheel options.
Personally my commute is 20ish miles a direction each day and I have a vast network of 25 to 45 mph roads I can use and never touch a highway. Something like this would be highly attractive to me.
Now I wouldn't want to be t-boned by a Ford F9000 Super Cattle Rancher Louisiana Purchase Edition - Sponsored by Grizzly Dip & Snuff in it, but if it'll do 55 in a reasonable time period (7.5s is reasonable) and the 20KW battery has reasonable range (130 mi is reasonable) it'll basically be like driving a Polaris ATV to work every day. At $12kish there's certainly a case to be made, whether or not it comes to fruition will depend if I'm budgeting for one or not.
I posted this on the Locost forum where it was instantly distained - which means it'll be a commercial success.
Ian F wrote: Other than the $100 deposit, I don't see a price shown anywhere?
$11,900 as stated on the home page. Their targets are far more realistic than Elio, but that really isn't saying much.
Unfortunately, without major federal tax credits on electric motorcyles, I think it's now also overpriced for what you're functionally getting. For most people in most places, it's still a recreational fair weather (wide-open sides) vehicle at that price rather than a daily commuter. Adding even lightweight (read: flimsy, leak prone, and noisy at speed) side panels/doors, and presumably air conditioning, all of which it looks like they have yet to actually do, will noticeably raise the price a decent bit further.
If actually intended to sell as a primary vehicle, the only major advantage I see over a conventional subcompact economy car at the same price or an electric car at, say, twice the price, will limited potential for a few more parking options in parking-limited areas of major cities, and the ability for one person to use the HOV lane as a motorcycle. Overall, I just don't think the slightly lower operating costs justify the major reduction in safety, comfort, and fit/finish.
While I don't forsee such a vehicle achieving widespread acceptance with the general public, even among most commuters in major cities, I can definitely see there being a few specific market niches that it could be successful enough in for the comany to succeed...Provided they have relatively modest definition of 'success'.
so here's a big question though - do you need a motorcycle license to operate one? if not, why the heck not?
I think the reason we are seeing all these things as 3 wheelers is because that qualifies as a motorcycle and therefore loopholes a whole pile of safety and emission regulations. If they can be sold under motorcycle loopholes, how can you drive one without a motorcycle license?
Or, slightly scarier, can you drive one of these to pass your motorcycle proficiency test and get a license?
Depends upon your state's definition of "motorcycle".
That is one thing elio did do for us, between them, aptera, Polaris, and can-am most states have defined cycle cars as different from motorcycles and made up different rules.
Even though it has seats you sit 'in' rather than 'on', I think the handlebars rather than steering wheel will ensure that some type of motorcycle endorsement (2-wheel, or 3-wheel in states that make the distinction) will be required in many states...As will wearing helemts. California seems to be one of the, if not the, only state(s) that allows all 3-wheelers to be driven with only a standard drivers license. This will inherently limit the market/sales.
In reply to Driven5:
Pennsylvania only reqires a class C license and autocycles do not require a helmet so long as the cockpit is enclosed.
I hear Elio was the main driver of this before they went broke. So they at least left their mark.
In reply to The0retical:
PA DMV said: 1. What is an autocycle? An autocycle is a three-wheeled motorcycle that has a steering wheel and seating that does not require the operator to straddle or sit astride.
In reply to Driven5:
Woops thought it had one, that must have been the solo also linked here or I simply didn't pay enough attention to the cockpit. I've looked at too many of these things lately. That seems like a pretty severe oversight on Arcimoto's part, especially with the amount of time and money Elio spend getting standardized Autocycle laws passed in the US.
On the subject of the SOLO: Tire rack list zero tires for either the 155-60 R15 or 175-55 R15 size...
Jumper K. Balls wrote: Arcimoto is located here in Eugene.
Really? "So we could go on late-night runs for hemp milk and chicken-free eggs without burning down the planet." Hard to believe they are made in Eugene.
I'm so hipster illiterate I don't even know if hemp milk and chicken-free eggs are real things or they were just being funny.
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