Americans drive an average of 13,474 miles a year, or the equivalent of four roundtrips from New York to Dallas. Almost half of those car trips, however, are under three miles. That’s a lot of unnecessary gas (both the petrol and greenhouse kind) spent for journeys that don’t necessarily require a 'proper' car.
Following OGN's recent article about a tiny EV being made by Wink Motors for the US market, another company has come up with an even more unusual solution: golf carts. Well, sort of.
Club Car, one of America’s leading golf cart companies, has launched a whole new breed of electric micromobility vehicle that looks like an oversized golf cart but works like a low-speed car - and meets automotive safety standards. The vehicle, known as the Cru, was designed by BMW’s design innovation studio, Designworks.
The Cru is narrower than a standard car yet longer than a golf cart, making for a roomier, flexible interior that can turn into a socializing space in seconds. Whilst its speed limit is only 25 mph, it's street legal and can be driven on any street with a speed limit of 35 mph or lower, making it a viable alternative for any short trips taken at both neighborhood and city-wide scale.
As micromobility solutions go, it’s an intriguing move - but at $27,000 it's pricey. But in the micromobility market, which is already ripe for disruption, it could drive the practice even further.
Could Tiny EVs Reclaim America's Streets? As the cars on US roads grow larger and heavier every year, perhaps going electric simply isn’t enough. To reclaim city streets from massive trucks and SUVs while simultaneously promoting affordable and efficient electric vehicles, New York-based startup Wink Motors thinks it has the answer. Read on...