I followed one of these home through the neighborhood last night . . .





I was afraid to pass him because it appeared he was flogging it for all it was worth on our rough street, and he looked like he was approaching loss of control . . . so I hung back. 20 mph may be slow in a conventional automobile, but in this high-speed golf cart, it appeared to be on a par with the back straight at Daytona.

Electric powered, this class of vehicle exists in a limbo between street-legal and golf cart. It falls into a DOT sub-category reserved for "low-speed vehicles" that are legal on roads with posted limits up to 45 mph. "Don't worry, Martha, I'll get out the whip and see if we can make it." Most of these vehicles are capable of no more than 30 mph, under the best of road conditions. Like your car they have to have headlights, stop and turn signals, a windshield with wiper, horn, handbrake, and many of them can be fully enclosed - some sporting an electric heater for chilly days. Some have a switch that selects an alternate winding in the motor that limits top speed (but increases range) to 12 mph for use on a golf course.

Based solely on my observation, there have to be better solutions. This vehicle was tiny, narrow, and had very limited suspension travel, making it dangerous to operate on a rough urban street. It's more suited to the smooth lanes of a gated community or the manicured lawns of an estate or country club. In my neighborhood, I'll give it a couple hundred miles before it tears itself apart, driven anywhere near our 30 mph speed limit.

In case you hadn't noticed, not only is this particular model "Par Car" particularly unattractive, it includes (as a safety device I'm sure) a yellow strobe light mounted to the roof to warn others of its presence. Good idea. A survey of NEV's available out there includes some vastly more attractive alternatives - at considerably higher prices. The Par Car appears to be the shotgun marriage of a golf cart and a travel trailer, with absolutely none of the amenities you would associate with an automobile.

NEV's are becoming common in retirement communities where life proceeds at a more leisurely pace, inside the gates and isolated from regular traffic - in fact they're cheap and reliable transportation - if you don't have far to go. If you live in a large gated community with light traffic and easy access to basic shopping, this might be a solution for your third or fourth car - just above shoe leather.

It's just not for me. There are better choices out there from $6K to $15K that will serve my needs better and still help me survive a collision.

 

that's just a heavily modded golf cart....not a real car...so you can't expect it to have real car-like suspension.

 

Did have plates? How does something like this pass DOT regulation?

 

Yeah, the thing I followed was a slightly different model with a hatchback instead of the beer cooler for a trunk - and it appeared to have paper dealer tags. I wasn't going to get close enough to read them, but it's licensed in the State of Texas.

NEV's are DOT certified as either Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (NEV - not capable of speeds over 25 mph) or "low-speed vehicles" - not capable of speeds over 30 mph (LSV), and all are limited to a gross weight of 3000 lbs. Included in the spec are these glorified golf carts, industrial vehicles, service and utilities vehicles becoming favored by communities wanting to demonstrate their "green" commitment. Municipal utilities appear to be their target market. Well, it's cheaper than a Prius.

Now, practically all of these vehicles can be easily modded to run up to 35 mph, but because state regulations vary, this gets into a gray area of the law. I'm not sure driving at 35 mph in a vehicle licensed not to exceed 25 will get you a ticket, but it's theoretically possible.

As you can imagine, the crash dynamics are considerably different at 35mph than they are at 25 mph. The difference in the NEV and LSV regs relate to additional safety gear required for "higher" speeds. The certification also requires a range of 30 miles - which is more than reasonable for a vehicle of this type. The low-cost lead-acid batteries are warranted for three years, and what minimal maintenance is required is a snap. Basically, you plug it into your 110v outlet overnight and it's good to go all week. An annual inspection for service items is recommended, but it appears there is no requirement for a state safety inspection in most locales.

In California NEVs are declared zero-emissions vehicles (ZEV), and eligible for a $1500 rebate at time of purchase. Maybe that's not much for your Tesla, but as a rebate that amounts to 10%-20% of the sticker, for a NEV, that's huge.

You've probably seen some of the better looking examples on the screen on TV and in movies set in the near future, based on their outré styling. But some go to work every day on our streets. The EV industry estimates there were some 480,000 of these vehicles sold worldwide, and while most popular in Europe, the US licensed 14,737 in 2011 alone. Imagine being pulled over by one of these . . .



^^ GEM is the most popular LSV in Europe, manufactured by Global Electric Motorcars of Livonia, Michigan. Until three years ago it was owned by Chrysler Corporation. Sales last year exceeded 46,000 units worldwide





^^ The Renault Twizy is built in Europe with an assist from their relationship with Nissan. It features a nicely styled 2-seat tandem interior and very mature car-like construction. Sales topped 12,000 units in Europe last year. Renault offers the "heavy quadricycle" (capable of 50 mph with a range of about 60 miles) for about $11,600 to $12,400, depending on level of trim. But that doesn't include the battery. Renault has an interesting proposition for that . . . you own the car but lease the lithium-ion battery month to month. In a way, that's a good thing. Renault is totally responsible for the battery and its replacement in case of difficulty. Your lease even covers road service and towing in case it leaves you stranded. For the urban European, it's a pretty good deal.



^^ If that's not sporty enough for you, the Twizy is offering a "Sport" edition that supposedly incorporates some of Renault's F1 technology . . . if "sport" can be had at urban speeds, that is.

 

In Peachtree City, GA, the city is master planned and you can use your golf cart to travel around town. I had a good friend there and it was pretty cool to get around to restaurants, shopping etc and hop in the golf cart in the garage and not need a car. It really was an appealing reason to move there (if it wasn't so far from Atlanta).

I wish more communities and cities planned like this so people don't have to be dependent on a car for everything. Once rules are followed it isn't an issue at all.

There just seems to be a general hate/fear/misunderstanding of alternative vehicles from hybrids, to electric cars to hybrids.

 

Super popular in the tightly packed beach towns like Manhattan Beach/Hermosa/Huntington, etc here in Southern California

 

These are essentially Power Wheels for adults

 

^^^ yes a nice alternative for short trips. Also much easier to park clearly.

 

I agree completely. In a community environment where speed limits are restricted to <30 mph, these NEVs are a terrific idea. They're quiet, non-polluting, and low cost means of neighborhood transport. What's more, they're convenient and the fuel is essentially free. But it takes a community planned for these vehicles for them to be safe. They're not built to be on anything but residential streets. In traffic, or in shopping malls, they could be dangerous, even though they're not built for speed, they don't appear to resist collisions well either.

Now, as in a golf cart or other low-cost electric vehicle, batteries are going to need replacement in time, but otherwise the cost of recharging them is negligible. I'm not clear on insurance costs, but would expect them to be low. Unlike a golf cart that has been the standard of many retirement communities, these NEVs are available as weathertight transports, allowing them to be used on cold windy days, or in the rain with sufficient weather protection and visibility to be both safe and relatively comfortable. For short-range errands in the neighborhood, they're a good alternative to breaking out the Suburban for a run to the store for eggs, bread, and milk.