Talking about ‘original’ names, the new ‘Kurrent’ an Neighborhood Electric Vehicle (NEV) by American Electric Vehicles in Michigan. Is under a lot of discussion. Many producers are launching € 7,000 or €15,000 grocery getters and industrial-yard security cruisers, but the question is. Is the market big enough?  

Company president Scott Thornton of American Electric Vehicles says he’ll hire 50 to 70 employees for the new venture. The problem with NEVs is that American laws prevent them from operating on roads with speed limits faster than 35 mph, and they’re allowed to run only 25 mph top speed. Experts disagree on the size of the market potential. Thornton is looking at 15,000 a year. The president of GEM, another NEV manufacturer owned by DaimlerChrysler, says about half that. Other experts say NEVs face considerable competition from less expensive golf carts. Thornton is counting on innovation and marketing. He sees solar panels, electric boats and scooters as a way to grow the company. Right now he’s hoping to ramp up to 500 a month by next year.

But the competition is getting fierce. The AEV Kurrent has Italian competition from the Elettrica, which looks awfully like a Kurrent. The Elettrica has a range of at least 80 kilometers, which they proved in a drive from London to Brighton without recharging. Indeed, it had “battery capacity to spare.” 80 km is nothing compaired with the 240 of the new ED by Smart, but the pricing is right for the oversized grocery getters market.

The Elettrica will be sold in the UK by Travelelectric starting in September. Travelelectric is adapting the Elettrica “into a form more suitable” for the UK. This means the British Elettrica has a range of 100 km per 5-hour charge and a top speed of 65 km/h. The batteries are made of aircraft-grade lithium-cobalt and will sell for £12,750 inc VAT (value-added-tax).





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