Wheego Whip | |
---|---|
Overview | |
Manufacturer | Shuanghuan Auto and Wheego Technologies |
Also called | Shuanghuan E-Noble |
Production | 2011–2013 |
Assembly | Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China |
Body and chassis | |
Body style | 2-door hatchback |
Related | Shuanghuan Noble |
Powertrain | |
Electric motor | 13.0 kW (17.5 hp) |
Battery | 16.32 kWh dry cell lead-acid |
Range | 40 mi (64 km) |
Dimensions | |
Wheelbase | 2,025 mm (79.7 in) |
Length | 3,010 mm (118.5 in) |
Width | 1,605 mm (63.2 in) |
Height | 1,600 mm (63.0 in) |
Curb weight | 1,210 kg (2,667 lb) |
The Wheego Whip was an electric city car produced by American automobile manufacturer Wheego Technologies. It was a low-speed vehicle with a top speed of 25 mph (40 km/h) or as a medium-speed vehicle with a maximum speed of 35 mph (56 km/h), depending on local state regulations. The Whip was based on the bodyshell of the Shuanghuan Noble produced in China, where it was sold as the Shuanghuan E-Noble. [1] The Whip and a highway-capable version, the Wheego LiFe, were produced from 2011 to 2013, with a total of approximately 300 units being completed when production ceased. [2]
Wheego Electric Cars Inc. was formed as a spin out from RTEV (Ruff & Tuff Electric Vehicles) in June 2009, having formed a partnership with Chinese car manufacturer Shuanghuan Auto, with the Whip as its first automobile. It was based on the Shuanghuan Noble, a two-seat city car produced by Shuanghuan since 2004 controversial for its similarity to the Smart Fortwo. In the United States it was to be launched in August 2009 as a low-speed vehicle with a top speed of 25 mph (40 km/h) or as a Medium Speed Vehicle with a maximum speed of 35 mph (56 km/h), depending on local state regulations. [1] These versions used dry cell sealed AGM lead–acid batteries, with an all-electric range of 80 kilometres (50 mi) on a single charge, and capable of recharging on any standard household 110 or 220-volt electrical outlet. [1] The bodyshell was produced by Shuanghuan in China was then fitted with the electric drivetrain. The vehicle was marketed under the Wheego Whip name in North America and the Shuanghuan E-Noble in the rest of the world.
As of March 2012 [update] , Wheego had manufactured 36 cars since April 2011, and only two cars were left in inventory. Wheego's business strategy was to build the cars only when the company gets money from sales or through venture capital. [3] About 400 units were sold through 2013, of which 300 were completed when production ended. [2]
A Neighborhood Electric Vehicle (NEV) is a U.S. category for battery electric vehicles that are usually built to have a top speed of 25 miles per hour (40 km/h), and have a maximum loaded weight of 3,000 lb (1,400 kg). Depending on the particular laws of the state, they are legally limited to roads with posted speed limits of 35 miles per hour (56 km/h) or less. NEVs fall under the United States Department of Transportation classification for low-speed vehicles. The non-electric version of the neighborhood electric vehicle is the motorized quadricycle.
In the United States and Canada, low-speed vehicle (LSV) regulations allow relaxed design and registration laws for four-wheel vehicles that have a maximum capable speed of about 25 mph (40 km/h). Several other countries have similar regulations.
Global Electric Motorcars (GEM) is an American automotive manufacturer specializing in neighborhood electric vehicles (NEVs) since 1998 and low-speed vehicles (LSVs) since 2001. By October 2015 the company had sold over 50,000 GEM Battery electric vehicles worldwide. Originally owned by Chrysler, GEM was acquired by Polaris Inc. in 2011. In January 2022, it became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Waev.
Venturi is a Monaco-based automotive manufacturer. Founded in 1984 by French engineers Claude Poiraud and Gérard Godfroy as MVS. Venturi operated for nearly sixteen years, before declaring bankruptcy in 2000. The same year, Monegasque Gildo Pallanca Pastor purchased Venturi, and decided to focus on electric-powered motors.
Ruf Automobile GmbH is a German car manufacturer. Formerly using Porsche bodies in white to build cars, today they build vehicles on their own bodies and chassis. They also manufacture performance parts for various Porsche models, including the 911, Boxster, and Cayman.
A motorized bicycle is a bicycle with an attached motor or engine and transmission used either to power the vehicle unassisted, or to assist with pedalling. Since it sometimes retains both pedals and a discrete connected drive for rider-powered propulsion, the motorized bicycle is in technical terms a true bicycle, albeit a power-assisted one. Typically they are incapable of speeds above 52 km/h (32 mph); however, in recent years larger motors have been built, allowing bikes to reach speeds of upwards of 113 km/h.
Electric motorcycles and scooters are plug-in electric vehicles with two or three wheels. Power is supplied by a rechargeable battery that drives one or more electric motors. Electric scooters are distinguished from motorcycles by having a step-through frame, instead of being straddled. Electric bicycles are similar vehicles, distinguished by retaining the ability to be propelled by the rider pedaling in addition to battery propulsion.
Buddy is a Norwegian electric city car, produced by Buddy Electric in the early 2000s, formerly known as Pure Mobility and Elbil Norge AS, at Økern in Oslo. In 2007, the Buddy, and its predecessor, the Kewet, made up 20% of the electric cars in Norway. Since its inception in 1991, combined sales of the Kewet and Buddy had totaled about 1,500 vehicles through October 2013, of which, 1,087 were registered in Norway.
An electric car or electric vehicle (EV) is a passenger automobile that is propelled by an electric traction motor, using electrical energy as the primary source of propulsion. The term normally refers to a plug-in electric vehicle, typically a battery electric vehicle (BEV), which only uses energy stored in on-board battery packs, but broadly may also include plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), range-extended electric vehicle (REEV) and fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV), which can convert electric power from other fuels via a generator or a fuel cell.
Miles Electric Vehicles was a manufacturer and distributor of all-electric vehicles manufactured by FAW Tianjin in China that met international car safety standards. Miles was given the "Electric Car Company of 2007" award by Good Clean Tech. The company filed for bankruptcy on June 11, 2013.
A speed limiter is a governor used to limit the top speed of a vehicle. For some classes of vehicles and in some jurisdictions they are a statutory requirement, for some other vehicles the manufacturer provides a non-statutory system which may be fixed or programmable by the driver.
Artega Automobil GmbH & Co. KG is a German sports car manufacturer based in Delbrück, Germany. Founded by Klaus Dieter Frers in 2006, the company's first product was a mid-engined sports coupé released in 2007. In early 2010, a private equity and venture capital firm that already held a stake in Artega took full control. Artega filed for bankruptcy in July 2012. It was reacquired by a company under Frers' control that same year and eventually resumed production, specializing in electric vehicles.
Shuanghuan Auto (双环汽车) was a Chinese automobile manufacturer headquartered in Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, founded by Zhao Zhigang. It was established in April 1988 and acquired the state-owned automobile manufacturer Red Star in 2002.
The Shuanghuan Noble is a 4-seater Chinese hatchback that was made by Shuanghuan Auto. It was sold in various European and Asian countries and has generated large controversies due to its similar styling to that of the Smart Fortwo.
The electric vehicle industry in China is the largest in the world, accounting for around 58% of global production of electric vehicles (EVs) and more than 1.5 million exports in 2023. In 2023, CAAM reported China had sold 9.05 million passenger electric vehicles, consisting 6.26 million BEVs and 2.79 million PHEV. China also dominates the plug-in electric bus and light commercial vehicle market, reaching over 500,000 buses and 247,500 electric commercial vehicles in 2019, and recording new sales of 447,000 commercial EVs in 2023.
Mia Electric was a French electric car manufacturer in the 2010s. The company, based in Cerizay, France, designed and built electric vehicles made totally in France.
Autonomous Fusion is an American autonomous vehicle company headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The company develops vehicle technologies including software, systems, tools for autonomous vehicles and self-driving cars, artificial intelligence/machine learning, and IoT connected devices for the home, business and roadway. The company is led by CEO Mike McQuary.
The Chery Arrizo 7 (艾瑞泽7) is a compact sedan produced by Chinese automobile manufacturer Chery.
The Wheego LiFe was an electric city car produced by American automobile manufacturer Wheego Technologies.