Filed under: EV/Plug-in, NEV (Neighborhood Electric Vehicle), UK
NICE: big automakers won't bring us electric cars
The London-based NICE (No Internal Combustion Engine) car company has issued a statement going full-throttle at the big automakers. The statement says that customers will have to "expect a long wait if they think that mainstream manufacturers" are going to start selling electric cars any soon. "It's easy to get caught up in talk of an electric car revolution," said NICE co-founder Evert Geurtsen. "However, we'd be very surprised if many of the all-electric sports cars, and other models that have been making headlines, hit showrooms within forecast time frames." Of course, once they got our attention, NICE then added that they have already a full range of electric cars and electric bikes which are already available, two NEVs, the Mega City and the MyCar, and a small minivan, called Ze-O. Find the full statement after the jump.
[Source: NICE]
PRESS RELEASE
Electric cars from mainstream makers? Don't hold your breath says NICE
London's electric car company NICE (No Internal Combustion Engine) has the largest range of all-electric cars, commercial vehicles and motor cycles on sale now. But it is warning customers to expect a long wait if they think mainstream manufacturers are about to follow suit.
"It's easy to get caught up in talk of an electric car revolution," said NICE co-founder Evert Geurtsen. "However, we'd be very surprised if many of the all-electric sports cars, and other models that have been making headlines, hit showrooms within forecast time frames."
According to NICE, the recent motor show in London reveals the gulf between talk and action. Despite interesting exhibits from smaller companies in the Show's electric vehicle village (EVV), there were very few concepts or production-ready models on major car makers' stands.
NICE, on the other hand, showed what can be done today. It had concepts in the EVV and a stand dedicated to its four-car line-up, including new models coming to market this autumn.
These include a stylish two-seater from Hong Kong called the MyCar which starts from just £8,995 and the five seat Ze-O a family electric MPV priced from just £13,995.
And of course NICE continues to sell its popular four-seat Mega City. Starting from £11,500, Mega City drivers enjoy motoring from just 2p per mile, with no congestion charge, no road tax and parking concessions within the capital.
And a rather stylish-looking car to boot.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Floorman56 6:32PM (8/28/2008)
So what’s the problem? If these guys are selling EV and lots and lots of people want them and the "mainstream manufacturers" don't want to make them. Then NICE should be one of the largest car dealers in the world in a year or two
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Glenn 10:01PM (8/28/2008)
I agree. Looks like there will be lots of room for start-ups to muscle in on market share. I'll wait for as long as it takes to buy a car that I can plug in.
TX CHL Instructor 9:40AM (8/29/2008)
GM, in particular, is not going to a major force in any market in another 5 years. They are in the process of imploding under the pressures of unions, bloated healthcare costs, and really poor market strategies of the past 10 years.
So what? When (not if) EV is the mainstream, then the EV companies will be the new Big Automakers. The world will continue without GM, Ford, and Chrysler if they choose not provide what the market wants(*).
(*) Unless, of course, they get a massive taxpayer-funded bailout.
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Serge 10:07AM (8/29/2008)
Most of NICE's "EVs" are in fact low-speed vehicles prohibited from highways.
Bring that Fiat e500 to market first, then we can talk.
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Brian 4:29PM (9/04/2008)
GM had an electric car called I think the EV, that its' test customers loved. They dismantled the program, and destroyed the cars. They were fast, and required virtually no maintenance.
There is no reason an electric car can't be a good performer, or that they can't go very long distances. Instead of filling a tank with gas, battery stations could be set up to swap batteries. It's not that difficult of a problem to solve.
My theory is that big oil has paid off the US auto industry to avoid anything but ruse products like hybrids. Just try driving a hybrid without the gas engine staring. It's impossible, and designed that way I think on purpose.
If you don't believe me about the EV, there was a very good documentary made about it called, 'Who Killed the Electric Car'. It was GM. You can get the DVD for this from Netflix or probably a decent video store.
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Rob Hopcott 5:35AM (9/09/2008)
Great article :-)
Why don't we just mount a buying strike on newly factory produced fossil fuelled motor cars?
Surely, the car companies would then have to get moving to produce something we actually want and which will save the planet?
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