C-NET tries to count all the electric car start-ups
C-NET's Michael Kanellos did a little thinking out loud this week when he tried to list all of the electric car start-up companies (not major automakers working on EVs). He counted 16 small companies. The names on this list will be familiar to just about anyone who reads AutoblogGreen, but I thought it was interesting to see them all gathered in one place:
Tesla Motors (sports cars), Wrightspeed (sports cars and plug-in drivetrains for trucks), Fisker Automotive (electric sedans), Zap (low-speed and sports cars), Miles Automotive (low speed), Zenn Motors (low speed), AC Propulsion (retrofitting Scions for electric), Phoenix Motorcars (SUVs), Aptera (three-wheelers), Porteon (low speed electrics), Lightning (sports cars in England), Reva (economy cars), Ultramotor (electric trishaws), Myers Motors (freakish three-wheelers featured in Goldmember), Think (electric economy cars) and Venture Vehicles (three-wheeled electric cars.).
I'd say the only "major" player that Kanellos missed is GEM, which has been making glorified golf carts for ages. Other contenders not on his list include Universal Electric Vehicle, American Electric Vehicle, G-Wiz and Hybrid Technologies. I'm sure there's at least a couple more we're missing, but we're already got over 20 small EV companies. Pretty soon, he figures, this list will be much easier to calculate: "History shows that most of these companies will be wiped out." So it goes, as my favorite author would write.
[Source: C-NET]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Chris M 6:27PM (10/27/2007)
Yes, he missed a few. That's inevitable, considering how many startups there are, and how rapidly things are changing.
I must point out that GEM was a division of Daimler Chrysler, though I don't know who got it after that corporate divorce.
G-Wiz is selling re-branded Revas imported from India, they don't actually make the cars they sell.
Zap is actually a dealer, selling vehicles made by others.
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Mik_Cal 7:16PM (10/27/2007)
What about the Venturi Fetish?
They also have a couple other vehicles.
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Tony Belding 7:27PM (10/27/2007)
I don't think it makes sense to even try counting the NEV makers, since there are possibly dozens of them, and most of them are making no moves to grow beyond NEVs, and therefore are not interesting.
As Cris M points out, GEM isn't a startup. It belongs to Chrysler. Plus it's merely another NEV, so who cares anyhow?
Don't forget the Silence PT2 (electric Camagna T-Rex), or the Commuter Cars Tango (It takes two!), or the Energia GT that Brammo have announced (but not yet shown pictures), or Shai Agassi's company (which doesn't even have a name yet), or Symphony Motors. . . .
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anony mouse 8:45PM (10/27/2007)
Modec could certainly be added to that list. They actually have product for sale. (And very nice product too)
http://www.modec.co.uk/
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why not the LS2/LS7? 10:13PM (10/27/2007)
Th!nk.
They actually exist on the road already, including in the US.
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kert 11:04PM (10/27/2007)
They missed a big bunch, many of them on them actually on roads. Too numerous to name, but for example norweigian ElBil Norge Kewet is produced in relatively large numbers.
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Mikael Johansson 4:58AM (10/28/2007)
I have made a list of some battery manufacturer at:
http://www.aortacity.se/Items/Li-jonTillverkare.htm
And a list of some electric car manufacturer at:
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Mikael Johansson 4:59AM (10/28/2007)
I have made a list of some battery manufacturer at:
http://www.aortacity.se/Items/Li-jonTillverkare.htm
And a list of some electric car manufacturer at:
http://www.aortacity.se/Items/Plug-inFordon/PHEV.htm
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R. Reichel 6:41AM (10/28/2007)
What about the CityEl, made by CityCom in Germany? Origininally manufactured in Denmark and started 20 years ago, the single-seater three wheeler CityEl is now manufactured in Germany by CityCom. Production must have reached some 5500 to 6000 vehicles already, see also http://www.cityel.com/
Production is some hundred vehicles per year, the country is listed on the German stock market.
.. And there is still well-known (at least in Europe)TWIKE, a three wheeler with two seats. Still very modern, available as "EASY" (without pedals) and as "ACTIV" (hybrid, i.e. human power plus electric drive system). The TWIKE started almost 20 years ago in Switzerland but has shifted to Germany as well. Production no. is about 50 to 60 vehicles per year. See as well unter http://www.twike.de/
R. Reichel
http://www.solarmobil.net
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Phil L. 6:50PM (10/28/2007)
Lots of electric cars - and not one anywhere near me that can handle my modest commute - and my budget.
Still waiting for the EV market to make it to me!
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Alex Campbell 5:53PM (11/05/2007)
Correction: ZAP is not selling low-speed vehicles or sports cars at this time. We do have a Xebra which falls somewhere in between and is selling today. It is a 40 MPH sedan or truck for a little over $10,000. (Not to mention the bikes, scooters, mopeds, ATVs, dirt bikes, etc.)
Also, addressing one of the comments, ZAP is not a dealer. We are a distributor with retail dealers in the US and distributorships in other countries.
Realistically speaking, there are no electric cars in production today. The Xebra is classified as a motorcycle in the US, but it works almost like a car. Where do you live? We'll match you up with a ZAP dealer so you can test drive a gas-free "car" today.
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Phil L. 10:48AM (11/06/2007)
I live in the Washington D.C./Baltimore area.
I couldn't find a list of dealers on the zapworld site; the "Dealers" link is for those who want to become dealers!
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Lamplightphoto 6:04PM (12/03/2007)
Hello Mr Campbell. Thank you for defending Zap!
As an anxious investor in zaap I was curious about the conspicuous absence at EVS-23?
I have a lot of faith in your company. See my posting on Yahoo's message board.
http://messages.finance.yahoo.com/Stocks_%28A_to_Z%29/Stocks_Z/threadview?m=te&bn=51368&tid=1545&mid=1545&tof=5&frt=2#1545
Thanks again and best of luck.
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J. Brendel 10:41AM (12/14/2007)
Here's another manufacturer of NEVs: E-Ride, founded in 2004. Their website is www.e-ride.com. Both their office and their assembly facility are in Minnesota. They make only an NEV, not a "real" car that can drive on high-speed-limit roads, but that may suit some people's purposes.
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elektrikcar 7:38PM (12/27/2007)
Count the ElektrikCar (http://elektrikcar.com).
We are building electric s2+2 sports coupes. We develop uniques electric cars, with water droplet styling made of carbon fiber body and space frame structures. Check on our limited edition version which is to be limited for only 20-30 cars built.
The ElektrikCar Team
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