 | Myers Motors' "NmG"Monday, May 26th 2008 @ 6:30 AM |
One of the two pure EVs available today in the US (not counting Tesla which has a 15 month waiting list) is the "NmG" by MyersMotors (http://www.myersmotors.com/). This is really cool looking personal transportation vehicle that comes in just about any color imaginable. If you want attention, you will get it with this guy!
What is nice about this bad boy, is that they do not skimp on feature. Power windows, AM/FM stereo & CD player standard, two power ports for laptop & cell phone, heater/defroster, fan operated / vents (3), 6 cf trunk storage / adjustable seat back, tilt steering wheel / rack & pinion steering. I guess AC is not needed in what is expected to be such short trips?
Like the Xebra, this vehicle uses lead acid batteries. Even the EV1 of many years ago had nickel metal hydride (second gen). This means the range is limited - to 30 miles. Still not bad to get around town, especially at 70+ miles per hour! (No, that is not an error - this thing really does go 70+ miles per hour!)
Checking with the salesman, if ordered today I could have one in 6-12 weeks. But I am not going to for two main reasons. 1) This vehicle is a ONE seater. They justify the one seat in their FAQ, but even though I use my car alone 90% of the time, I really need that extra seat the other 10% of the time. 2) (this is the big one) The EV sells for $36,000. I cannot help but feel that based on other technologies and other EVs out there that this incredibly high price tag for the one-seater is more taking advantage of desperate consumers who are emotional about gas prices and/or the environment. I can almost guarantee that at that price point, the NmG will never be anything but a very niche product for a very niche market. This "urks" me because I feel MyersMotors is not doing enough to help with the adoption of EVs. Having said all that, I have not seen their business model and it is possible that due to their costs of doing business, that is the price they need to get.
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