News: G&M, B.C.'s Electra Meccanica 3 wheeled electric car/motorcycle | GTAMotorcycle.com

News: G&M, B.C.'s Electra Meccanica 3 wheeled electric car/motorcycle

TorontoBoy

Well-known member
This spans the gap between car and motorcycle. Like a Spyder, it has 2 wheels up front and one rear, fully enclosed, trunk and hood space, and only fits one. Electric range of 160km, max speed of 130kph. 3hr recharge at 220v, or 6 hr recharge at 110v. it is already road legal in BC, with certs coming for the rest of Canada. Made in Canada for now, plans for China in the future (oh great).

G&M said:
The Solo's most attractive feature may be its cost. Depending on the province and the respective electric vehicle rebate, the car's $19,800 price tag can become almost insignificant. Ontario's rebate of $14,000, for example, means the Solo would cost buyers only $5,800.

I can see the potential of this single person vehicle as most commuters are singles anyway. OTOH there is the bigger is better philosophy of drivers and hence the popularity of the SUV. If you must drive and don't need the extra 3 seats, huge engine and expense, and are unwilling/unable to do public transit, would this work?

With gas so cheap and the public's love for SUVs and big vehicles I don't see this taking off now, but in the future. I like the idea.

[h=2]B.C. startup Electra Meccanica pitches pint-sized electric vehicle[/h]
 
With gas so cheap and the public's love for SUVs and big vehicles I don't see this taking off now, but in the future. I like the idea.
Where are you buying gas?
 
"The company plans to use manufacturing plants in China to get into full production."

Hope this factors into North Americans' potential purchase decisions.
 
"The company plans to use manufacturing plants in China to get into full production."

Hope this factors into North Americans' potential purchase decisions.

it's all in the quality control. Many high end products are assembled in China. Look around your house.
 
it's all in the quality control. Many high end products are assembled in China. Look around your house.

It's not about quality control, it's about profit maximization no matter the cost to one's own country. If they're going put profit first and turn their back on Canada that's fine but then I would, if I were in the market for such a vehicle, turn my back on them.

Buick's Enclave is also made in China; were I in the market for a CUV I wouldn't look at it for this reason.
 
Henry Reisner is the guy who builds these things. Long automotive history in his family, starting with dad Frank who built the Apollo, Griffith, Italia and Indra cars. GM burned Frank in a deal with the Indras, so he started building the Intermeccanica Speedster (still building them after God knows how many years) a really superb Porsche 356 replica, with fit and finish better than the original IMHO. This guy doesn't do second-rate.
 
It's not about quality control, it's about profit maximization no matter the cost to one's own country. If they're going put profit first and turn their back on Canada that's fine but then I would, if I were in the market for such a vehicle, turn my back on them.

Buick's Enclave is also made in China; were I in the market for a CUV I wouldn't look at it for this reason.

I'll bet most of the components in your current vehicle were made in China. I look forward to your post about selling it.
 
now if toyota would start making an E motorcycle...
 
I'll bet most of the components in your current vehicle were made in China. I look forward to your post about selling it.

My Yamaha is for sale though not because I believe it contains Chinese components. The Tuono, not so much. I highly doubt much of either vehicle came from China. Could be wrong, don't care.

Regardless, the point is that this company won't even attempt to utilize Canadian suppliers or labour. Like so many other businesses nowadays, they prefer to reward a totalitarian regime that oppresses its own people, stifles things like freedom and basic human rights, manipulates its currency, counterfeits and copies everything from cars to watches to fighter aircraft, all because they'll make more dollars doing so.

**** them. If that's the manufacturing route they want to take, I hope it bites them in the *** and they fail. Would serve them right.
 
My Yamaha is for sale though not because I believe it contains Chinese components. The Tuono, not so much. I highly doubt much of either vehicle came from China. Could be wrong, don't care.

Regardless, the point is that this company won't even attempt to utilize Canadian suppliers or labour. Like so many other businesses nowadays, they prefer to reward a totalitarian regime that oppresses its own people, stifles things like freedom and basic human rights, manipulates its currency, counterfeits and copies everything from cars to watches to fighter aircraft, all because they'll make more dollars doing so.

**** them. If that's the manufacturing route they want to take, I hope it bites them in the *** and they fail. Would serve them right.
No one would buy it with the cost of Canadian labor everyone bitches about made in china then shops at Walmart.

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It's not about quality control, it's about profit maximization no matter the cost to one's own country. If they're going put profit first and turn their back on Canada that's fine but then I would, if I were in the market for such a vehicle, turn my back on them. Buick's Enclave is also made in China; were I in the market for a CUV I wouldn't look at it for this reason.
I do quite agree. Sure QC needs to be done, but I just do not have the confidence that Chinese manufacturing will not cut corners and still pass QC. The buyer ends up getting burned. I'd not buy the product due to location of manufacture as well. Maybe it is ok for a plastic bucket, or even a spare disk drive, but not a vehicle that can go 130kph. The level of risk is much higher in a vehicle, and especially so with a 220v LiOn battery on board. Maybe Electra Meccanica will change their minds. I'd rather they try Mexico instead, or if possible, use Canadian manufacturers.
 
Half *** writing in the article (big surprise). You would hope that major news orgs would have at least one writer who understood how EV's and EV regs actually work instead of blindly barfing numbers like bloggers. In the article they do $19,800-14,000=$5,800 in Ontario. That is messed up on a car this cheap, the correct math is $(19,800*1.13-14,000)/1.13=$7,410. On 50K EV's this simplification isn't so bad but on this thing they are off by almost 30% on price.
 
If this thing gets classified as a car, how will (does?) it pass any sort of a crash test?

I also don't see a one seat car with minimal storage becoming anything else then a curiosity or a niche vehicle. I'm certain that BC, Washington, Oregon and California would sustain the company however.

I would not want to be on a 401 in this little can of sardines though.

Aesthetically doesn't look anything like a "slimmed down Beetle" ... I don't know what the writer of the article was looking at.

smallSide_colors_BLACK-e1501698065490.png
 
If this thing gets classified as a car, how will (does?) it pass any sort of a crash test?

I also don't see a one seat car with minimal storage becoming anything else then a curiosity or a niche vehicle. I'm certain that BC, Washington, Oregon and California would sustain the company however.

I would not want to be on a 401 in this little can of sardines though.

Aesthetically doesn't look anything like a "slimmed down Beetle" ... I don't know what the writer of the article was looking at.

smallSide_colors_BLACK-e1501698065490.png

Apparently it can be done:

smart-fourtwo-%284%29.jpg


but I agree, wouldn't want to face an F-150 in one.

(btw, the irony of me, a frequent fair-weather motorcyclist, talking **** about the safety of a small car on the highway is not lost on me :) )
 
interesting idea
making it a single seater is brain dead
who TF would want that?
can't even bring the dog
 
This would be perfect for the wife if it had a pillion seat. 99% of her driving is single. But do want the option to pickup a passenger. Maybe if they rigged up a rumble seat in the back trunk! She also doesn't drive on any highways. Ideal commuter car for her and the small size would be great for squeezing into the Go train parking lot.
 
In Ontario, the extra cost of insuring another vehicle makes this completely non-viable for most people.

You can already buy a pint-sized electric car that is functionally something like this ... a smart fortwo electric-drive. Already on the market, from a known manufacturer, and with proven safety ratings. And it has two seats.
 

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