It's quite a bit more advanced than a golf cart. Unibody aluminum tub and roll cage, wheels for bumpers, built in solar charger, 4 lithium hotswap batteries, compact design.
As much as I wanted to like it, I am still just seeing an $8000 upfitted golf cart. (spaceframe golf cart) I didn't dig too deeply, but there seems to be a lot of information missing that would be necessary for a purchase decision.
My initial criticisms:
Air Conditioning is an upcharge -- how much? (It is essential in many regions). And how much does its use affect range? Similarly, how much does the heat affect range? (probably resistance heat- the least efficient type?) What is range in winter, or summer?
What about safety - crash tests and occupant injury - what is the result of a 20mph head-on collision? Side collision? Roll-over? Does the "savings" of a cheap car translate into life spent in a wheelchair as a result of a minor fender-bender?
The 25/40mph top speed is severely limiting in terms of usefulness. Perhaps city-only use is the only domain?
Each battery pack gives 25km range. 2 standard, 4 max. What is the cost of additional packs? What is charge time? How many cycles per pack?
Seat belts? Passive restraints? Is there even a spare tire in case of a flat?
Taxes and Insurance - what is the vehicle category and how does it compare?
Again, I hate to be a dark cloud over this project, but to me a $5000 used gasoline auto seems to be much more practical everyday transportation.
I think city-only use (in cities with slower speeds than American ones, too) is the intended domain indeed, especially given the “city car” name. In theory, in urban environments where pedestrians and bikers who have no protection at all are common, cars should certainly not be traveling fast enough to injure someone inside any kind of metal protective shell.
A sport bike is an upfitted moped. Basically the same thing! Only a few things different like chassis, powertrain, size, range.
The vehicle in question here has been built to purpose, and that purpose is very different from the purpose of a golf cart. A golf cart cannot do all the things this new vehicle can. They look similar, but that's where the similarities end.
And the purpose isn't to replace a gas car. Cars in cities are a crap solution to transportation. They're too big, they go too fast, they pollute too much. The purpose of this new vehicle is to provide a completely different solution: space-efficient safe mobility in urban cities without burning fuel.
The whole point is to find a solution that isn't a gas car. This gets us closer to that. Gas cars and golf carts don't.
