Wheego Electric Cars

First off, what is the Wheego Whip? The Whip is an all-electric low-speed vehicle that is made in California but based on a platform that comes from China's Shuanghuan Automobile. According to Wheego, about 100 people pre-ordered $18,995 not-so-Smart car before it became available this summer. For your $19k – minus a potential $7,500 from the federal government – you get a compact two-seater that "when it makes a donut, it doesn't even leave a hole," Korchin said. Above all, this is a city car. There is no tremendous get-up-and-go in the Whip, but it performs just fine in city traffic. Except for a long straightaway on the way back to the Civic Auditorium, we never felt out of sync with the speed of traffic. It's easy to imagine that most people will be able to make an NEV like the Wheego work just fine in day-to-day use, perhaps with a few adjustments to drive mostly in residential areas.

How does it drive? Getting in is easy enough, and the car clicks on without hassle. Drive direction is selected using a gearshift-like rod that offers drive, neutral and reverse settings. Moving from one to the other requires putting up on a collar ring and then moving the shifter. An LCD display on the dashboard lets the driver know which gear is selected. Yes, the NEV is silent and even in a parking lot full of people there just to learn about green cars we were worried no one would know we were coming. A CD of engine noises is available, but Korchin said most people just turn the radio up a bit to let people know the car is about to move.

Once on the go, the Wheego does have a very simple ecometer to provide feedback to the driver about how efficienently the driver is operating the vehicle. A series of five lights that run from green to yellow to red indicate how much energy it takes. We couldn't get the red lights to turn on, just the orange ones when we sped up to the Wheego's top speed of 25 mph. Standard eco-driving tips, like coasting up to red lights - Korchin says he keeps an eye on pedestrian signals to alert him to upcoming traffic light changes - can keep the eco meter in the green and extend the Wheego's 40-55-mile range.

For drivers worried about how many more miles are left in the pack, the analog state of charge energy meter on the left of the dash is incredibly accurate as to how much energy is in the pack, Korchin said, because it doesn't base its prediction on what the driver is doing at any given moment (i.e., if you're speeding up, it doesn't assume you'll be speeding up until the pack runs out). When it dips into the yellow or red, then you'll want to find a charge somewhere. To get from 20 percent up to 100 percent full takes about 10 hours using the Stage One Charging system, Wheego says (PDF spec sheet) and the Wheego does have a 220V quick charge option. The Wheego's warranty, which Korchin said was the best of any NEV he's ever sold, covers parts (including the batteries) for two years and labor for a year.

During the drive, regenerative braking does recapture some of the energy that was used to make the car go. The regen braking in the Wheego is incredibly soft, especially compared to the one-foot drivability of the Tesla Roadster. We were able to coast for a full block from over 20 mph and still needed to tap the brakes at the stop sign. The Roadster won't let you do that and we kind of like keeping out foot off the brakes. You can't get going any faster than 25 mph in the Whip, at least not in California, and pressing the brakes is somewhat heartbraking. There are nine states where NEV laws allow the Whip to top out at 35 mph, and Korchin did bring up the issue of changing California's laws to allow NEVs to go faster in the Golden State with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger when he stopped by the Wheego booth during AltCar 2009.

So, is this the "The Cadillac of Neighborhood Electric Vehicles"? It certainly has more car-like features than, say, a GEM (until the Peapod makes it big, maybe) but that bar is set pretty low. The car's iPod-ready stereo, power windows and mirrors are all nice touches. If you want to spend more than $18,995, air conditioning is a option, along with a spare tire carrier and "The Cadillac of Neighborhood Electric Vehicles" dual charging system. The air conditioning took a few minutes to kick in, but was plenty cool on a decently hot day in Santa Monica when it got going. The interior certainly doesn't have a Cadillac-level of luxury – there is cheap plastic everywhere – but Wheego didn't set out to make a Cadillac; just the NEV version.

There are sacrifices to be made with any NEV – no one will dispute that – but if you're willing to make them, the Wheego is a solid choice. Korchin said that people should evaluate their daily driving style and see if a zero-tailpipe-emission, 25 mph top speed vehicle is right for them. If so, we ask: why not go Wheego?

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PRESS RELEASE

WHEEGO NOW TAKING ELECTRIC CAR RESERVATIONS

ATLANTA (June 14, 2010) – WHEEGO ELECTRIC CARS today announced they are taking reservations for the all-electric Wheego Whip LiFe car on their website at www.wheego.net.

"We are on schedule to be the first company to offer an affordable all-electric car in the U.S.," announced Wheego CEO Mike McQuary. "Other auto companies have made announcements of the upcoming availability of their electric cars, but for the most part, their cars are being released in only a few cities, and in limited quantities. Our Wheego Whip LiFe will ship to customers first-come, first-served across the U.S. beginning in September, and everyone who makes a reservation will be driving their car before the end of the year. The Whip LiFe has a lithium battery pack, is made of 75% U.S. content, and is assembled in Ontario, California. It is an example of American ingenuity at its finest."

The highway-ready Wheego Whip LiFe goes approximately 100 miles on a charge, and retails for $32,995. The Wheego Whip LiFe qualifies for a $7,500 Federal tax credit, dropping the net price to under $26,000. States such as California and Georgia offer State tax credits or rebates up to $5,000 to further reduce the net price of the car. In addition, Congress has legislation pending that proposes an additional $2,000 electric vehicle incentive.

"We have had incredible interest in our Wheego Whip LiFe," said McQuary. "I think the public understands that the time has finally come to make electric vehicles a part of everyday life. The recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has certainly highlighted that it's time for a change. There are a lot of people talking about this problem, and now there is a chance to take action. A groundswell of public support for electric cars continues to grow. Once you have gone a few months without filling up your car at a gas station, you will be hooked on the idea of never doing it again. Americans are insistent on decreasing our dependence on foreign oil now; and on domestic oil, for that matter. You will recharge this car every night in your garage, and be good to go for 100 miles the next day: around the neighborhood, on the highway, everywhere you took your gas guzzler- except to the gas station."

The new Wheego Whip LiFe comes fully-equipped with driver and passenger airbags, anti-lock brakes, air conditioning, and power windows and locks. The 115V lithium battery pack can be charged from a standard 120V outlet, a 240V outlet or any of the J1772 standard charging stations. It is available in red, white, blue, black, silver, and green. The Wheego Whip LiFe is a two-seat subcompact car with fit, finish and features that compete with any other subcompact car on the market.

Drivers can reserve a Wheego LiFe by:

• Visiting www.wheego.net
• Making a fully refundable $100 down-payment
• Receiving a reservation number
• Providing contact information for follow-up by a registered Wheego dealer

About Wheego Electric Cars
Wheego Electric Cars is an innovation-driven and environmentally-conscious manufacturer of Electric Vehicles (EVs). Under the leadership of Mike McQuary, CEO and former MindSpring entrepreneur, Wheego Electric Cars has become a leader in the integration of advanced technology components. Wheego Electric Cars is one of the first EV companies to deliver affordable fully capable, street legal all-electric cars for everyday consumer use. The Wheego line of electric vehicles is emission-free, making them an ideal choice for consumers and businesses who want to reduce their carbon footprint. Wheego is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The cars are assembled in Ontario, California.

For more information about Wheego, and to view the list of Wheego dealers, visit the company website at www.wheego.net.

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