The competition is coming!!

[SPDYII]

The smartcar will be getting a lot more competition in the next year. They won't be the only car on the block for long (so to speak). Here is one I found today: http://www.greenvehicles.com/

I would like to know the price and when they will have more dealerships. Looks interesting to me.

[gbryers]

Originally Posted by SPDYII

I would like to know the price and when they will have more dealerships. Looks interesting to me.

The prices were posted on the site - the 2 NEV's are running around 12k, and the 3-wheeler that can be run on all roads is 20K+, with a range of 100 miles, and a 6-hour charge time.

Not really in competition with the smart in this country, yet, but once they increase range/decrease charge time, and get the price down quite a bit, electrics will have their day. Still, it is one of the cheaper electrics I have seen. Zap Motors has a number of NEVs, and two full cars (a 3-wheeler for 36K, and a high-end job for 100K+)

[xcrew229x]

Those things have all fiberglass bodies, and frames worthy of a golf cart. That's not speculation, pics on this site awhile back of the "manufacturing facility". Really nasty. Not competition.

[msjohnson1974]

Are these the guys that were originally trying to bring smarts in but Daimler wouldn't deal with them?

Also, fine print on these is that they are limited to roads with a 35MPH or lower speed limit... pretty much it is a golf cart. Too bad its bunk, we need to be buying fewer SUVs and more smaller/reasonable vehicles. The Toyotas coming should be interesting.

[saronian]

I'm concerned that casual observers will put the smart fortwo in the same category as a triac or microwatt. With a legal top speed of 35mph the microwatt is a specialty car, and the triac's top speed of 80mph and 100 mile range (it doesn't say at what speed) for $20K is also very specialized.

As the competition increases in the US microcar market I think we'll see what an amazing accomplishment the fortwo is.

[Dave Van]

Others are coming...but Toyota is the only one that is close....and they will have a backlog that makes Penske's a picnic. Nissan will get theirs rolling but they are behind too. The US big three better have skunkworks working full time NOW! We are ahead of the curve right now.....

[msjohnson1974]

Yep the cars you mention are the same guys suing Daimler over smart... which probably explains some of the lack of info from smart USA - you don't want to talk too much whilst being sued...

http://www.evdl.org/archive/index.ht...ble-td16366753

[msjohnson1974]

Originally Posted by Dave Van

Others are coming...but Toyota is the only one that is close....and they will have a backlog that makes Penske's a picnic. Nissan will get theirs rolling but they are behind too. The US big three better have skunkworks working full time NOW! We are ahead of the curve right now.....

Big 3 skunkworks... funny. I haven't been excited by any car they've produced in years.

[Smartfor2guy]

You Tube

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[LinuxGuy]

Originally Posted by SPDYII

I would like to know the price and when they will have more dealerships. Looks interesting to me.

Pricing is stated in the spec PDF's.

Triac - $19.995
Mouse - $12.995
Nev - $11.995