Evergreen #80

[Odi]

I don't know my original $100 pre-order number because I never bothered to ask. It was in Nov 2017, so I assumed I was somewhere around 2000.

Without HOV access, it was taking me 1 - 1.5 hours one way for 20 miles. With various carpooling attempts, they always fell apart after a few months. So in 2015, I bought a 2015 Nissan LEAF purely for commuting purposes. HOV access reduced my commute to 45 - 60 minutes. It was not for the environment, since I used 98% renewable diesel HPR while electricity is still at least half from fossil fuels.


In 2017, I found out California was changing the HOV sticker rule. Instead of extending all the stickers to beyond 2019, due to overcrowding of the HOV lanes, starting in 2018, new clean air vehicles only get 3 years in the HOV lane and old stickers would expire at the end of 2018. So I began my search for alternatives (because I refused to support the car lobbyists who encouraged this really environmentally unfriendly law that supports leasing a new car every 3 years) and found the wonderful world of trikes. I liked the FUV the most so I put my pre-order in (front wheel drive, handlebars instead of steering wheel, 2 passengers, all electric).

In fall 2018, I signed up to take the California Motorcycle Safety Program, sold my LEAF, and tried public transit. Door to door ended up to be 1.5 hours, but I could relax and do other things. I was happy and didn't even take the CMSP until spring of 2019, where I dislocated my thumb during the evaluation portion (released the clutch too much trying to keep balanced in slow speed maneuvers and was told I popped a 3 foot wheelie).

I would have happily waited for a non-Evergreen edition but in January 2019, I found out my work was moving to a new location that is 2 miles from public transit in October. So when Arcimoto emailed me about the Evergreen in March (a month after the Evergreen orders were opened), I jumped on it. Despite the June date, I expected mine to be at least August or later. Now it looks like it will be in November. Luckily, my move date was postponed to December.

I ordered a custom color Fuchsia on the standard vinyl layout, I just fell in love with the color in the poll. In my head, I've already nicknamed it FUFU (FUchsia FUv)

[harriska2]

Welcome. Hope you have some good patience. Did you watch the special event on youtube yesterday?

[Odi]

Yup I look at the glass half full because I won't be tempted to park FUFU in the sun for as many days at my current work location. My new work location will have a car park.

I watched the special event and promptly emailed the custom shop about getting that diamond stitching iny seats!

[ricschug]

Good question, are those diamond stitched seats standard or a custom? They did look great!

[Rickb]

The diamond stitched seats are standard. Rich looking interior detail! My understanding is there are some custom color seat covering and color stitching options, beyond the standard black diamond stitched seat with the Arcimoto Logo.

[harriska2]

Good question, are those diamond stitched seats standard or a custom? They did look great!

Fairly certain those are standard for Evergreen as I suspect that they were part of the testing. Also, it looks to me the frame is bent around those seats. It is part of why there is so much more lovely leg room in the back.

[Odi]

Good question, are those diamond stitched seats standard or a custom? They did look great!

The diamond stitched seats are standard.

Fairly certain those are standard for Evergreen as I suspect that they were part of the testing.

The diamond stitching is a custom stitching.

I called Jeremy (he’s the one who communicated with me about my custom color at the end of July) on Friday, Monday, and Tuesday until I finally emailed info to see if he was on vacation or there was a different contact. He called me a few minutes after the email apologizing profusely about their voicemail system not going to their emails correctly because of a recent change in the system and them being busy in the factory (he has other duties in the factory aside from custom shop stuff).

He mentioned it would delay by a couple of weeks as they needed to order more of the diamond stitching (they had run out) and when I mentioned I was #55 and am not expecting mine to be built until November, he mentioned that now was the perfect time to put in the request and thanked me for my perseverance in contacting him.

I mentioned how I loved the pictures of the diamond stitching on the yellow Army West Point and the red Marcimoto (and so was trying to contact him ASAP) and he agreed that it looks great. He made a note in my order. When I mentioned that it just pops so much more than the simple stitching on the blue and “I MUST HAVE IT”, he laughed and mentioned that they tried to make the standard be more like a traditional car’s seat.

[Rickb]

Seriously? Way to much custom!!!!!!!!!!!! It’s an inefficient process that adds time and cost to the manufacturing process. A couple of seat color options, yes, but to stitch or not to stitch is over custom shopped. Frankly, most of the Evergreen Edition’s current options, beyond the doors, should be standard equipment on the FUV’s simple platform providing more for less. I have an Evergreen Edition reserved and apparently don’t know what the hell I’m getting. I’d like to meet the actual Evergreen Edition.

[Odi]

To be fair, I just said I want it, I didn't ask how much.

I think the blue one at the event has the actual Evergreen standard seat stitching.

[CharonPDX]

Yeah, I think many of the early Evergreen purchasers will be doing more custom work than the average "retail" vehicles are expected to have, simply because we're the "spend the money early for early" people.