Battery factory custom

[Rickb]

SparkE, I don’t think you are knocking the FUV, and when they become more affordable, may buy one someday, providing it meets your needs. I respect, but disagree with your opinion that Arcimoto is 2 years late to market. The FUV will more likely cater to a wide variety of market demographics (first time vehicle owners, students, single/married with a family commuters, retiring hard core bikers, retirees that never owned a MC, others) to include those that may consider the FUV as their primary vehicle in moderate climates and those that consider it a supplement to their primary family AWD car in all climate zones. That’s a lwide range of what you consider a niche market vehicle.

Then we have to consider the other Arcimoto FUV platform Models: The Deliverator and First Responder Markets

[ricschug]

The FUV needs to be careful to not fall into just a city, commuter vehicle. As Rickb said it is so much more.

[Templedog1]

I just don't see any logical, low income person buying a Tesla with 300 range as to an Arcimoto with 300. The price between the 2 should be wide. Sales should surpass 4 wheels and the low incomes can finally not be road burdened repairs. Every trailer court in America will be ready for it. If it has 300 range, heat and winter capabilities why would a struggling couple go with 4 wheels. The price won't measure up.

I wish I was young to be able to grow up with EVs. A lot of repair time on ice vehicles have been romanticized but truth be told it was always a pain in the butt. The fuv looks easier to greese and replace ball joints. With no expensive software and flat screen.

I wouldn't be surprised if my scenario is true that Tesla or another tries to buy Arcimoto.

[Rickb]

Tesla has zero interest in manufacturing motorcycles, but could be a battery supplier. I lived in a mobile home court for years, with a family, and required more than 2 seats a good share of the time. I would have relished having the FUV as an affordable, easy to maintain commuter as a supplement to my primary vehicle. A low income person shouldn’t finance a Tesla, but perhaps a used Leaf or similar would be more practical and fit the budget.

With that said, a person that could get by with 3 wheels and 2 seats could rent a car or crew cab pickup if or when needed.

[Templedog1]

Yes exactly. I've always bought outright. I never leased or loaned. I'm looking forward to Tesla battery day in February. That day will most likely dictate where the ev future will be headed. The world will change quickly if they announce the million mile battery, solid state. Perhaps they won't have the IP for themselves alone. The company Nano one materials might have a similar chemistry allowing a million miles. Rumor has it, the day might be more about "robots making robots" and the ability to mass production of batteries. And rumored to make and partner with Volkswagen for their batteries.

I'm not going to buy a Tesla, I'm waiting for at least a 200 range Arcimoto to force me off my ICE vehicle. Just out of principle alone. 3 wheels over 4.

I know Apple had the trigger on the finger to buy Tesla at one point... I feel some companies are watching.. possibly cellphone companies, contemplating on buying Arcimoto.

[loopy]

Arcimoto is definitely for inner city commuting or commuting where charging is available. Look elsewhere such as Tesla.

FUV = Fun Urban Vehicle

[Odi]

I was specifically referring to the EV marketplace, where the FUV is just too late to "take over" anything.

There's one thing you're forgetting: carpool lane access

In the SF Bay Area, the proliferation of EVs is due to the clean air vehicle HOV access (wanting to save time and not because of wanting an EV). Around 2005-2007, it was the Prius (and other hybrids) that enjoyed the benefit. I remember in 2008 that a used Prius hybrid with sticker was selling for more than a brand new Prius hybrid (because the maximum number of yellow stickers had been given out). Until 2016, EVs (along with natural gas and fuel cell vehicles) were issued white stickers with no maximum cap but plug in hybrids were issued green stickers with a cap. The green sticker cap was raised several times and I saw a lot more green stickers on the road, because hybrids had no range anxiety (and as you mentioned, everyone was waiting for a 200+ mile range EV).

In 2017, with overcrowded carpool lanes, the white/green sticker expiration of 2019 was not extended and new red stickers were issued that expire in 2022. This was when I decided to look up an alternative, because I wasn't going to support the laws the car manufacturers lobbied for (new EVs get carpool access for the first 3 years of its life while early adopters get kicked out). This was also when I put my $100 deposit in Arcimoto. So in 2019, purple stickers were issued that expire in 2023, and in 2020, orange stickers will be issued that expire in 2024. My co-worker who bought a 2015 LEAF the week after I did (because I talked about the great deal I got for carpool access) gave in, traded it in, and leased a 2018 LEAF to stay in the carpool lane. I sold my LEAF in late 2018 and started taking public transit to not support the car manufacturer lobbyists. Then in 2019, I found out my work is moving from 1 block away from public transit to 1.5 miles away, so I put my $5000 deposit on the Evergreen.

The 3 year rolling period wasn't enough to reduce congestion in the carpool lanes as people flocked to leasing new EVs, so in 2020-2022, express lanes are replacing a lot of carpool lanes in the SF Bay Area. Clean air vehicles with valid sticker will only be half price. Carpools with 2 people will only be half price. Clean air vehicles with valid sticker and 2 people aboard is also only half price. Carpools with 3+, motorcycles, and buses will remain free. If the FUV and Solo don't take over, then I will happily drive in the carpool lane for the next decade or more. If the FUV and Solo take over, I expect autocycles to be kicked out of the express lanes at some point, and I will sell my Arcimoto stock to buy a Tesla with auto pilot or to pay for the express lane tolls.

[loopy]

That's a popular (and relatable) method when trying to measure or gauge the energy efficiency of a vehicle.  For an ICE we're used to measuring the miles traveled per gallon of gas used (MPG).  For a BEV, simply replace the energy source (gas) with electricity measured in kWh - miles traveled per kWh of electricity used (Mi/kWh).

https://www.inchcalculator.com/convert/m...watt-hour/

I agree with Mi/kWh and think there needs to be 3 range averages(and these all need to be in the Mi/kWh form) done by the EPA for EV's. City(a steady 30mps would work), Highway(a steady 55mph would work), & Expressway(a steady 75mph would work) I figured 75mph because some are 70 and some are 80 here in the USA. They also need to state at what temperature this is done at.  On a side note, I wonder how much altitude affects Mi/kWh?

[CharonPDX]

Altitude has near-zero bearing on EVs performance, unlike ICE vehicles.

"Steady" isn't the best estimate for city, since you need to have acceleration and regeneration/deceleration. That's why Arcimoto claims 102 miles, because of the regeneration aspect with slowing down. Steady 30 wouldn't be the same.

The EPA's estimate for "highway" also isn't steady. It's 40-55 MPH with occasional stops.