Wheego Electric Cars
Wheego Electric Cars Inc. was formed as a spin out from Rough and Tuff Electric Vehicles (RTEV), a manufacturer of battery-powered recreational electric vehicles, in June 2009 with Mike McQuary as CEO. The company is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.[1]
Wheego Whip
Its first automobile was a two-seat compact car that was launched in the United States in August 2009, in partnership with Shuanghuan Auto.[2] The car is based on the "Noble" platform manufactured by Shijiazhuang, with final assembly, including the motor, drive train, controller, electronic components and programming in the US.
It is marketed exclusively by Wheego under the Wheego Whip name in North America, Japan and the Caribbean. It was launched as a low-speed vehicle (LSV), 25 mph (40 km/h) or Medium Speed Vehicle, 35 mph (56 km/h), depending on local state regulations. The low-speed version features dry cell sealed (AGM) lead-acid batteries with a range of 80 kilometers (50 mi) on a single charge.[2]
Wheego LiFe
The Wheego LiFe is a highway-capable version with a lithium iron phosphate battery pack. The Wheego LiFe began selling in April 2011[3] The LiFe is a small sized car sourced from China, with electric drivetrain and batteries installed in California. Its 30-kilowatt-hour lithium battery pack is coupled to a 60-horsepower electric motor. Top speed is 65 mph. Itβs a commuter car, priced at $32,995.[4] It became the third all-electric highway speed street legal car for sale in the U.S. after the Tesla Roadster and Nissan Leaf. The LiFe is fully NHTSA/DOT compliant and has passed all U.S. crash-testing. It can drive at speeds up to 65 mph, and goes approximately 100 miles on a single charge. The LiFe can be recharged using either a standard 120V connection or an industry-standard Level 2 Charging Station. A two-seater with plenty of cargo storage, the LiFe is popular as an urban commuter car. It is sold through a dealer network covering the U.S., Japan and the Caribbean.
References
- β "RTEV Wheego spinoff | wheego | electric vehicles". wheego. 2009-06-01. Retrieved 2009-10-25.
- 1 2 "RTEV and Shuanghuan Automobile Form EV Partnership". Green Car Congress. 2008-11-20. Retrieved 2009-10-25.
- β Blanco, Sebastian (2011-12-17). "Wheego delivers first LiFe vehicle in time for Earth Day". AutoblogGreen. Retrieved 2011-01-21.
- β Jim Motavalli (2012-03-14). "Can The Tiny Wheego Win The Electric Car Race?". Forbes. Retrieved 2012-03-22.
