What’s the Big Deal About the Wheego Whip?
“At first glance, the Wheego Whip isn’t that exciting. It’s made in China, it only goes up to 25 mph or 35 mph (depending on state laws) and it gets 40 miles on a single charge. But according to Jeff Boyd, the President of Wheego Electric Cars, the Whip takes a world-class vehicle platform and combines it with a top-of-the-line electrical components to create a quality neighborhood electric vehicle (NEV).
“Our primary limitation isn’t technology or the vehicle platform. It’s the availability of lithium ion battery technology. But as demand grows from vehicle manufacturers, production capabilities will increase probably 100-fold over the next two or three years,” Boyd said. Eventually, that means that li-ion battery prices will drop dramatically—a boon for EV manufacturers like Wheego.
At $18,995, the 2009 Whip isn’t cheap for a NEV. But Wheego hopes to sell its highway-ready Whip somewhere in the low $20,000 range (after a $7,500 tax credit). That will make it an reasonably-priced competitor to EVs like the Volt and the more expensive Tesla Model S. So while the NEV Whip might not make a huge splash in the auto world, the 2010 Whip could be a car to watch.”
