The Future of Electric Vehicles Is Golf Carts, Not Tesla

[nevets88]

We're already seeing this now, maybe not as much in the US.

https://hbr.org/2015/05/the-future-of-electric-vehicles-is-golf-carts-not-tesla

Quote:

There are two categories of disruptive EVs: low-speed electric vehicles and electric utility vehicles (EUVs). Low-speed EVs are consumer vehicles built on platforms mostly derived from golf carts and all-terrain vehicles. EUVs come in a range of sizes and formats, from small, light-duty platforms to full-size, heavy-duty trucks, but all are battery-powered and driven by electric motors. Low-speed EVs and EUVs are currently inferior to their traditional counterparts in almost every way. They can’t drive very far, go very fast or haul nearly as much. At first glance, they’re vastly deficient and don’t even meet the minimum performance criteria for most customers.

But there are applications for which these vehicles are actually better suited than their traditional counterparts. Consider low-speed EVs and the golfing communities and college campuses for which they’re best known (in the United States). For short trips around a development, they are actually more desirable than cars; they don’t create tailpipe or noise pollution; they’re slow, increasing pedestrian safety; and they’re cheap to buy and charge. Range and comfort limitations aren’t important factors because they’re only used for short trips in good weather. Full-size cars would be overkill for applications like this.

Similarly, small-format EUVs are increasingly replacing full-size, combustion-powered delivery vehicles in congested cities. Large trucks are difficult to navigate on narrow streets, parking them is almost impossible, and the constant stop/start cycle dramatically shortens the life of critical components, like the starter motor. Further, major cities around the world are beginning to charge congestion taxes for access to city centers. But EUVs are small, which makes navigation and parking easier, they improve their performance in constant stop/start environments, and they are exempted from many congestion taxes because they emit no tailpipe pollution. Meanwhile their short ranges, low speeds and limited payloads don’t detract from their value because the people using these vehicles weren’t traveling very far or very fast or hauling very much to begin with.

[saevel25]

We're already seeing this now, maybe not as much in the US.

https://hbr.org/2015/05/the-future-of-electric-vehicles-is-golf-carts-not-tesla

They would be great smaller communities where a lot of stuff is near each other. You'd probably see about 20-25 mph top speed. With about 50-60 miles on one full charge.

That is not bad if you have an area were you are looking at 5-10 mile trips.

It would be tough to mix in with normal vehicles. You'd want only carts allowed because then you can take a 2-lane (24 foot) wide roadway and turn it into 4-5 lanes. You basically increase capacity by 150-250% in urban areas depending on size of the roadway.

You also get rid of dilemna zones and high speed collisions.

Interesting idea. Tough to implement in the US.