Will NEVs Finally Hit Their Stride?
By Todd Kaho
 At the Clean Cities Conference in Phoenix recently, Green Car editors had the opportunity to drive many of the latest low-speed and neighborhood electric vehicles (NEVs) now available or coming soon. The mix of vehicles included everything from open-air platforms to fully enclosed subcompact car-like entries and even a compact pickup. This variety of solutions to clean around-town transportation needs is encouraging, but what does the future hold for the segment?
The recent spike in petroleum prices should be enough to jump-start this fledgling industry, yet low-speed electric vehicles like NEVs don’t seem to make headlines at the national level. On many fronts, they aren’t even part of the discussion.
When Ford pulled its new Think Neighbor NEV entry from the market a few years ago, one had to wonder about the economics of competing in a segment that makes sense on so many levels. No matter how right the product, however, it still must offer a good business model. Industry doesn’t move forward if it’s not making money. Certainly, the energy dynamic has changed dramatically since that decision was made and things might be very different if auto executives were faced with a similar choice today.
My community of 750 homes in a rural area of Ohio has 33 miles of roads and a 19 mph speed limit. It’s an ideal environment for neighborhood electric vehicles, yet astonishingly none exist. Rather, there are an increasing number of golf carts and small utility vehicles like the John Deere Gator and Kawasaki Mule roaming the roads. Their operators are clearly looking for a more efficient alternative to a car or truck for short commutes in this controlled setting. When asked, few know what a neighborhood electric vehicle is, let alone what choices are available.
A quick explanation to the uninitiated: NEVs are federally certified battery electric vehicles that bridge the gap between traditional cars and golf carts. They are electronically governed to a maximum speed of 25 mph and equipped with specific safety equipment like seat belts, headlights, brake lights, turn signals, and mirrors. Many states allow their use on roads posted up to 35 mph.
NEVs make a lot of sense in low-speed urban environments. As plug-in electrics, they are exceptionally clean with no localized emissions. Since they’re small, easy to handle, and don’t require much parking space, NEVs are also ideal for daily short hops and errands, if roads with appropriate speed limits are available. Green Car Institute (www.greencars.org), a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization focused on research and educational projects, validated the NEV concept in several studies conducted in recent years, quantifying their value when operated in areas well-suited to their use, such as master planned communities.
Timing is everything when it comes to marketing challenges....and it certainly seems that the time is right for raising awareness of NEVs alongside alternative fuels and advancing green technologies. Positive transportation changes will require diverse approaches, and the NEV should be an integral part of this as we move forward.
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