Americans love big cars. That’s not a stereotype — it’s a fact. U.S. motorists buy tens of millions of SUVs and trucks every year, and while consumers clearly love to go big, driving a diesel truck to and from the store might not be the best choice for everyone, and certainly not for the environment.
Wink, an EV company based out of New York, sees that reality and is offering up Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (NEVs) in response. Its tiny EVs land somewhere between a Smartcar and a golf cart, and while they may not enjoy the full freedom of most full-blown EVs, they could prove useful for urban motorists looking for an easy and efficient way to run errands or commute to work.
Fully loaded — The NEVs only reach a max speed of 25 mph and are street legal in the U.S. on roads with speed limits of up to 35 mph. Like an actual car, the NEVs are enclosed, two-door machines, that can seat up to four passengers. Outside of their pared-down top speed, Wink’s NEVs enjoy many of the features that make a proper car, a proper car.
That includes seatbelts, air conditioning, electric doors, locks, windows, mirrors, folding seats, glove boxes, a small trunk, and even a backup camera and infotainment screens. That’s a lot of stuff in a little package, and potentially enough to qualify Wink’s EVs as a car replacement for some motorists.
One model even includes a removable solar roof panel designed to give drivers up to 15 miles of range per day.
All those features don’t even take into account that Wink’s NEVs have the benefit of sustainability on their side. All of Wink’s NEVs will be powered with a 3 kW motor and can be charged from a 120-volt outlet. Range will vary between models, of which there are four.
- Sprout — The base model of Wink’s NEVs costs $8,995 and comes with a 60-Ah battery that can get 40 miles of range.
- Sprout Solar — Starting at $9,995, Sprout Solar comes with a removable solar panel for extra range and an 80-Ah battery that provides a range of 60 miles
- Mark 1 — This $10,995 entry is a hatchback with more interior and cargo space. It has a 60-mile range
- Mark 2 — For $11,995, customers can buy the Mark 2 which has four doors and a rear hatch. It carries the same range as the Mark 1, but also comes with a solar panel for charging
Release date — All prices are apparently part of an early bird structure from Wink which will run through the end of November. If you’re ready to dive headfirst into a small electric car, you can order directly through Wink’s website.
