The 2017 Los Angeles Auto Show is kicking off and CleanTechnica is giving you a glimpse behind the curtain before revealing what’s new with electric cars this year at the show.
New Electric Cars At The 2017 LA Auto Show
How things can change in the space of 10 years. The LA Auto Show a decade ago was a mix of the same old facelifted and increasingly heavy cars sporting all sorts of wonderful creature comforts. Simply put, the offering was repetitive and innovations were just slugging along. Electric cars weren’t making a dent yet despite this whacky startup called Tesla Motors and its electrified Lotus sports car.
The following year, and a majestic global financial crash later, macho V8 cars and trucks took a bow and opened the door for new and exciting cars we had never heard nor seen before. Center stages were strange. Unusual electric vehicles (EV) created a seriously confused public, with visitor after visitor asking where the engine was. As the years went by and the economy improved for auto companies, “regular cars” came back and EVs were dismissed, eventually to backstage.
A decade later, EVs have matured.
EVs offered 40–60 miles of range way back then. Now, the Tesla Model S and X reach the 300. There is much more to come as well, as we all now know.
VW Electric Hippie Van & Company
Let’s get that one out of the way. We bumped into a photo shoot three days ago and here they are at the show — the electric VW ID Buzz, VW Crozz, and VW ID.
We loved the idea of an electric VW bus. The battery pack specs were optimistic and we had reservations about the technicalities of charging it that quickly. But it’s here … well, sort of. VW is delivering, albeit if only a working prototype.
Arcimoto, Generation 8 — Ready to Roll
We hadn’t seen the Arcimoto since the last test drive we took in 2013, and what a different world this is. The 8th generation has matured to the point where the company feels confident enough that it is actually ready for prime time.
One thing Arcimoto Vice President Jesse Fittipaldi and I talked about is the freedom the EV platform offers, well represented here at the LA Auto Show from the three-wheeled Arcimoto to the gigantic 4×4 Bollinger EV!
Our initial test drive proved the switch to a handlebar makes the Arcimoto a fun electric three-wheeler to ride around town. We effortlessly hit 50 mph and negotiated turns vivaciously. Jesse told us the newer generation 8 they will be showing will have slightly tweaked suspensions that will negate any of the weight transfers we felt today. We’re game — bring it on! We’ll have more on the new Arcimoto in a later story.
Bollinger, 4-Wheel Electric Behemoth
A behemoth, it really isn’t — but more impressive, it is. The Bollinger 4-wheel EV is somewhat reminiscent of the Lamborghini LM002 sans the V12 in it. As you can see from the pictures, you can easily accommodate skis or any building material in the middle of the vehicle.
The suspension uses Citroen’s famed pneumatic spherical system which means velvety smooth ride.
URB-E Here & Everywhere
Funny story about URB-E — as we stepped into the Blue Metro line to come to the media day of the LA Auto Show, we noticed this young lady with a folded URB-E inside. She said that the URB-E brought an hour commute to 20 minutes. She was a tall person and said it was the only electric scooter that could handle her demand.
And the new URB-E looks like just as much fun.
Stay tuned for more as we continue with interviews and test drives from the LA Auto Show. Next: the new Nissan LEAF…
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