The ElectraMeccanica Solo EV cuts a swoopy profile and presents much like a car, but gets around on ... [+]
Ultra-small vehicles are beginning to hit the market, raising the question: How much car do you really need? If it’s just you and only you that needs to get to work, school or run those errands, do you really require a seven-seat SUV, a minivan, a sedan or even a Smartcar-sized machine? Around the world, many urban dwellers get by with a motorcycle, scooter or even a bicycle (such as here in Portland), while others still need (or want) just a bit more space, safety or convenience. I’ve written repeatedly about Oregon-based 3-wheel EV maker Arcimoto in this space, but the Eugene-based $20,000-ish Fun Utility Vehicle creator may be about to get some company from ElectraMeccanica’s $18,500 Solo EV, which makes a slightly smaller tadpole-style machine.
A few days ago, I took one for a spin.
The diminutive ElectraMeccanica Solo EV is a completely enclosed vehicle and recalls the defunct Corbin Sparrow, but it’s much more akin to a car than the more motorcycle-like Arcimoto FUV and close cousins from CanAm and Bombardier. Solo EV drivers sit in an enclosed cockpit and a small storage space (5 cubic feet worth) makes up what could be called a trunk. In fact, it’s arguable that it shares more DNA with the open-air Polaris Slingshot, except that it is indeed completely enclosed, about half the size and runs on batteries. Comparatively, it’s still a very unique vehicle.
Solo EV Tech
For such a small rig, the cockpit is unexpectedly roomy and complete, with A/C, stereo, heated seat ... [+]
Speaking of batteries, the Solo sports a 17.3KWh pack ElectraMeccanica says is good for “up to” 100 miles depending on your enthusiasm with the go pedal. ElectraMeccanica says a Level II charger can juice it to 90% in about three hours, or you can plug it into a regular household 120V outlet for an overnight charge to about 60 percent or more depending on how many hours you have to kill.
Top speed is 80mph from the single 53hp liquid-cooled electric motor driving the rear wheel via an enclosed belt. Giddyup off the line for the 1,735 pound Solo comes from 103 pound-feet of torque, resulting in a claimed 0-60 time of 10 seconds. The front wheels do the steering but are not powered. The Solo EV does not tilt like a motorcycle when turning.
Inside, there is a regular-sized steering wheel, a snazzy central color LCD display, enviro controls to the left (including air conditioning) and a stereo to the right that put out decent enough sound and can connect to your phone for in-vehicle calls and playlist playback. All drive controls are completely car-familiar, and if someone were to blindfold you and pop you into the Solo EV with no warning, you’d swear you were in a single-seat Prius or Civic.
The seat was comfortable (and heated!) and there was more than enough room for this 6-1 driver. The ... [+]
More familiar features: Heated seats and mirrors, keyless entry, rear backup camera, power steering and brakes, power windows and mirrors, and more seat controls. They didn’t miss much. Because the Solo is technically a motorcycle in many jurisdictions, it has both “normal” LED headlights by the front wheels and a third central LED headlight array in the middle of the front bonnet/hood. However, because you are completely enclosed in the vehicle, ElectraMeccanica says a motorcycle license or helmet is not required to drive the Solo.
Driving Experience
Acceleration is sufficient with 60mph in about 10 seconds and top speed of 80mph. It'd freeway ... [+]
Walking up to the diminutive Solo EV, I half expected not to fit inside, at least not comfortably. At 6 foot 1 and a few tacos north of 200 pounds, I am not a small person. Yet, it was unexpectedly easy to slip into the Solo and get behind the regular-sized steering wheel - and there were still a couple clicks left on the seat adjuster as well. Make no mistake, the interior is not “spacious,” but it wasn’t cramped by a long shot and once belted in, the Solo EV feels very car-like.
The ElectraMeccanica PR team had coned up a small driving course in a mall parking lot for us journos to navigate; apparently trusting us to go mix with Portland’s traffic wasn’t quite in the cards yet. I watched a few other drivers slowly tiptoe through the short course while waiting my turn, so naturally I mashed the pedal to the floor as the course began with a longish straight, and the Solo sped away with purpose, with 45mph appeared on the speedo before I piled into the brakes for the first turn, a 90-degree lefty. Despite my heavy steering input, the Solo swooped through the corner with nary any pitch or roll, and similar maneuvers on other corners failed to upset the Solo.
Hard into a corner, the Solo EV doesn't roll much and the suspension, while not plush, keeps it ... [+]
Three-wheeled machines with two front wheels (sometimes called a “tadpole” layout) and just the one out back trade a bit of stability for reductions in weight and complexity, and if you really try hard to upset them, they can get tippy, but I never got that feeling in the Solo (or the Arcimoto or the Slingshot) despite pressing it in the corners. The Solo features front and rear crumple zones, side impact protection, a roll bar and some power-limiting tech to keep all three feet on the ground. The ancient parking lot where I was driving was hardly smooth, but the Solo’s suspension did soak up the worst hits with enough damping to keep all three wheels talking to the tarmac. I even drove around a bit outside to course to test turning radius (tiny!!) and hard braking, and to get a feel for the Solo “in traffic,” even if it was among ubiquitous Subarus and minivans jockeying for a parking space.
Verdict: You do sit low to be sure, but it also has that fun go-kart feel to it that urges you to carve through traffic and around larger vehicles. The last time I sat this “low” was in the Slingshot (and previous to that, a Porsche 914), and while that that’s all fine in town, it’s a bit hairy on the interstate among semis and motorhomes. Clearly, the Solo is designed as an urban scalpel but with an 80mph max speed, certain less judicious types (me) would probably attempt a freeway sortie at some point. Safe? From a motorcyclist’s perspective, well, maybe. Like the Slingshot, it’s wider than a bike so ultimately less maneuverable, but it’s also enclosed and “bigger” as well. And it has A/C. And a heated seat. And a stereo. And a windshield wiper. I’m sensing a pattern.
Future Plans
The small hatch on the back allows for a few bags of groceries but not much else. A larger rear ... [+]
ElectraMeccanica CEO Paul Rivera joined the company in 2019 and was on hand at the press preview event. He was kind enough to chat for a bit, and he made it clear that ElectraMeccanica and the Solo EV isn’t going to follow the traditional dealership distribution model cars have adhered to since forever. Instead, Rivera says he is pursuing a three-prong distribution scheme: Direct-to-consumer sales for private ownership, fleet sales, and a sharing tier, because the whole sharing concept appears to be a key mobility segment in the near future. Will it happen? That remains to be seen, but Covid has certainly boosted single-occupancy vehicles like motorcycles and bicycles as consumers try to avoid mass transit - for now.
Like many car and mobility companies, ElectraMeccanica had their 2020 launch plans put on hold by the pandemic, but the company has not been standing idly by. Just weeks ago, Rivera inked a deal to create an American factory based in Mesa, Arizona, that will join another production facility in China. The company is based in Canada, and is listed on the NASDAQ as SOLO. At present they have a dozen retail outlets, typically in malls, to entice potential buyers. Drivers interested in a Solo EV can put down a $250 deposit for the machines, which can be had in four colors.
The question for potential buyers is how the Solo EV will play into their transportation needs. For solo commuters looking for a less-expensive EV solution, it’s certainly effective and fun. Not so much for those with kids or crews. But even then, as a second vehicle to a larger more typical car or truck, it means leaving that vehicle at home for those solo trips (as it were), and with the sharing option, it could even pay for itself over time. I had fun driving it, which counts for a lot, and in rainy Oregon, the potential is certainly there for an enclosed three-wheeler. Maybe add a sunroof just in case?
Want to comment? I post my articles on Twitter, my Facebook page and LinkedIn posts page. I’m always interested in your feedback. Thanks for reading and please click “Follow” below to see new articles when they are posted on Forbes.com.
