DeviceGuru

Electric vehicles were prominent among the “hot products” showcased at West Coast Green in San Francisco this week. The event’s product expo featured an assortment of early production units, prototypes, and concept models based on two-, three-, and four-wheel designs, along with several of the vehicles’ creators.

We spotted the following electric-powered vehicles (and one concept model) during our tour of West Coast Green‘s exposition hall:

Wheego EV and Saba EV
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Mitsubishi EV and Green Lite plug-in hybrid
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Brammo EV motorcycle and “Cell” concept EV
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Further information on each of these vehicles — including specs, photos, a video, and other details — are provided below.

Wheego’s Whip

The Whip is an all-electric four wheeler with a claimed range of “about 40 miles per charge.” It takes “about 8 hours” to recharge using a standard 120VAC household outlet, according to the Wheego’s literature.

Wheego’s Whip EV
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Wheego says the Whip can transport a driver, passenger, and “plenty” of groceries. It’s described as being larger than a SmartCar, at 118.5 in. long and 63 in. wide, and weighs in at 1667 lbs. Maximum vehicle weight, including passengers and other loading, is listed at 3400 lbs. Claimed driving range is 100 miles per charge, with 5 hours required for a recharge using a level two charging system.


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Stated MSRP is $18,995 plus freight and options, and it qualifies for a federal tax credit and, in some cases, state tax credits as well.

The YouTube video below gives a short, but detailed, overview of Wheego’s Whip.

Further details regarding the Wheego Whip may be found on the company’s website.

Saba’s Carbon Zero Roadster

Saba says its all-electric Carbon Zero Roadster can zoom from a standstill to 60 mph in just 5 seconds, and that it tops out at 105 mph. While being tight-lipped regarding specifics, company founder Simon Saba claims its all-electric vehicle utilizes “proven motor technology” and has a driving range of 120 miles per charge on the highway and 140 in the city. He says he hopes to price it in “the low 40s” once it achieves production quantities.

Saba’s Carbon Zero Roadster
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The following YouTube video interview with Simon Saba offers further perspective on the Carbon Zero Roadster, which was a finalist in the Progressive Automotive X-Prize competition.

Saba is currently looking for venture investments, in order to move its EV prototype into production. Further details are available on the company’s website.

Green Lite’s plug-in hybrid

The Green Lite, from Green Lite Motors, is a three-wheeled, two-passenger plug-in hybrid that can go 100 miles on a gallon of gas and offers a driving range of 250 miles per fill-up. The company says its design, based on having one wheel in the rear and two in the front, “lets the driver lean the vehicle smoothly into turns for confident cornering, like a motorcycle.”

Green Lite’s three-wheeled plug-in hybrid
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Green Lite says its hybrid’s drive chain utilizes regenerative braking for efficient stop-and-go driving, and provides a “sport mode” during which the gas and electric power sources work in tandem for faster performance. The vehicle’s safety features include a steel roll cage, four-point safety harnesses, seat backs, and front airbags.

In the following three-minute YouTube video, CEO Tim Miller introduces Green Lite’s innovative plug-in hybrid in a presentation to a recent technology conference. The video includes a 30-second demo of the Green Lite driving at highway speeds.

Like so many other new EV and hybrid ventures, Green Lite Motors is currently seeking investors in order to move its prototype into production. Further information is available on the company’s website.

Brammo’s all-electric Enertia motorcycle

Brammo positions its all-electric Enertia motorcycle as an ideal vehicle for commuters. The company is selling it both online and through Best Buy stores, rather than trying to compete head-to-head with gas powered bikes at motorcycle shops. The EV-bike features a top speed in excess of 60 mph, along with a claimed range of 42 miles per charge.

Brammo’s all-electric Enertia
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Here’s a YouTube demonstrating how quietly the Enertia rides, and what it’s capable of:

The Enertia features a Lithium Iron Phosphate battery, which the company says can be expected to last more than 2,000 cycles or 80,000 miles.

The bike’s currently in production, priced at $7,995 MSRP and backed by a 24-month warranty. Accounting for federal and state tax incentives, the effective price ought to be more like $5,995, says Brammo. Visit the company’s website for further details.

PG&E’s Mitsubishi i-MiEV

As part of its West Coast Green exhibit, PG&E (Pacific Gas and Electric) showed off its i-MiEV, which it says it’s “evaluating and testing as part of a collaborative effort” with Mitsubishi. The utility provider says it’s driving the vehicle “in everyday settings in order to evaluate the viability of the technology.” Incidentally, we noticed that the car we saw bears Michigan tags and is being operated on public highways under a special “experimental vehicle” registration.

PG&E is “evaluating and testing” this Mitsubishi i-MiEV

PG&E says the all-electric i-MiEV offers a range of 75 to 100 miles per charge of its Lithium Ion battery pack. Other features include accelerating from 0 to 60 mph in 9.0 seconds and a top speed of 82 mph. Recharging its batteries is said to take 3-5 hours using 220VAC power, 7-11 hours using normal 110VAC power, and just 30 minutes with the aid of special high-speed DC chargers such as those available at EV filling stations or progressive public facilities.

This YouTube video highlights PG&E’s evaluation of the Mitsubishi i-MiEV:

Further information regarding the Mitsubishi’s i-MiEV EV may be found on the auto company’s website, here.

Tom Kent’s Cell EV concept model

Industrial designer Tom Kent developed a concept for a three-wheeled all-electric vehicle as a project in his final year of a course of Transport Design studies at Coventry University, in the U.K.

Tom Kent’s “Cell” EV concept
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In this silent YouTube video, Kent provides an overview of his innovative Cell EV design concept:

Further information on Kent’s Cell EV concept may be found on his website.

Missing, but not forgotten

Disappointingly, several highly-hyped EVs and plug-in hybrids (pictured below) were notably absent from the show…

Nissan LEAF, Chevy Volt, Prius Plug-in,
Tesla Roadster, Coda Sedan
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But then, West Coast Green isn’t particularly an auto show. On the other hand, there’s always next year!