Arcimoto Pulse - 3 Wheel Electric Vehicle

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Arcimoto Pulse - 3 Wheel Electric Vehicle

Jason Hendler

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6,589 views Sep 27, 2009

Arcimoto Pulse

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On Sep. 23, 2009, Arcimoto, of Eugene, Oregon, debuted a 3 wheel electric vehicle called Pulse. The Pulse seats two, has a range of 50 - 100 miles and a top speed of 55 mph and an estimated price below $20,000. For $500, you can reserve your place to order one of three hundred vehicles to be built in the first year's production, with deliveries commencing in early 2011. At the time of this posting, 10 are already reserved.

While the vehicle does resemble the Aptera 2e's configuration, at a starting price of $25,000, the Aptera 2e provides a range of 120 miles and a top speed of over 85 pmh. These vehicles may provide a great comparison for the true cost of range and speed in EV's.

Arcimoto's homepage can be found here.

My webpage can be seen here.

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Comments (8)

Nick Posted: 9/27/2009 12:09pm PDT

That car does not look as nearly as nice as the Aptera in my opinion.
You get the impression that they put 3 wheels on there car to avoid FMVSS (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards), rather then to increase efficiency. This is why congress needs to be careful when they talk about opening loans to 3 wheel vehicle manufacturers.
Thanks!

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Jason M. Hendler Posted: 9/27/2009 5:44pm PDT

Nick,
As long as the sticker makes clear it is classified as a motorcycle, I have no problem with government support. The reality is that most won't be able to afford electric cars, but many could afford electric bikes, scooters and motorcycles. Proper training and safety gear will help.
Electric bikes, scooters and motorcycles will be a significant part of our transportation future.
Thanks for the comment.

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Mark Posted: 9/28/2009 6:53am PDT

A question, why does Nissan want to charge 25k for a car without a battery, when you can buy this or the Aptera with a battery for more or less the same price. Ok the Leaf is a bigger car but where is the price justification?

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Jason M. Hendler Posted: 9/28/2009 7:30am PDT

Mark,
All this competition is going to make it crystal clear what performance / utility comsumers will demand, and at what price. The Chevy Volt, for $40K, gives you full utility, while the Aptera 2e, gives you 2 passenger commuter and shopping utilty, for $25K, while the Pulse, gives you neighborhood range and local shopping, for less than $20K. All will have buyers - how many remains to be seen.

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Katie Wilson-Hamaker Posted: 10/1/2009 5:10am PDT

Nick,
We actually put three wheels on the vehicle to enhance efficiency and the overall footprint of the vehicle. Safety is key when building any vehicle and this is something we are working on constantly. We're building a steel roll cage similar to a race car with crumple zones for safety in front and rear. We are also simulating crash tests and roof crush resistance tests through a program called Solid Works.
The reality is, we all at Arcimoto want one of these and are not willing to put ourselves nor loved ones in a potentially unsafe vehicle.
Additionally, the Pulse is a 2 passenger vehicle, tandem style complete with shopping utility (can fit 4 grocery bags in the back in addition to an extra person.)
I think Jason said it best so far, the question that remains is what type of performance and utility consumers will demand. On average, we drive 33 miles per day in the U.S. At Arcimoto, we believe it's difficult in this economy to justify spending over $20K on a vehicle that is needed to drive an average of 33 miles per day with 1 person 70-80% of the time.
Thanks for your comments!
Katie Wilson-Hamaker
Arcimoto

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Seth Posted: 10/13/2009 8:32am PDT

Hi Katie. Thanks for your willingness to communicate openly with the public. Regardless of the reasons for three wheels, I believe it is classified as a motorcycle. Oregon, where Arcimoto is located, requires a helmet with motorcycle usage. Would the driver of the Pulse be required to don a helmet? Also, where's the video footage of the car driving on your website? That's a must-have if you want people to sign up, i.e. proof that it runs. Thanks!

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Jerod Posted: 1/25/2010 1:08am PST

I think that Arcimoto needs to produce a four-wheel vehicle to be truly successful in the long run. I cant tell you how many times three-wheel motorcycles have injured riders because of a lack of stability. Four-wheel motorcycles have become more popular. Personally, I don't think many Americans want to downsize from four passenger, four- wheeled cars. It's just to big of a change. Arcimedes, the greatest mathematician of his time, combined a genious for mathematics with physical insight . Please succeed!

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Gary McCray Posted: 11/15/2010 8:38pm PST

With the 2 wheels in the front, the vehicle is inherently stable. All the trouble was with the ones with 2 wheels in the back. High siding on severe turns was the problem. Look up the T Rex if you want to see a really wild and very stable 3 wheel vehicle.

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