A Neighborhood Electric Vehicle (NEV) is an American term for a speed limited battery electric vehicle (25-35 miles per hour in the U.S.A., this is 40-56 km/h+, as Low-Speed Electric Vehicles, or LSEVs, and Medium-Speed Electric Vehicles, or MSEVs) restricted by law to operation on roads with speed limits not exceeding 35-45 mph (56-72 km/h). These speed restrictions, combined with a typical driving range of 30 miles (48 km) per charge and a typical three-year battery durability, are required because of a lack of federally mandated safety equipment and features which NEV's can not accommodate because of their design. To satisfy requirements for operation on streets, NEVs are equipped with three-point seat belts, windshields and windshield wipers, running lights, headlights, brake lights, reflectors, rear view mirrors, and turn signals. In many cases, doors may be optional, and crash protection from other vehicles is almost non-existent. However, some makers are starting to use doors and steel impact beams.
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Supportive community design
These vehicles are appropriate for communities that provide separate routes for these vehicles or generally accommodate slow speed traffic such as traditional "grid" street plans found in older urban areas. Some retirement and golf club communities are specifically designed, even including an additional "mini garage" in the house designs. Community designs built upon the concepts of new urbanism are often suitable for these vehicles.
Inhibitory community design
Most modern communities within the USA are designed to separate residential neighborhoods, shopping centers, and places of employment, secondary education sites, and even recreation areas, connecting them with relatively high speed thoroughfares exceeding that available to NEVs with the expectation that a more traditional motor vehicle will be used for transport.
Examples
- Columbia ParCar Corp. (Columbia Low Speed Vehicles)
- OKA AUTO USA (OKA NEV ZEV)
- Might-E Truck
- American Electric Vehicle Company
- B.I.G. MAN
- Dynasty Electric Car Corporation
- e-ride Industries
- Spark-EV
- Gibird
- Global Electric Motorcars (GEM)
- Miles Automotive
- MIT Car
- RUZway
- Sunn EV (Solar powered battery EV)
- ZENN (Feel Good Cars)
Planned Communities with NEV Programs
- Celebration, Florida
- Playa Vista, Los Angeles, California
- Discovery Bay, Hong Kong (Restricted to 500 vehicles)
Innovative transit system as well as electric Hybrid transit system is developed in India with low capital cost of vehicles and low and appropriate technology.[1]
- Lincoln, California, Award-winning NEV Transportation Plan in a city of 30,000+ residents.[2]
Other Notable NEV Communities
- Coronado, California[1]
- Leaf Rapids, Manitoba, offering free golf carts to homebuyers.[2]
References
- ^ Zúñiga, Janine. "Coronado's electric cars enjoying life in the fast lane", San Diego Union-Tribune, 2007-05-29. Retrieved on 2007-08-24.
- ^ Young, Kathryn. "Town that banned bags touts golf carts", Times Colonist, 2007-08-23. Retrieved on 2007-08-24.
