Neighborhood Electric Vehicle

{{about||the Chinese term new energy vehicle (NEV)|new energy vehicles in China}}

{{Multiple image|direction=vertical|align=right|image1=Google Electric Car Seciurity 2008 2592452314 780b7871e1 o.jpg

|image2=Renault Twizy ZE Rome 04 2016 6415.JPG|width=220|caption1=GEM on duty as security car at Googleplex, Mountain View, California|caption2= Renault Twizy heavy quadricycle in downtown Rome.}}

A neighborhood electric vehicle (NEV) is an American category for battery electric vehicles that are usually built to have a top speed of {{convert|25|mph|0}}, and have a maximum loaded weight of {{convert|3,000|lb|kg|abbr=on}}.{{cite web|url=http://green.autoblog.com/2009/02/06/greenlings-what-is-a-neighborhood-electric-vehicle-nev/|title=What is a neighborhood electric vehicle (NEV)?|date=2009-02-06| publisher=AutoblogGreen |access-date=2010-06-09}} Depending on the particular laws of the state, they are legally limited to roads with posted speed limits of {{convert|35|mph|0}} or less (in some states 45 mph or less). NEVs fall under the United States Department of Transportation classification for low-speed vehicles.{{cite web |url=http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/rulings/lsv/lsv.html |title=US DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 49 CFR Part 571 Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards |access-date=2009-08-06}} The non-electric version of the neighborhood electric vehicle is the motorized quadricycle.

An NEV battery pack recharges by plugging into a standard outlet and because it is an all-electric vehicle it does not produce tailpipe emissions. In the state of California NEVs are classified by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) as zero-emissions vehicles (ZEV) and are eligible for a purchase rebate of up to $1,500 if purchased or leased on or after March 15, 2010.{{cite web|url=http://energycenter.org/index.php/incentive-programs/clean-vehicle-rebate-project/cvrp-eligible-vehicles|title=CVRP Eligible Vehicles|publisher=Center for Sustainable Energy California|access-date=2010-06-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130729184130/http://energycenter.org/index.php/incentive-programs/clean-vehicle-rebate-project/cvrp-eligible-vehicles|archive-date=2013-07-29|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://energycenter.org/index.php/incentive-programs/clean-vehicle-rebate-project|title=Clean Vehicle Rebate Project|publisher=Center for Sustainable Energy|access-date=2010-04-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100402101613/http://energycenter.org/index.php/incentive-programs/clean-vehicle-rebate-project|archive-date=2010-04-02|url-status=dead}}

{{As of|2014|06}}, the GEM neighborhood electric vehicle was the market leader in North America, with global sales of more than 50,000 units since 1998. Another top selling NEV is the Renault Twizy, launched in March 2012, it was the top-selling plug-in electric vehicle in Europe during 2012, and the heavy quadricycle has sold almost 22,000 units through December 2018.

Sales of low-speed small electric cars (LSEVs) experienced considerable growth in China between 2012 and 2015 due to their affordability and flexibility. A total of 200,000 low-speed small electric cars were sold in China in 2013, most of which are powered by lead-acid batteries. In 2015, sales rose to 750,000 units, and to 1.2 million in 2016. {{As of|2016|12}}, the stock of LSEVs was estimated to be between 3 million and 4 million units. About 1.4 million low-speed electric vehicles were sold in 2018.

U.S. regulations

File:Squad Solar Car (Fully Charged 2022).jpg is a solar panel to add extra range to the vehicle.]]

Low-speed vehicle is a federally approved street-legal vehicle classification which came into existence in 1998 under Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 500 (FMVSS 500). There is nothing in the federal regulations specifically pertaining to the powertrain.

Low-speed vehicles are defined as a four-wheeled motor vehicle that has a gross vehicle weight rating of less than {{convert|3000|lb}} and a top speed of between {{convert|20|and|25|mph|abbr=on}}.49 CFR § 571.3 - [http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr&sid=f8cfc2908578de72417aaae5b8ca7d9b&rgn=div8&view=text&node=49:6.1.2.3.37.1.7.2&idno=49 US Code of Federal Regulations] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090505075808/http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr&sid=f8cfc2908578de72417aaae5b8ca7d9b&rgn=div8&view=text&node=49:6.1.2.3.37.1.7.2&idno=49 |date=2009-05-05 }}; {{cite web |url=http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regulations/administration/fmcsr/571.500.htm |title=FMCSA - Regulation: 571.500 |access-date=2008-07-18 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081018114511/http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regulations/administration/fmcsr/571.500.htm |archive-date=2008-10-18 }} Those states that authorize NEVs generally restrict their operation to streets with a maximum speed limit of {{convert|35|or|45|mph|abbr=on}}. Because of federal law, car dealers cannot legally sell the vehicles to go faster than {{convert|25|mph|abbr=on}}, but the buyer can easily modify the car to go {{convert|35|mph|abbr=on}}. However, if modified to exceed {{convert|25|mph|abbr=on}}, the vehicle then becomes subject to safety requirements of passenger cars.{{Citation needed|date=June 2010}}

These speed restrictions, combined with a typical driving range of {{convert|30|mi|km}} per charge and a typical three-year battery durability, are required because of a lack of federally mandated safety equipment and features which NEVs cannot accommodate because of their design. To satisfy federal safety requirements for manufacturers, NEVs must be equipped with three-point seat belts or a lap belt, running lights, headlights, brake lights, reflectors, rear view mirrors, and turn signals. Windshield wipers are not required. In many cases, doors may be optional, crash protection from other vehicles is partially met compared to other non-motorized transport such as bicycles because of the use of seat belts.

=State regulations=

File:GEM eLXD electric 5314 DC 03 2009.jpg NEV used by a street food vendor at the National Mall, Washington, D.C.]]

Regulations for operating an NEV vary by state. The federal government allows state and local governments to add additional safety requirements beyond those of Title 49 Part 571.500. For instance, the State of New York requires additional safety equipment to include windshield wipers, window defroster, speedometer, odometer and a back-up light. Generally, they must be titled and registered, and the driver must be licensed. Because airbags are not required the NEV cannot normally travel on highways or freeways.

NEVs in many states are restricted to roads with a speed limit of {{convert|35|mph|abbr=on}} or less. As of February 2012, NEVs are street-legal in 46 states.{{cite web|url=http://green.autoblog.com/2012/02/06/pennsylvania-may-make-neighborhood-electric-vehicles-street-lega/|title=Pennsylvania may make neighborhood-electric vehicles street legalauthor=Danny King|publisher=Autoblog Green|date=2012-02-06|access-date=2012-02-10|archive-date=2012-02-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120209012637/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/02/06/pennsylvania-may-make-neighborhood-electric-vehicles-street-lega/|url-status=dead}} In Ohio, NEVs are classified as "low-speed vehicles", as opposed to golf carts, which are "under-speed vehicles".{{ORC|45|01|01|name=Motor vehicles definitions}}

Community design

File:LD 250408 23 4 S Front.jpg EV]]

File:ZENN 2007.jpg 2.22 NEV]]

Some communities are designed to separate neighborhoods from commercial and other areas, connecting them with relatively high speed thoroughfares on which NEVs cannot go, legally or safely. As a result, these vehicles are most common in communities that provide separate routes for them or generally accommodate slow speed traffic.

Communities designed specifically with NEVs and similarly sized vehicles in mind include:

Other cities and communities that have adopted NEV-friendly ordinances or have experienced a significant increase of them and street-legal golf cars since 1990 include:

Alameda, California
Put-in-Bay, Ohio
Venice Beach, Los Angeles, California
Lincoln, California [https://www.lincolnca.gov/en/living-here/golf-cart-and-nev-routes.aspx]
Palm Desert, California
Sun City, Arizona
Charleston, South Carolina
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Coronado, California{{cite news |last=Zúñiga |first=Janine |title=Coronado's electric cars enjoying life in the fast lane |publisher=San Diego Union-Tribune |date=2007-05-29 |url=http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20070529/news_1n29ecars.html |access-date=2007-08-24}}
Dunedin, Florida [https://library.municode.com/fl/dunedin/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=SPAGEOR_CH74TRVE_ARTVIGOCA]

Sales

;US and Europe

File:MHV Reva Electric 02.jpg 2 door is commercialized as a NEV in the U.S. and as a quadricycle in Europe.]]

{{As of|2006|07}}, there were between 60,000 and 76,000 low-speed battery-powered vehicles in use in the United States, up from about 56,000 in 2004.{{citation|last=Saranow|first=Jennifer|date=27 July 2006|title=The Electric Car Gets Some Muscle |url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06208/709068-185.stm|newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|access-date=2009-04-24}} Pike Research estimated there were 478,771 NEVs on the world roads in 2011.{{cite web|url=http://www.pikeresearch.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/NEV-11-Executive-Summary.pdf|title=Executive Summary: Neighborhood Electric Vehicles - Low Speed Electric Vehicles for Consumer and Fleet Markets|author1=Dave Hurst|author2=Clint Wheelock|publisher=Pike Research|year=2011|access-date=2012-02-05|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130517110923/http://www.pikeresearch.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/NEV-11-Executive-Summary.pdf|archive-date=2013-05-17}}{{cite web|url=http://www.autoobserver.com/2011/06/neighborhood-electric-vehicle-sales-to-climb.html|title=Neighborhood Electric Vehicle Sales To Climb|author=Danny King|publisher=Edmunds.com Auto Observer|date=2011-06-20|access-date=2012-02-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120527110345/http://www.autoobserver.com/2011/06/neighborhood-electric-vehicle-sales-to-climb.html|archive-date=2012-05-27|url-status=dead}} The two largest NEV markets in 2011 were the United States, with 14,737 units sold, and France, with 2,231 units.

The different variants of the REVAi, available in 26 countries, sold about 4,600 vehicles worldwide by late 2013, with India and the UK as the main markets.{{cite web|url=http://www.plugincars.com/indian-evs-await-government-support-some-owners-are-very-happy-their-cars-129145.html|title=Indian EVs Await Government Support, But Some Owners Are Already Happy With Their Cars |author=Alysha Webb|publisher=PluginCars.com|date=2013-12-23|access-date=2013-12-24}}{{cite web|url=http://www.petrolfreeworld.com/ |title=Mahindra REVA: Petrol-free REVA |publisher=Reva Electric Car Company |access-date=2012-02-25 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120215120617/http://www.petrolfreeworld.com/ |archive-date=2012-02-15}} {{As of|2015|10}}, the GEM neighborhood electric vehicle was the market leader in North America, with global sales of more than 50,000 units since 1998.{{cite news|url=http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1100736_polaris-updates-gem-low-speed-electric-vehicles|title=Polaris Updates GEM Low-Speed Electric Vehicles|author=Stephen Edelstein|work=Green Car Reports|date=2015-11-03|access-date=2015-11-22}} Another top selling NEV is the Renault Twizy heavy quadricycle, launched in March 2012, with global sales of 15,000 units through April 2015.{{cite web|url=http://www.autovolt-magazine.com/15000-renault-twizy-now-in-circulation|title=15,000 Renault Twizy Now in Circulation|publisher=AutoVolt magazine|date=2015-04-01|access-date=2015-11-22}} The Twizy was the top-selling plug-in electric vehicle in Europe during 2012.{{cite web |url=http://www.moteurnature.com/actu/uneactu.php?news_id=26544|title= L'étonnant succès du Renault Twizy en Allemagne|language=fr|trans-title=The surprising success of the Renault Twizy in Germany|author = Association pour l'Avenir du Véhicule Electrique Méditerranéen (AVEM)|publisher = Moteur Nature | date = 2012-06-27 |access-date=2012-07-27}} {{As of|2016|12}}, a total of 18,592 units had been sold in Europe, representing 96.1% of global sales.{{cite web|url=https://group.renault.com/finance/informations-financieres/chiffre-cles/ventes-mensuelles| title= Ventes Mensuelles |language=fr| trans-title=Monthly Sales |author=Groupe Renault |publisher=Renault.com |date=January 2017 |access-date=2017-01-19}} Click on "(décembre 2016)" to download the file "XLSX - 239 Ko" for CYTD sales in 2016, and open the tab "TWIZY RENAULT". Global sales since inception totaled 21,874 units through December 2018.{{cite web |url=https://group.renault.com/finance/informations-financieres/chiffre-cles/ventes-mensuelles |title=Ventes Mensuelles - Statistiques commerciales mensuelles du groupe Renault |language=fr|trans-title=Monthly Sales - Monthly sales statistics of the Renault Group|author=Groupe Renault |publisher=Renault.com |date=January 2019 |access-date=2019-02-12}} Sales figures includes passenger and light utility variants. Click on link "XLSX - 142 Ko Ventes mensuelles du Groupe (Décembre 2018)" to download the file, and open the tab "Sales by Model" to access sales figures for 2017 and 2018.

;China

File:Yogomo Xianghe (祥和) front 8.13.18.jpg, China.]]

Sales of low-speed small electric cars experienced considerable growth in China between 2012 and 2015 due to their affordability and flexibility because they can be driven without a driver license. Most of these small electric cars are popular in small cities, but they are expanding to larger cities.{{cite web | url=https://www.iea.org/publications/freepublications/publication/Global_EV_Outlook_2016.pdf | title=Global EV Outlook 2016: Beyond one million electric cars | author=International Energy Agency (IEA), Clean Energy Ministerial, and Electric Vehicles Initiative (EVI) | publisher=IEA Publications | date=May 2016 | access-date=2016-08-24 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160824165154/https://www.iea.org/publications/freepublications/publication/Global_EV_Outlook_2016.pdf | archive-date=2016-08-24 | url-status=dead }} See pp. 24-25. A total of 200,000 low-speed small electric cars were sold in China in 2013, most of which are powered by lead-acid batteries. These electric vehicles not considered by the government as new energy vehicles due to safety and environmental concerns, and consequently, do not enjoy the same purchase benefits as highway legal plug-in electric cars.{{cite web|url=http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/business/motoring/2014-01/11/content_17229981.htm|title=New-energy vehicles 'turning the corner'|author= Jiang Xueqing|publisher=China Daily|date=2014-01-11|access-date=2014-01-12}}

In 2015, sales of low-speed small electric passenger vehicles in China totaled 750,000 units, and 1.2 million in 2016. {{As of|2016|12}}, the stock of low-speed small electric car was estimated to be between 3 million and 4 million units.{{cite web |url=https://www.iea.org/publications/freepublications/publication/GlobalEVOutlook2017.pdf |title=Global EV Outlook 2017: Two million and counting |author=International Energy Agency (IEA), Clean Energy Ministerial, and Electric Vehicles Initiative (EVI) |publisher=IEA Publications |date=June 2017 |access-date=2018-02-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170607142215/https://www.iea.org/publications/freepublications/publication/GlobalEVOutlook2017.pdf |archive-date=2017-06-07 |url-status=dead }} See pp. 5–7, 12–22, 27–28, and Statistical annex, pp. 49–51. However the sales ratio between LSEVs and passenger NEVs began to decrease beginning in 2015. In 2014, LSEVs sales were 15 times more than normal plug-in passenger cars, but the ratio declined to about four times in 2016, and fell to 2.5 times in 2018, when about 1.1 million normal passenger electric vehicles, compared to 1.4 million low-speed vehicles.{{cite news| url=https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2019-02-08/china-s-electric-vehicles-put-traditional-engines-on-notic |title=Dispelling the Myths of China's EV Market |first1=Nathaniel |last1=Bullard |first2=Colin |last2=McKerracher |work=Bloomberg L.P. |date=2019-02-08 |access-date=2019-02-09}}

Examples

{{columns-list|colwidth=20em|

Bombardier Class E
BugE
Citroën Ami
CT&T
Estrima Birò
Global Electric Motorcars (GEM)
The Kurrent
Ligier EZ-10 EasyMile
Mia electric
Might-E Truck
Miles Automotive Group
MIT Car
Moke America eMoke
Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility (proposed)
Polaris Ranger EV LSV{{cite web|url=http://www.polarisindustries.com/en-us/atv-ranger/2011/mid-size-utility-vehicles/ranger-ev/pages/overview.aspx|title=2011 Polaris RANGER EV Electric UTV : Overview |publisher=Polarisindustries.com |access-date=2010-11-27}}
Renault Twizy
REVAi
SC Carts
Squad Solar
Trikke Trikke Pon-e 48v UPT
Xtreme Green Products{{cite web|url=http://www.xgpinc.com|title=Xtreme Green 100% Electric Vehicles|publisher=Xtreme Green}}
XEV Yoyo[https://www.euronews.com/living/2020/03/11/are-tiny-electric-cars-the-answer-to-big-city-pollution-problems Are tiny electric cars the answer to big city pollution problems?]
ZAP Xebra Zap Xebra (2006 - 2010)(Models SD & Truck)
ZENN (Feel Good Cars)

}}

Gallery

NEVMexico.jpg|A GEM e2 used by the Tourist Police in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, being recharged

Might-E Truck.jpg|Might-E Truck from Canadian Electric Vehicles

NEV-iT-BlueSedan-RFQ0254.JPG|NEV from Dynasty IT

SC Carts CITY4 low-speed vehicle.jpg|CITY4 from SC Carts

2019 Moke America eMoke, front left (Amagansett).jpg|2019 Moke America eMoke, front left (Amagansett)

References

External links

[https://web.archive.org/web/20080709003357/http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/the_zenn_of_driving/C41/L41/ The ZENN (Zero Emissions No Noise) of Driving]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20090713082058/http://www.helenair.com/articles/2007/11/15/helena/a051115_05.txt S.A.V.E. pushes legislation for 35 mph in Montana]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20070805172242/http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/NEVS/ Yahoo! NEVs group]
[http://www.eere.energy.gov/afdc/progs/view_ind.php/MT/6198 Summary of Montana's Medium-Speed Electric Vehicle (MSEV) legislation]
[http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=1820&year=2007 Washington's MSEV legislation]

Category:Neighborhood electric vehicles

Category:Battery electric vehicles