Ecocruise Cruser Sport ORE Looks Like a Stripped-Down Google Car, also Fun

Ecocruise is now offering a whole range of those. The small company founded in 2008 offers all sorts of two-, three- and four-wheeled vehicles for every conceivable activity.

The bread and butter of the four-wheel category is the Ecocruise Cruser (not a typo) Sport, a side-by-side two-seater EV capable of 25 or 35 mph (40 - 56 km/h), depending on the market. The company calls it a "neighborhood electric vehicle", with the last part hinting at a not very impressive total range: between 35 and 60 miles (56 - 97 km) on a full charge, depending on battery pack size. That's not so bad.

The Ecocruise Cruser Sport can easily be turned into a golf cart, but before you start laughing you should know it was also used as a police car - even though, in all honesty, it completely lacks the intimidation factor.

The Ecocruise range also includes two-wheeled scooters and motorcycles, and three-wheeled utility vehicles - there's even a golf cart that looks dangerously close to a Renault Twizy.

Time to get dirty

But that's not what we wanted to talk to you about. Recently, Ecocruise has started offering an off-road version of its Google Car lookalike, and this thing is... brilliant. While its aspect might make you think it's got all-wheel drive, in reality it's only the front axle that does all the work. But that won't stop you from going off-road in almost complete silence, now, would it?

There is no video of the Cruser Sport ORE (Off Road Experience) in action, but we get to see a regular version crossing some rough terrain with relative ease. What's even more encouraging is the fact the Cruser Sport (ORE or not) seems to have pretty permissive suspensions, so the experience won't turn into the worst nightmare a spinal cord can have.

Most of the technical specs remain unchanged, but the Cruser Sport ORE comes with only one type of battery pack offering up to 75 miles (120 km) of off-road fun on a full charge.

But it's not hard facts that will make anyone want to buy an Ecocruiser Cruser Sport ORE. It's the ridiculous antithesis between the funny looks of the car and the aggressive, potent tires it's wearing. It's like seeing a toddler wearing climbing boots. Or something.

We really hope electric off-roading is something that will soon catch up, but since not everybody lives near a field or mountain, it might take a while for that. Right now, though, the Cruser Sport ORE will have to arrive in style for its adventure, carried on a flatbed or trailer. But when you look at that face, everything's forgiven.