Three-wheelers, the uncertain area where drivers and riders meet. Three-wheelers have somewhat of a controversial existence, since neither drivers nor riders are particularly inclined to give them a chance (for a variety of – mostly justified – reasons), but they still hang around.
One of them is the SOLO EV from Canadian maker ElectraMeccanica. ElectraMeccanica has been around since 2015, introducing a couple of concepts before it announced its flagship model, the SOLO. SOLO is, as the name implies, a one-person vehicle that rides on three wheels and, from the front end, looks exactly as if someone chopped up a normal car in two and then sent it on its way.
Dismissing SOLO solely (ha!) on aesthetic considerations would be wrong, though. The vehicle is designed for urban use, being compact, efficient, reliable and relatively fast. At $18,500, it can also be an affordable option. Its strange design, including the one-person capacity and the fact that it rides on just three wheels, is down to the realization that many of the vehicles that cross the city often carry just one person: the driver. So then, why should we waste so much space in a car if it’s not being used?, ElectraMeccanica asked. The answer was SOLO.
As of August 31, 2021, SOLO has a younger but larger sibling, the SOLO Cargo EV. That’s the cargo version of the vehicle and it destined for, you guessed it, fleet services and utility applications. In its attempt to “solve urban driving challenges,” ElectraMeccanica looks to cargo hauling vehicles that take up so much space, like vans, or that aren’t as useful as car is, like cargo e-bikes. The result is something in between, a vehicle that’s classified as a motorcycle in most areas but carries some of the functionality of a proper car.
Photo: ElectraMeccanica
This includes the enclosed cabin, enclosed cargo box at the rear, which has been integrated into the existing design of the SOLO, front and rear crumple zones, side impact protection, roll bar, torque-limiting control, power steering, power brakes, AC and a Bluetooth entertainment system. It still looks like a car that’s been chopped in half, but at least you get a half that’s safe to drive in traffic.
The cargo box, which is integrated over the rear wheel, offers 8 cubic feet (226.5 liters) of cargo space, which is double to what SOLO offers. ElectraMeccanica notes that the new cargo box only adds one inch (2.54 cm) to the overall length of the SOLO, so the new vehicle will be 123 inches (312 cm) long. No mention of whether any modifications to the powertrain will be made, so that probably means that it’s the same as with the SOLO.
In other words, SOLO Cargo will also come with SOLO’s 56-hp motor and 17.4-kW lithium battery pack. Future owners should also expect a 100-mile (161-km) range and a top speed of 80 mph (129 kph), which would make it suitable for highway use, should you dare take a three-wheeler there. With SOLO Cargo being legally a motorcycle, you get HOV access, as well as lower registration, insurance and overall operating costs, ElectraMeccanica points out.
The makers wouldn’t say whether the pre-order books are open or mention a price range for the vehicle, but they do note that the interior and the cargo space can both be customized depending on the owner’s needs. Third-party upgrades like warming and refrigeration, internal shelves, bins or lighting will be offered, when the SOLO Cargo becomes available. “From fast food franchise delivery and pizza delivery, to grocery delivery, small parcel and post, to tech repair and security firms, the SOLO Cargo EV is the ideal solution to help companies minimize operational costs and maximize efficiency,” Paul Rivera, ElectraMeccanica president and CEO, says in a statement.
Photo: ElectraMeccanica
Speaking of availability, maybe it’s best not to hold your breath for that, or make your business plans around this vehicle, no matter how promising it is on paper. As New Atlas points out, though the SOLO was introduced in 2016 and the first U.S. customer delivery took place in 2018, only a handful of these three-wheelers have since been made. Some 40 units were made in Vancouver, Canada, and another 50 were assembled by Zongshen Industrial Group, in China. A new facility will go online in Mesa, Arizona, in the first quarter of 2022, if all goes according to plan, and it’s supposed to help ElectraMeccanica kick off production.
As of this moment, ElectraMeccanica is estimating a late 2021 timeline for the start of actual production on the flagship model, the SOLO. Until that happens, there is no point in even guesstimating the timeline for the SOLO Cargo.
Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News