Photo: Meyers Manx
Dune buggies have been around for decades, but their popularity spiked in the 1960s when Bruce Meyers created a lightweight VW Beetle-based beach buggy variant that came with a fiberglass body. He named it Meyers Manx and proved that it could serve not only as a beach buggy but also as a record-breaking off-road racer.
The Meyers Manx was a vehicle that spawned numerous imitations over the years. And now, with the advent of the electrification era and with more and more types of traditional vehicles from bikes and cars to buses and semi-trailers giving way to electric counterparts, we're also starting to get electric dune buggies.
Meyers Manx announced the first fully-electric buggy, the Manx 2.0, last year, and now they are introducing a new one called the Resorter NEV. The company has taken the wraps off the new neighborhood electric vehicle at The Quail, a Motorsports Gathering during Monterey Car Week 2023, showcasing a buggy with four seats and a removable roof.
According to the company, the Resorter NEV has been designed for urban adventures and short-distance driving. Though it still has the looks of a vintage beach cruiser, the newcomer's top speed is nothing to brag about. Capable of just 25 mph (40 kph) to meet NEV (Neighborhood Electric Vehicle) standards, the Resorter is closer to a golf kart than the VW-powered buggies from sixty years ago.
Nonetheless, the maker equipped with a twin-motor electric drivetrain and expanded the interior layout to four seats in order to accommodate the whole family.
"With the Resorter NEV, we are elevating the segment by introducing an unparalleled, well-engineered vehicle with the timeless Meyers Manx aesthetic," commented Phillip Sarofim, Chairman of Meyers Manx.
The open-top four-seater has been presented with a soft gray exterior over a vibrant orange interior. It is built on an aluminum monocoque chassis and features two electric motors, four-wheel independent suspension, power steering, and regenerative braking. Under the vintage-inspired bodywork with a detachable roof and foldable windshield, there are some modern amenities like standard electric air conditioning and heating.
Aside from the limited top speed of 25 mph, no other details on performance have been revealed just yet. We also know that a trailer hitch will be available as an optional extra and that pouch cell lithium-ion batteries will drive the two torquey electric motors, turning this buggy into a nimble EV capable of climbing hills, having fun, and towing like no other.
Its hill-climbing capability and quick acceleration still reminisce of the adventurous spirit of original buggies, only this time, all the fun happens on roads and streets instead of beaches and dunes.
Pricing for the new Meyers Manx Resorter NEV starts at $49,000, and those interested can already put down a $500 deposit on the company's website to reserve one. At the time of press, there is no official release date.
Meyers Manx announced the first fully-electric buggy, the Manx 2.0, last year, and now they are introducing a new one called the Resorter NEV. The company has taken the wraps off the new neighborhood electric vehicle at The Quail, a Motorsports Gathering during Monterey Car Week 2023, showcasing a buggy with four seats and a removable roof.
According to the company, the Resorter NEV has been designed for urban adventures and short-distance driving. Though it still has the looks of a vintage beach cruiser, the newcomer's top speed is nothing to brag about. Capable of just 25 mph (40 kph) to meet NEV (Neighborhood Electric Vehicle) standards, the Resorter is closer to a golf kart than the VW-powered buggies from sixty years ago.
Nonetheless, the maker equipped with a twin-motor electric drivetrain and expanded the interior layout to four seats in order to accommodate the whole family.
"With the Resorter NEV, we are elevating the segment by introducing an unparalleled, well-engineered vehicle with the timeless Meyers Manx aesthetic," commented Phillip Sarofim, Chairman of Meyers Manx.
The open-top four-seater has been presented with a soft gray exterior over a vibrant orange interior. It is built on an aluminum monocoque chassis and features two electric motors, four-wheel independent suspension, power steering, and regenerative braking. Under the vintage-inspired bodywork with a detachable roof and foldable windshield, there are some modern amenities like standard electric air conditioning and heating.
Aside from the limited top speed of 25 mph, no other details on performance have been revealed just yet. We also know that a trailer hitch will be available as an optional extra and that pouch cell lithium-ion batteries will drive the two torquey electric motors, turning this buggy into a nimble EV capable of climbing hills, having fun, and towing like no other.
Its hill-climbing capability and quick acceleration still reminisce of the adventurous spirit of original buggies, only this time, all the fun happens on roads and streets instead of beaches and dunes.
Pricing for the new Meyers Manx Resorter NEV starts at $49,000, and those interested can already put down a $500 deposit on the company's website to reserve one. At the time of press, there is no official release date.
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