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Retro Nobe 100 EV, the Perfect Ride for a Summer on the Riviera

Nobe is a car manufacturer few heard of until the end of last week, when the company announced the start of a crowdfunding campaign.
Nobe 100 electric vehicle 8 photos
Photo: Nobe
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Nobe needs money for the build of the Nobe 100, a three-wheeled electric vehicle. And not just any three-wheeled electric vehicle, but one styled in such a way that it brings us back to an age when cars meant lifestyle and black-and-white glamour, not power and racing.

The drivetrain of the Nobe is electric, powering the three wheels for about 136 miles (219 km) on a single charge at top speeds of around 60 mph (96 km/h). But who cares? This car is obviously not meant for speed, but to cruise lavishly on the French Riviera.

Because it looks stunning. The Nobe 100 is about the size of the toy-ish Mazda R360 and has been designed, according to its builders, to be of a neo-retro orientation. Meaning it took inspiration from a few great European car designs of the 1960s.

The clean look of the model is almost good enough to make us overlook the fact that, for a reason we fail to understand, Nobe went for three wheels instead of the classic four. We would have died to see how the rear-end of the 100 with four wheels would have looked like.

As said, the model is not yet in production, and the money-raising efforts have only begun. Should the campaign be fruitful, the Nobe 100 is to enter the market sometime in 2020.

The price for it has not officially been announced, but word is the model is to sell for about $34,000. Not excessive, when compared to other EVs out there, but a price most would have gladly paid for a four-wheeled retro car.

Going for three wheels is a risky business, as this type of vehicles, although a treat to look at, are usually meant for a niche we’re not sure still exists.

Today’s EVs must bring something new to the market, so we get the carmaker’s need to up the ante with crazy ideas. But when you manage to design such a great looking car, why risk blowing your sales up by going for a three-wheels configuration?
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About the author: Daniel Patrascu
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Daniel loves writing (or so he claims), and he uses this skill to offer readers a "behind the scenes" look at the automotive industry. He also enjoys talking about space exploration and robots, because in his view the only way forward for humanity is away from this planet, in metal bodies.
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