City transportation has to change in order to be more efficient, that much is certain. Cities are growing more crowded and more polluted, and it’s the kind of situation in which there are no winners – neither the commuters stuck in traffic nor our planet.
Canadian company ElectraMeccanica believes the solution isn’t that of ditching the car altogether. Bicycles of all kinds may prove a solid commuting alternative for some, but many people still need a car for the daily commute or to run errands. If they also happen to travel alone on all these occasions, then the answer is the SOLO.
The SOLO is an all-electric three-wheeler for just one person, with some cargo space in the back. It’s been around since 2016, and had the first customer deliveries in 2018, with early reservation holders getting their vehicles earlier this year. Delivery pace will pick up next year, when ElectraMeccanica relocates to a new facility in Mesa, Arizona.
Until then, ElectraMeccanica is spreading the gospel by bringing several models of the SOLO to the 2021 Los Angeles Auto Show. There’s the base SOLO, but also a convertible custom model with larger wheels and the SOLO Cargo introduced last September. The video below shows a closer look at the models on display, as does the photo gallery attached.
As highlighted in the video, the SOLO is cute – in a very squee!-kind-of-way. Try not to let that distract you from what ElectraMeccanica considers its highest selling point, namely its convenience and the fact that it has car-like safety features, like front and rear crumple zones, roll bar, side impact protection, torque-limiting control, and power steering and power brakes.
The SOLO, including the SOLO Cargo version, classify legally as motorcycles, but they can be driven without a helmet or a motorcycle license in some U.S. states. Standard spec includes a 56-hp motor and 17.4-kW lithium battery pack, with an estimated 100-mile (161-km) range on a single charge and a top speed of 80 mph (129 kph). These EVs will be priced under $20,000.
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
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