Plug-In 2010: Drive Oregon chills with Arcimoto Pulse, Barefoot Motors ATV

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, AutoblogGreen Exclusive, On Two Wheels, Plug In Conference

One of the few passenger vehicles on the floor of the Plug-In 2010 conference in San Jose, CA – actually, the only one – that we hadn’t yet seen in the metal was the Arcimoto Pulse, which we first met digitally last fall. The Pulse is a battery-powered three-wheeler that uses ten 12V lead acid batteries to go up to 40 miles per charge. Pulse’s Eric Fritz told AutoblogGreen that longer-range versions with lithium-ion batteries and can go either 80 or 160 miles will be available in the future, but he’s busy getting the base model ready for now. Prices for those premium models hasn’t been set, but you’ll be able to get the lead acid version for ,500 when it goes on sale either late this year or early next year. Fritz said Arcimoto has gotten 25 pre-order deposits (for 0 each) and has a list with another hundred-plus interested people.

The vehicle we saw was the third-generation prototype; the fourth was being tested on the streets last weekend. Fritz said he expects there to be one more prototype built before production begins. Overall, the Pulse has been in development for two-and-a-half years, and it’s been a self-funded affair thus far. One reason to be at the conference, Fritz said, was that Arcimoto is actively looking for funding.

The Pulse was part of the Drive Oregon booth, which also featured the Barefoot Motors ATV and vehicle chargers from Shorepower and OP Connect. With some strong local support for plug-in vehicles, there’s a lot of home-grown plug-in work going on in Oregon.

Photos by Sebastian Blanco / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.

Plug-In 2010: Drive Oregon chills with Arcimoto Pulse, Barefoot Motors ATV originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Thu, 29 Jul 2010 08:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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