Is This NEV Ready To Go To Work?

Is This NEV Ready To Go To Work?

The Kurrent NV is the Newest Vehicle from the Motor City.

The small vehicle industry is undergoing a modest revolution and one of the companies on the front line is a start-up based in a Detroit suburb, the American Electric Vehicle Company. Their first vehicle, the Kurrent NV, is categorized as a neighborhood electric vehicle, or NEV. Designed in Italy and built in America, the Kurrent NV is slated to come in several configurations, some of which are well equipped for the workplace.

"One hallmark that separates the Kurrent from many of its competitors," said Scott Thornton, AEVCO President, "is that it did not begin life as a golf cart."

The vehicle is actually based upon European micro car technology, which has proven its performance and durability on the streets of Italy for more than ten years. "If anything," Thornton said, "it's father is a highly evolved motorcycle instead of a golf cart. Europe is way ahead of the U.S. in micro car technology due to their high energy costs. We, at American Electric, believe it's time to utilize this experience and apply it in order to build more efficient vehicles. Clearly, the design of the Kurrent allows you to do that without looking like you're tooling around in a golf cart."

Up to 40 Miles on a Full Charge.

The 4.1 KW electric motor on the Kurrent NV is powered by four 12-volt lead-gel sealed batteries, forming a 48-volt system. There's an auxiliary 12-volt battery to power options like the heater, the wiper with built-in squirter, a radio option, headlights, turn signals and a two-speed fan for heat and defrost functionality.

When fully charged, the vehicle can drive for 35 to 40 miles on public streets with speed limits up to 35 MPH. It takes 8 hours to fully charge the Kurrent, a task that's accomplished by plugging its stowed power cord into a standard 110-volt outlet. Like a cell phone, the Kurrent can be charged partially at any time. The Kurrent's top speed is federally limited to 25 MPH, however Washington State and Montana have recently increased this limit to 35 MPH, indicating a positive trend in the increasing demand for alternative all-electric transportation.

Currently, AEVCO is producing the street legal and road ready launch model, a fully enclosed two-passenger vehicle with a safety glass windshield, sky light and roll down door glass. It also has a surprisingly large 7.5 cubic feet of cargo space in a fully enclosed and lockable trunk. It's 92 inches long and 50 inches wide and weighs 1080 pounds, including the batteries. The doors are easily removable, making the Kurrent NV well suited for all season use. With or without the doors, the ingress and egress is excellent and the interior space is surprisingly large. Shoulder room and head room are large enough for drivers and passengers well over six feet tall. Without a drive train, the flat floor provides an abundance of foot room and the integrated storage areas are plentiful, rugged and roomy.

The body is made from durable, through-color vacu-formed ABS and comes in a wide variety of colors.

Utility Models are Slated for Summer 2007 Production

Utility models of the Kurrent are currently being made in their Ferndale, Michigan manufacturing facility. They are slated to hit the assembly line this summer. These models will include a short and long bed pick-up with XXX lb load capacity and XXX lb load capacity respectively. In addition, a four-passenger model with forward facing seating for all, and a 4X4 model with hub motors on all four wheels will be available in 2008. All American Electric vehicles are easily customized and adaptable to a wide range of industrial, utility and consumer applications.

As economical as it is versatile, the Kurrent NV costs less than 2¢ per mile to operate. Pricing is also economical as the Kurrent NV1 starts at $9,800 USD and the average price across their entire line is about $11,000. In order to encourage the development and support the growth of the NEV and electrical vehicle market, the US government offers significant tax credits for manufacturers, retailers and buyers – and for businesses that create and operate a "refueling" infrastructure.

Clean, efficient and stylish, with flexible platforms for maximum use options, this new vehicle could add economy and dependability to your work fleet. It features a solid front suspension that includes McPherson strut design with coil over shocks and an independent swing arm design with coil over shocks rear suspension.

With a little understanding of battery maintenance the Kurrent NV, with only 410 total parts, is easy to maintain and service and will provide years of reliable performance. In addition the Kurrent NV meets all FMVSS 500 federal standards for low and medium-speed vehicles.

Detroit…Without the Detroit Mentality

"We're not ex-car guys doing ‘badge engineering,'" Scott Thornton said. "We're not merely repackaging the same tired methods and the same old formulas. We bring a new capability to the business that, in many ways, is as unique as the car itself."

A good example of that "non-Detroit" mentality is the fact that the first "showroom" for the Kurrent NV was a kiosk in a highly trafficked shopping mall during the 2006 holiday season. Its next appearance was in Las Vegas during the 2007 Consumer Electronics Show.

The American Electric Vehicle Company is currently expanding its consumer and business sales efforts into key markets throughout the U.S. and North America. They are looking to connect with select retailers who understand this market and the growing desire for lower volume, more expressive and efficient specific-use vehicles.

"Here's what that means for the utility market. We'll listen. If you have unique requirements for a vehicle, let us know. We're small enough and flexible enough to respond to specific needs. Have you ever heard that from Detroit before?" Scott said.

You can reach The American Electric Vehicle Company through the following channels: 800-704-8950 or www.getkurrent.com.