BC’s Electra Meccanica expects three-wheeled car to be available in November

British Columbia-based automotive company Electra Meccanica says customers will have to wait a little while longer for what it thinks will be a game changer. The company’s 3-wheeled, rear wheel drive, single seated, and electric SOLO may be available as early as November of this year. But the release of the the SOLO is currently dependent upon Canadian and US regulation approvals.

The SOLO is made of a lightweight mixture of aerospace material and aluminum giving it a weight of only 1,000 pounds, is 120” long and 50.5” tall, powered by a 16.1 kWh lithium ion battery, and boasts a top speed of 130 km/h but only has a range of 160 km. But owing to the short travel range of the vehicle its main purpose is to cut down on pollution and cost of your daily commute.

“It has appeal for driving enthusiasts, practical commuters and the environmentally conscious,” says Electra Meccanica COO Henry Reisner. “We believe the SOLO will become the commuter vehicle of choice for the masses. The vehicle is non-polluting, very economical to operate and people will have a heck of a good time driving it too.”

Some of what the car is set to feature includes remote keyless entry, power windows, rear view backup camera, 10 feet³ of storage space, and optional air conditioning. The vehicle lacks airbags but makes up for it with crash protection on the sides and crush zones in the rear and front. Titanium Silver, Electric Red, Raven Black, and Arctic White are the four available colours upon release. The car has a 2-year unlimited mileage warranty and the battery itself has a 5-year warranty.

About 200 people have already put down a $250 refundable deposit down on their SOLO and can expect delivery in 2017.

“Most people had a good idea of what the SOLO would become, but they will be impressed by its clever design and meticulous attention to detail. It far exceeded our expectations.” Says CEO Jerry Kroll, CEO of Electra Meccanica.

Intermeccanica is a company that designs and builds custom cars, it says, from the ideas and dreams of its customers. The company has been around since 1959 and has a past steeped in motorsports as well. A 500CC Intermeccanica-Puch car it developed won the Nürburgring race in Germany. Since 1985, Intermeccanica has been based out o Vancouver.

Kroll came up with the idea for the SOLO while creating advanced electric race cars. He later connected with Henry Reisner and the pair began the development of the sleek, slick, and clean 3 wheeler. In January of 2015 their first prototype was completed.

For $20,000 you can have a “heck of a good time” driving your very own SOLO and cut down on daily commute expense all while helping save the environment in the process, if the SOLO gets regulatory approval, that is.

About The Author / Dylan Waddell

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One thought on “BC’s Electra Meccanica expects three-wheeled car to be available in November”

Dale LeBarron says:

February 9, 2017 at 6:16 pm

Update: There are now 5 pre-production Solos with two more being assembled and several chalking up the miles around Vancouver BC. Production is scheduled to start mid-summer 2017 at the latest and EMV intends to ramp up to a massive production rate at least by early 2018. Join in on our discussion about the Solo at the forum at electrameccanicasolo.com