An update from Nimbus

It seems like it's time for a new micromobility plan

Image courtesy of Nimbus Inc.

It's pretty evident that lots of you have enjoyed following my saga with the Nimbus EV.

If you have no idea what I'm talking about, maybe you should start by reading these previous posts to catch up:

Is the Nimbus One the logical next iteration of transportation?

I've Put a Deposit on a Nimbus EV

Where is my Nimbus EV?

OK, all caught up now? Good.

Much to my surprise, these Nimbus stories have become some of my most read content. I think that stems mainly from organic search results. My article lamenting the vehicle's delay appears on the first page of Google search results for "Nimbus EV". That's not exactly a great thing for the apparently struggling automaker.

I regularly get emails and new comments posted from other folks who have also placed a deposit to purchase the futuristic microcar/autocycle. And we all seem to have pretty low hopes that we'll ever actually be able to drive the thing.

The Latest from Nimbus

Image courtesy of Nimbus Inc.

Those feelings were amplified this week when I received a new update email from the brand. Like the last update in August 2023, there was no branding or graphics in the email. It was just a simple text-based message that gave a bit of an update while really not saying much at all.

I won't cut and paste the entire message here, but it sent a pretty clear signal. Barring some magical influx of funding, the Nimbus EV isn't going to ever see widespread production. The Nimbus team isn't saying flat out that the company is dead, in fact they claim to be "pressing forward" despite a “funding bottleneck”.

Hmm, it's pretty hard to make a vehicle without money. While the previous update still claimed there would be vehicles delivered in 2024, this latest message retracted that. They're now saying there is no expected production date to share at this time.

So, if you've been saving up your pennies to buy a tilting, electric autocycle that can hold your surfboard on top, you're most likely out of luck. And hey, I feel your pain. But we knew this thing was ambitious. I had hopes that 2024 would be the year of the Nimbus but I always tried to temper my expectations until I actually saw an image of models coming off an assembly line.

Alternatives

Let's not get too discouraged though! We'll always have the sexy promotional images and a few grainy videos of people doing loops in parking lots. It's better to have loved a quirky vehicle and never obtained it than to have never seen it at all? Or something like that.

What's a Nimbus fan to do if they still have an itch for a funky electric vehicle that doesn't neatly fit into an existing category? Here are a couple categories.

Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (NEVs)

Image courtesy of Eli Electric Vehicles

There are some microcars available in the United States these days! No, we don't have the same number of options as Europe or Asia, but this is slowly changing.

My two picks in this category are the Eli Zero and several models from Wink.

The Eli Zero just recently became available for pre-order downpayment here in the United States. A $200 deposit can secure your spot in line to get this cute little four-wheeler by the end of this year. It will likely cost you around $11,000 or so depending on the add-ons and possible changes in production costs. That puts it in the same ballpark as the Nimbus in terms of price. And the styling may actually be pretty close as well. It looks sleek and modern with a sense of luxury despite the small size.

Image courtesy of Wink Motors

I’ve written about Wink Motors in the past and I’m still excited to see the company’s growth. They've been importing several Chinese microcars to the US over the past few years and continue to update their offerings. I've been pretty impressed to see how much inventory they appear to be moving. And they get bonus points for offering up a few models that feature rooftop solar collectors even if they do look a bit odd. Their latest third generation Mark 3 and Sprout 3 look very car-like although I'm bummed to see they ditched the solar panels.

These are really great options for Nimbus fans with only one glaring flaw. Each of these vehicles max out at 25 mph. Yeah, that means that my Class 3 e-bike can safely outrun these things. Plus my bike also has the ability to ride on trails and bike lanes to avoid traffic and can fit on a train, bus, or car with the seats down. With a front or rear basket and two spacious panniers I can also fit nearly as much cargo as you could in these NEVs.

Even if you were willing to live with all those compromises, it is illegal to drive one of these on an American road with a posted speed limit of more than 35 mph. Even in densely populated areas, it makes it impossible to get on arterial roads to connect between towns or cities. And you're obviously unable to take one of these vehicles on a highway which makes them incredibly inconvenient in California (or most other states).

Electric Motorcycles

Image courtesy of Ryv

OK, a Nimbus is basically a covered motorcycle right? Two of the big benefits are the ability to park virtually anywhere and weave between traffic (only where legal of course). You can do both of these things with a motorcycle! And if you're looking to keep things green, there are some solid electric motorcycles coming to market.

I can't say that I've tried any of these myself but I'm most impressed by the Ryvid Anthem and the District Street. There are obviously other brands out there including some of the established legacy motorcycle manufacturers. But for someone who doesn't consider himself to be a "motorcycle guy", I find myself gravitating toward the newer innovative startups in this space.

Image courtesy of Land Moto

These things can be ridden on the freeway so no need to worry about speed limitations. The range should be enough to handle most inter-urban routes. And the Ryvid offers a pretty ingenious removable battery with wheels that can be charged almost anywhere.

Image courtesy of Ryvid

There are some downsides though. Obviously you don't have any weather protection when riding a motorcycle (electric or otherwise). You may be able to have a passenger sit behind you but these rigs can't be used to carry dogs or kids (which is what I'm mostly carrying these days). There are some innovative cargo kits being developed but you're still limited to how much gear you can haul. And of course there is a safety concern. You need to have a full motorcycle license to operate one of these vehicles and there is still more inherent risk that driving in a crash-tested car.

Enclosed Bikes/Velomobiles

Image courtesy of Veemo

This may be my favorite quirky category of vehicle. I've written about enclosed bikes before and they seem to be an untapped segment if you ask me. What are the options here?

A real Veemo SE in the flesh

I really like the design of the Veemo SE. It's basically an electric bike with a roof and a small cargo area. It may not be fully enclosed, but it should be comfortable in most conditions. You can't bring along a proper passenger but you could likely fit a dog or possibly a kids bike seat in the back. You definitely can attach a bike trailer for those tiny and/or furry friends. It looks like Veemo will offer a throttle option in addition to the pedal-assist mode. And I reckon that the motor could be able to handle 28 mph to match Class 3 bike speeds while still allowing access to bike lanes and cycletracks. Not a bad option at a price that should fall at least $3k less than the Nimbus. And I've seen one of these beauties in-person. It does exist and they claim to be shipping models to early adopters next month.

Two other options that are in various states of production are the ELF and PEBL. These have similar shapes and vibes with a few subtle differences. Again, these are classified as enclosed recumbent electric bicycles. No need for a drivers license or insurance to operate. You don't need license plates either. You can take them everywhere you'd take a normal electric bike but you have way more cargo space, protection from the elements, and even passenger capacity.

Image courtesy of Organic Transit

The ELF has been reborn after changing ownership groups recently and I'm very excited to see what their new design will look like. If they can fit two small passengers in the back seat while offering total weather protection and at least 28 mph speed via pedal-assist or throttle at around $10K, I think they have a winner. Bonus points for solar panels as well.

The same can be said for PEBL as they look to update a previous version to something looking a bit more futuristic. Their renderings are beautiful but it's hard to tell what's real and what's still being developed. And keeping their prices reasonable could be challenging.

Image courtesy of better.bike

You won't be taking these vehicles on the freeway but I think they check off every other box for me. You'll still want a more traditional car or truck (preferably electric) for longer distances at higher speeds, but every other use case should be easily handled by an enclosed electric bike.

Honorable Mention: kinda normal electric cars

Image courtesy of BMW

The honorable mention here has to be just caving in and buying a more traditional electric car instead of a Nimbus. You can still get something quirky and fun, but you'll need to get it registered, insured, and all those other fun things that come along with car ownership. But here are some interesting options.

BMW i3 - Still the most futuristic and environmentally friendly car on the market in my opinion. And this thing debuted in 2014 and stopped production in 2021. I guess that's saying something. It can go on any road without limitations and has a surprising amount of storage capacity. The range isn't built for road trips, but it's a very capable city/suburban vehicle that can even work for small families.

Image courtesy of smart

smart eq fortwo - This might be the closest in size to the Nimbus. You can't lane split, but you can get into some tight parking spaces. It can ride on the freeway (although might feel a little squirrely) and bring one other passenger and a small amount of cargo. Another option that is no longer in production but used models can be had for a relative steal.

Image courtesy of Fiat

Fiat 500e - This is the electric version of the iconic compact car. It can fit 4 passengers and has just enough range and zip to make short highway trips. After going away for a few years, the new version is on its way to the US with upgraded specs.

Conclusion

We'll see how much more I have to say about the Nimbus. This might be it for a while. I hope they can make a comeback and actually get some sort of product to market, but I'm not holding my breath.

Until then, we have a pretty comprehensive list of fun (but not perfect) alternatives. Whether you go the route of low-speed neighborhood electric vehicle, high-speed electric motorcycle, enclosed e-bike, or small electric car, there are some compelling offerings making their way to the states.

Which one of these Nimbus alternatives excites you the most?

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Thanks for reading, I’ll see you next week!

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