Nimbus shuts down their website
Does that mean I'm not getting my deposit back?
I know there are many of you out there that enjoy my Nimbus updates. I've been pleasantly surprised by the comments and emails that I receive every time I write about the fledgling EV maker.
So I thought it was worth giving an update today.
Every so often, I just get that urge to go poke around on the Nimbus website to see what, if anything, has changed. I'm not sure what my intention is when I do it. I'm pretty sure that I would have received an email about any new developments as someone who put down a deposit with all intentions of buying the micro-car/autocycle hybrid.
Maybe I missed a communication from the brand. Maybe I just want to sleuth around to see if there are any breadcrumbs on the trail to production. Maybe I'm just bored.
Anyway, when I visited the site the other day I noticed that the button to collect pre-orders now said "sold out". Huh, that's interesting. I assumed it just meant that they were no longer going to take people's money since the chances of the product coming to fruition were now slim to none. Maybe the project wasn't totally dead, but it makes sense to stop intaking new orders if you haven't fulfilled any of the existing ones.
I stored away that little nugget of information and thought I may write an update about it soon. But then when I went to the site today, I noticed that it doesn't seem to exist at all anymore. No, instead of seeing beautiful images of a space-age mode of transportation, I'm greeted with the dreaded "Shopify Store Not Available" page.
Uh oh. Either someone just forgot to pay their Shopify bill or the plug has finally been pulled on the Nimbus. Quite likely it is a little bit of both.
It's never a good look for a company to just shutdown their website and run away with their tail between their legs (also, my dog has done plenty of bad things but I don’t think he’s ever run away with his tail between his legs, is he abnormal?) But that's what seems to have happened here. No, I'm not really surprised but I'm still upset by it.
Perhaps I waited a bit too long to demand my deposit back. I guess I just wanted to keep that glimmer of hope alive. I will try to reach out to anyone over at Nimbus to get more information here, but I don't have a lot of confidence in that outreach.
Maybe the team is working on something new and have pivoted all resources and attention. That seems plausible. If the street legal nimbus wasn't going to see the light of day, I always hoped some aspects could be repurposed into that mythical enclosed scooter I've been hoping for. They could ditch all the amalgamation and safety requirements and just make something that could go 25 mph and protect you from rain. For the right price, I'd be into that!
I only put down a $100 deposit for this thing and was well aware that the chances of ever getting it back were slim. I thought that maybe they would eventually release a product that cost way more than the $10K that they originally promised. But no, not even an exorbitant overcharge was going to get the Nimbus on the streets.
I felt that I owed an update to any fellow Nimbus heads (Nimbeciles?) out there who have been following along with my journey. I'm proud to see that several of my pieces appear in the top ten search results for "Nimbus EV" so it made sense to put this out into the world for others to find.
Do I look for a new company to get behind that may or may not release a product like this? Are there even any realistic alternatives anymore? Aptera comes to mind as the next potential company to close up shop and return deposits, but they still have a fighting chance. While they are also creating an unorthodox EV like the Nimbus, I'd say the similarities end there.
Arcimoto was probably the company creating a purchasable product that most resembled the Nimbus. Sadly, they halted production and are 99% likely to never sell another vehicle.
I suppose I'll just look into more e-bikes, scooters, and boring old regular electric cars. For what it's worth, I've loved driving my family around in our BMW iX these past few months but it's still way too big for getting around by myself. It just feels wasteful even it's likely the most efficient EV out there of that size.
An electric front-loader cargo bike would be a suitable stand-in for the next few years I think. You almost get the same cargo capacity of a Nimbus if not more. It’s certainly not as fast as a Nimbus but provides some exercise and can be taken on bike paths. It can provide weather protection for your passengers if not yourself as the rider.
I think we just all have to come to terms with the fact that the high-tech future of mobility that Nimbus promised us is still beyond our grasp.
Hey! Could you use some help establishing healthy habits? Do you have a big project or new business that you want to get off the ground but could use some advice? Maybe you could benefit from hiring me as your coach. If you’re interested, read more about my coaching services here, or go ahead and book some time on my calendar to discuss further.
Iterate is free today. But if you enjoyed this post, you should let me know that this writing is valuable by pledging a future subscription. You won't be charged unless I enable payments at some point in the future. Think of it like an IOU in a tip jar.