I agree that the lack of communication is a huge issue. I'm a bit surprised at this as any good CEO knows that it is the lack of communication that can destroy confidence. 100 is not huge, but why risk it if the company won't even be honest with potential customers and the public. I love the concept of mini-cars that are EV. It is surprising that Nimbus can't get enough funding to be one of the first in the U.S. First to market for this niche is huge. It is what gave Tesla the edge for so long (which is now slowly eroding). I would think, additionally, that there are some subsidies they could tap into right now. My $100 is waiting until more communication. Maybe use it for a reasonable bottle of scotch until then.
Hey Stanislav, thanks for reading! Yeah, the communication is odd. It seems like many people just assumed that Nimbus was dead which is unfortunate but not unexpected. But then they've sprung up with sporadic e-mails or comments on YouTube videos that claim they're still alive but have given no additional context really. I'm with you, I think the Nimbus is a really compelling product with a slick design. But it's more about advancing this product category in the US rather than the specific Nimbus product itself. I guess they've softly confirmed that they will have some version of a product ship within 2024? My guess is that it will be for commercial purposes and won't look exactly like what we've seen in the marketing materials if it even arrives at all. And it almost certainly will not fall under $10K USD. I can be patient for a few more months as it is such a small deposit. But rather than waiting forever for a Nimbus, my dollars will likely go to the next best thing available in the US. Maybe it's the Arcimoto FUV or Wink's LSV, but it seems like it will more likely just be a smaller "standard car" EV like a BMW i3, Fiat 500e, or Chevy Bolt. Or possibly an electric motorcycle or moped, but it's not the best of both worlds that Nimbus was offering... Or your idea of using your deposit money on a bottle of booze could work too, haha!
I know that in Germany a friend's mother actually put $10,000 on a similar vehicle and they went out of business, so at least this is just $100! Still, it shows even in Europe this could be big if people were willing to risk the full price. I have an electric bike (that can go without pedaling), but where I live that is good for about 4 months before windchill and then snow is a factor.
Well, I hope something like this makes it. I had looked at the Arcimoto a while ago. Should revisit and see how they are doing.
Some good news: I founded Organic Transit in 2012, designed the ELF and delivered 850 units. As a solar/pedal hybrid, they covered over 10MM miles and achieved as high as 2300 mpge. Building in the US was challenging and surviving on revenue was painful which ultimately led to the company being taken over by an oil & gas company. The good news is, with a little help from my friends, I took the company back this past Fall. In addition to a next-gen ELF, I'll be introducing two much smaller vehicles, and a larger micro-truck, but still under 500 lbs. Many ELFs are still on the road, with an incredible safety record. If you're interested in the technology in between a bicycle and a car, go to OrganicTransit.com and sign up on the New ELF Wait List. Cheers, Rob
Hey Rob, thanks for reading! I've definitely been following the ELF story for a while, I've always been intrigued. Yeah, I'm thinking that my quest to fill this gap between bicycle and car is leaning more toward the bike side these days. It seems more likely that there will be a viable option with pedals much sooner than something like the Nimbus. Congrats on regaining control of the company! I signed up for the New ELF Wait List and am excited to learn more soon!
Just stumbled across this post after searching every couple months for any updates on the Nimbus! I never put down a nimbus deposit as I was never that confident after seeing so little communication. I did put down a deposit on the aptera as they provide pretty regular updates and interviews to get the word out, which at least confirms to me they still exist? I used to drive by a full dealership here in los angeles for the meccanica solo(similar form factor) that eventually went out of business after recalls. I guess maybe the market isn't there yet for this form factor of vehicle. I would think traffic, gas prices and the realization that the majority of the time, people are driving 5 passenger cars completely solo, would push things in this direction, so I don't know what it will take. I wouldn't be surprised if the nimbus price would have to rise, but I can't see how with the battery and components that minimal it would go close to 20k. If there's no market for the meccanica solo at 18k, my ideal nimbus vehicle is DOA near 20k.
Hey Jeff, so glad to find another Nimbus enthusiast! I kinda felt the same way about the deposit, but I fell for their Black Friday "deal" last year. It's kinda easy to offer a one-day discount for a product that may never see the light of day, haha. I've been following the Aptera as well, and it seems much more likely to come to fruition. It looks like a great vehicle, but not as practical for me with the wider body that seems less useful than the Nimbus when stuck in traffic. I never realized that the Meccanica Solo was far enough along to have dealerships, shame they couldn't survive. It is frustrating that it doesn't seem like there is a market for this in the US. I think we're just going to see better e-bikes/scooters over the next few years with a throttle that maybe could get some sort of enclosure rather than highway-ready microcars. And that's great but doesn't really scratch the itch for us Californians who unfortunately rely so much on freeway driving and trying to skirt through traffic. There is just a valley right now between an electric cargo bike and say a relatively lightweight EV car like a BMW i3 or a Chevy Bolt. Until one of these startups breaks through, I've become resigned to just maximize what I can do with a really nice e-bike (or two) and potentially an older small EV for those short-range highway miles. The sad truth is that we need to cobble together our Nimbus-like experience with several vehicles for the foreseeable future. And a fancy cargo e-bike and used i3 or Bolt add up to roughly the 20K that we'd likely spend on a Nimbus or comparable vehicle at this point.
I'm in the same boat, put in my deposit as well and still waiting. My wife and I are planning on retiring soon and wanted something affordable to scoot around the neighborhood to pick up groceries, etc. and getting rid of at least one of our automobiles. Just the savings in auto insurance yearly would cover the cost of leasing one, although we are planning on purchasing so we can add the additional amenities, like air conditioning since we live in Texas and it gets hot here in the summer.
Thanks for reading James! It seems like the perfect vehicle for a retiree. Honestly, it seems to be the perfect vehicle for lots of people if it can ever make it to market. Let's keep the faith!
I feel the problem is going to be the same that Tesla had, rising costs and when they announced the price increases it put a lot of people off because they were promised one thing, yet delivered another. I suspect now that the folks at Nimbus have had a little time to get a feel for the costs of production at scale, combined with the current inflation, we can expect a significant jump in pricing. That said, the part that bothers me is when they try to get a handle on that and start cutting corners and what is going to be delivered will not be as good a product as we were lead to believe.
Yeah, you're totally right. Selling the Nimbus for less than $10K never seemed plausible. I can only imagine how high the production costs have climbed in the last few years. If it actually comes to market in the $20-$30K range it will be more in-line with the Arcimoto FUV and used Chevy Bolts or BMW i3s. But like you say, the alternative is that they do ship it for less than $20K and it's limited to say 30mph and gets classified as an LSV golf cart competitor in the US. It could still be a nice urban vehicle but not what we were promised. And the lack of freeway access (or any larger road above 30mph) severely limits its usability, especially in freeway-centric California which arguably should be its largest market for lanesplitting traffic, etc.
Your article is spot on. I also have put down my $100 in hopes of seeing this go to market, Since I live in Michigan, I do want to support Michigan based companies. I like the idea of an enclosed vehicle designed in Michigan where it has to deal with our weather. In our state it makes a difference if it has a steering wheel on three wheels. That is classed as an autocycle and only requires a standard driver's license. Handlebars would make it a motorcycle and require an endorsement. The only other similar type vehicle is the Polish made Triggo. But that is a rental only and not in the States. I just hope they buy a clue and start communicating. Even if just to say there is no news. This type of complete silence will make investors twitchy. In today's shipping environment, even if it costs more to manufacture in some place like Mexico, trucking them here would be cheaper than manufacturing in Asia and having to deal with rising shipping costs. Till then I ride my e-bike and deal with the mud.
Thanks for reading Gary! Very interesting about the steering wheel classification in Michigan, I wasn't aware of that. I always thought the handlebar placement on the Arcimoto FUV was kinda odd on a vehicle that seems more car-like than motorcycle-like in my opinion. But yeah, I think we're all just looking for communication more than a fully production-ready Nimbus this year. I can't say for sure, but I have the feeling they realized producing in Michigan wasn't going to work and they just haven't found a suitable alternative yet. Maybe Mexico or China would be more likely, but any production update would be greatly appreciated!
I agree that the lack of communication is a huge issue. I'm a bit surprised at this as any good CEO knows that it is the lack of communication that can destroy confidence. 100 is not huge, but why risk it if the company won't even be honest with potential customers and the public. I love the concept of mini-cars that are EV. It is surprising that Nimbus can't get enough funding to be one of the first in the U.S. First to market for this niche is huge. It is what gave Tesla the edge for so long (which is now slowly eroding). I would think, additionally, that there are some subsidies they could tap into right now. My $100 is waiting until more communication. Maybe use it for a reasonable bottle of scotch until then.
Hey Stanislav, thanks for reading! Yeah, the communication is odd. It seems like many people just assumed that Nimbus was dead which is unfortunate but not unexpected. But then they've sprung up with sporadic e-mails or comments on YouTube videos that claim they're still alive but have given no additional context really. I'm with you, I think the Nimbus is a really compelling product with a slick design. But it's more about advancing this product category in the US rather than the specific Nimbus product itself. I guess they've softly confirmed that they will have some version of a product ship within 2024? My guess is that it will be for commercial purposes and won't look exactly like what we've seen in the marketing materials if it even arrives at all. And it almost certainly will not fall under $10K USD. I can be patient for a few more months as it is such a small deposit. But rather than waiting forever for a Nimbus, my dollars will likely go to the next best thing available in the US. Maybe it's the Arcimoto FUV or Wink's LSV, but it seems like it will more likely just be a smaller "standard car" EV like a BMW i3, Fiat 500e, or Chevy Bolt. Or possibly an electric motorcycle or moped, but it's not the best of both worlds that Nimbus was offering... Or your idea of using your deposit money on a bottle of booze could work too, haha!
I know that in Germany a friend's mother actually put $10,000 on a similar vehicle and they went out of business, so at least this is just $100! Still, it shows even in Europe this could be big if people were willing to risk the full price. I have an electric bike (that can go without pedaling), but where I live that is good for about 4 months before windchill and then snow is a factor.
Well, I hope something like this makes it. I had looked at the Arcimoto a while ago. Should revisit and see how they are doing.
Cheers,
Stasa
Nice article. Sad article.
Some good news: I founded Organic Transit in 2012, designed the ELF and delivered 850 units. As a solar/pedal hybrid, they covered over 10MM miles and achieved as high as 2300 mpge. Building in the US was challenging and surviving on revenue was painful which ultimately led to the company being taken over by an oil & gas company. The good news is, with a little help from my friends, I took the company back this past Fall. In addition to a next-gen ELF, I'll be introducing two much smaller vehicles, and a larger micro-truck, but still under 500 lbs. Many ELFs are still on the road, with an incredible safety record. If you're interested in the technology in between a bicycle and a car, go to OrganicTransit.com and sign up on the New ELF Wait List. Cheers, Rob
https://grepbeat.com/2024/02/06/elfs-off-the-shelf-cotter-back-in-charge-of-the-iconic-eco-friendly-vehicles/
Hey Rob, thanks for reading! I've definitely been following the ELF story for a while, I've always been intrigued. Yeah, I'm thinking that my quest to fill this gap between bicycle and car is leaning more toward the bike side these days. It seems more likely that there will be a viable option with pedals much sooner than something like the Nimbus. Congrats on regaining control of the company! I signed up for the New ELF Wait List and am excited to learn more soon!
Just stumbled across this post after searching every couple months for any updates on the Nimbus! I never put down a nimbus deposit as I was never that confident after seeing so little communication. I did put down a deposit on the aptera as they provide pretty regular updates and interviews to get the word out, which at least confirms to me they still exist? I used to drive by a full dealership here in los angeles for the meccanica solo(similar form factor) that eventually went out of business after recalls. I guess maybe the market isn't there yet for this form factor of vehicle. I would think traffic, gas prices and the realization that the majority of the time, people are driving 5 passenger cars completely solo, would push things in this direction, so I don't know what it will take. I wouldn't be surprised if the nimbus price would have to rise, but I can't see how with the battery and components that minimal it would go close to 20k. If there's no market for the meccanica solo at 18k, my ideal nimbus vehicle is DOA near 20k.
Hey Jeff, so glad to find another Nimbus enthusiast! I kinda felt the same way about the deposit, but I fell for their Black Friday "deal" last year. It's kinda easy to offer a one-day discount for a product that may never see the light of day, haha. I've been following the Aptera as well, and it seems much more likely to come to fruition. It looks like a great vehicle, but not as practical for me with the wider body that seems less useful than the Nimbus when stuck in traffic. I never realized that the Meccanica Solo was far enough along to have dealerships, shame they couldn't survive. It is frustrating that it doesn't seem like there is a market for this in the US. I think we're just going to see better e-bikes/scooters over the next few years with a throttle that maybe could get some sort of enclosure rather than highway-ready microcars. And that's great but doesn't really scratch the itch for us Californians who unfortunately rely so much on freeway driving and trying to skirt through traffic. There is just a valley right now between an electric cargo bike and say a relatively lightweight EV car like a BMW i3 or a Chevy Bolt. Until one of these startups breaks through, I've become resigned to just maximize what I can do with a really nice e-bike (or two) and potentially an older small EV for those short-range highway miles. The sad truth is that we need to cobble together our Nimbus-like experience with several vehicles for the foreseeable future. And a fancy cargo e-bike and used i3 or Bolt add up to roughly the 20K that we'd likely spend on a Nimbus or comparable vehicle at this point.
I'm in the same boat, put in my deposit as well and still waiting. My wife and I are planning on retiring soon and wanted something affordable to scoot around the neighborhood to pick up groceries, etc. and getting rid of at least one of our automobiles. Just the savings in auto insurance yearly would cover the cost of leasing one, although we are planning on purchasing so we can add the additional amenities, like air conditioning since we live in Texas and it gets hot here in the summer.
Thanks for reading James! It seems like the perfect vehicle for a retiree. Honestly, it seems to be the perfect vehicle for lots of people if it can ever make it to market. Let's keep the faith!
I feel the problem is going to be the same that Tesla had, rising costs and when they announced the price increases it put a lot of people off because they were promised one thing, yet delivered another. I suspect now that the folks at Nimbus have had a little time to get a feel for the costs of production at scale, combined with the current inflation, we can expect a significant jump in pricing. That said, the part that bothers me is when they try to get a handle on that and start cutting corners and what is going to be delivered will not be as good a product as we were lead to believe.
Yeah, you're totally right. Selling the Nimbus for less than $10K never seemed plausible. I can only imagine how high the production costs have climbed in the last few years. If it actually comes to market in the $20-$30K range it will be more in-line with the Arcimoto FUV and used Chevy Bolts or BMW i3s. But like you say, the alternative is that they do ship it for less than $20K and it's limited to say 30mph and gets classified as an LSV golf cart competitor in the US. It could still be a nice urban vehicle but not what we were promised. And the lack of freeway access (or any larger road above 30mph) severely limits its usability, especially in freeway-centric California which arguably should be its largest market for lanesplitting traffic, etc.
Your article is spot on. I also have put down my $100 in hopes of seeing this go to market, Since I live in Michigan, I do want to support Michigan based companies. I like the idea of an enclosed vehicle designed in Michigan where it has to deal with our weather. In our state it makes a difference if it has a steering wheel on three wheels. That is classed as an autocycle and only requires a standard driver's license. Handlebars would make it a motorcycle and require an endorsement. The only other similar type vehicle is the Polish made Triggo. But that is a rental only and not in the States. I just hope they buy a clue and start communicating. Even if just to say there is no news. This type of complete silence will make investors twitchy. In today's shipping environment, even if it costs more to manufacture in some place like Mexico, trucking them here would be cheaper than manufacturing in Asia and having to deal with rising shipping costs. Till then I ride my e-bike and deal with the mud.
Thanks for reading Gary! Very interesting about the steering wheel classification in Michigan, I wasn't aware of that. I always thought the handlebar placement on the Arcimoto FUV was kinda odd on a vehicle that seems more car-like than motorcycle-like in my opinion. But yeah, I think we're all just looking for communication more than a fully production-ready Nimbus this year. I can't say for sure, but I have the feeling they realized producing in Michigan wasn't going to work and they just haven't found a suitable alternative yet. Maybe Mexico or China would be more likely, but any production update would be greatly appreciated!