Comment by Johnny555 | Hacker News Reader

Comment by Johnny555 | Hacker News Reader

It has a top speed of just 45 kilometers an hour, roughly equal to 28 miles per hour

In the USA, we'd call that a NEV (Well, almost -- NEV's are limited to 40km/hr), and they are significantly cheaper than regular cars since they meet lower crash standards.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neighborhood_Electric_Vehicle

I wish NEV's were more popular here, they'd be great for short commutes, a 10 mile commute would take 30 minutes and you can fit more than one NEV in a traditional parking space. I thought about getting one for errands around town, but even though they may be legal on roads with speed limits up to 45mph, I'd be afraid to drive one even on a 35mph road since a 35mph speed limit means most people are driving 40 - 45mph.

Me, too.

NEV seem to be popular around retirement communities in the U.S. This is also where one is most likely to find mature, patient, and courteous drivers (so, about the only place an NEV is safe from one's personal perspective).

28 mph is pretty damn fast when you're riding an e-bike. I would absolutely not feel comfortable going faster than that. It's all a matter of perspective. If you're 14 feet up the air driving your pennyfarthing-SUV hauling your collection of outdoor wizardry to the steam-engine conference, then it's slow.

A NEV isn't An e-bike, some look like glorified golf carts, others are fully enclosed like a car:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZENN

The default speed limit in New York is 25mph, now. I don't know if NEVs are legal. Cars driven primarily in New York lead a hard life. The low cost, small size, and low maintenance of NEVs could work for New York. Electric bikes are popular in New York, which could indicate an opportunity.

That speed limit is not enforced enough to make it impactful

So, it's like Chinese LSEV and 2 times more expensive

Interesting. NEVS is what is left of Saab Automobile is called (nevs.com)

Reply on news.ycombinator.com