Can This Adorable Micro-EV For Drivers On A Budget Succeed In The US?

New EVs like the Cadillac IQ or Tesla Cybertruck are huge and expensive, weighing in at several thousand pounds and wearing a price tag that has no issue eclipsing six figures. Even EVs towards the lower end of the spectrum like the Tesla Model 3 or Nissan Leaf can be pricey. Eli Electric Vehicles is hoping to change that with its new ZERO EV, a micro EV with a starting MSRP of $11,990, making it one of the least expensive new vehicles this side of a motorcycle.

Before you plunk down nearly 12 grand of your hard-earned money (or $200 for a deposit), it's worth mentioning what the Eli ZERO has going for it, what its options look like, and its downsides. For starters, the Zero is definitely a city car. It's downright tiny, with only two seats, and it looks more like an egg or futuristic golf cart than a Chevy Bolt. It's fitted with 13-inch wheels, an optional infotainment system furnished by Sony, a sunroof, and rear-wheel drive. Air conditioning, anti-lock brakes, electronic power assist steering, and LED running lights are not on the base model and included on the Zero Plus. 

As it's an EV, range is an estimated 60 to 90 miles from its 8 to 12 kWh batteries and charging time is between two and four hours. This is absolutely a city car. Taking the Zero out on the highway would be a Herculean task (and illegal) as it can't actually reach the speed limit, instead topping out at 25 miles per hour. Legally, it isn't considered a regular car and fits into what is federally defined as a "low speed vehicle." It still needs lights, a windshield, and other features to make it not dangerous to drive on public roads, and it isn't subjected to the same crash test or registration standards as something like your run-of-the-mill Corolla. Under $12,000 seems cheap, but not really that cheap if you can't really drive it anywhere.

The Eli Zero is very niche and a use case does exist, it's just very small. Cars like the Kia EV6 or Tesla Model Y have wide appeal, regardless of where you live; the Eli Zero does not. That's not really the vehicle's fault, but it's (probably) not going to revolutionize the EV landscape as we know it.