Mar 4 2009
WHEEGO ELECTRIC CARS, a division of RTEV, Inc., one of the first companies to deliver a full line of recreational and street electric LSVs (Low Speed Vehicles), today announced that it is taking reservations for its first car, the Wheego Whip, which will begin shipping in May.
"Last week we announced that we are taking applications for Wheego dealerships, and we were pleasantly surprised at how many inquiries we received directly from customers who are ready to buy the car," said Jeff Boyd, President of Wheego. "As consumers make more green-conscious car buying decisions, the Wheego Whip has emerged at the forefront as an affordable all electric solution to the transportation needs of many consumers. The word has spread quickly on the Internet about the first customer-focused test drives of the Wheego Whip conducted in Ontario, CA in December, where there was unanimous praise for the car, and there are lots of people who want to be among the first to make a bold statement. The ensuing demand compelled us to use our website to take customer reservations for the car."
Joe Young from Palo Alto, CA was among the first to make an inquiry to buy a Wheego Whip, and exemplifies the passion that RTEV hopes to elicit from customers. Young explains, "I am a first grade teacher in the Palo Alto Unified School District, and I have always been interested in vehicles that are compact and good for the environment. Conservation and reducing our waste have always been efforts that I value and practice myself. As a first grade teacher I am always looking for ways to impress upon both my students, as well as my colleagues, these values, and by driving a Wheego Whip, I will do exactly that."
The Wheego Whip is a fully loaded two-passenger automobile with fit, finish and features that compete with any other subcompact car on the market. Remote keyless entry, air conditioning and an mp3 stereo system are standard equipment on the Whip. It retails for under $19,000, and it only costs about 3 cents per mile to operate. There is also a 10% Federal Tax credit on the purchase price of the car as a Low Speed Vehicle in 2009. When the Whip is eventually certified and sold as a full speed car, the Federal Tax credit will be $7,500.
"RTEV has employed a 'creep out' versus a 'leap out' launch strategy because I think the electric car industry has been somewhat tainted by credibility issues. Every week I see companies making outrageous claims regarding cars that are simply vaporware, or touting performance capabilities that are beyond the current realm of known physics. Because of this, we have been fairly quiet about our work on the Wheego the last two years, but it's time to share our success, albeit in a realistic fashion. The Whip is being launched as a Low Speed Vehicle with published performance specifications that comprehend real world driving expectations. Just because we can get single charge ranges of 60 miles on a dynamometer in optimal driving conditions doesn't mean that we should publish that as an expected performance parameter. It just sets up customers for a disappointing ownership experience. One of the core values of our company is to make commitments with care, and then live up to them. This philosophy extends to product claims. The Wheego Whip is our first electric car entry into the market, and as an LSV or MSV it has certain limitations. But for the properly educated consumer, it can be a wonderful solution to their driving needs. We are looking for customers who are not afraid of leading edge of technology, and in exchange for their pioneering spirit, we are going to offer some unique upgrade opportunities as technology evolves. It's time to pound the drum that not only do we have the best affordable electric car in the world, but we're setting a new standard in creating a relationship with our customers," said RTEV CEO Mike McQuary.
Wheego has announced several innovative programs to spur the launch of the Whip. Purchasers of the Wheego Whip will be able to upgrade their vehicles as new technology emerges. If you buy an LSV Wheego Whip with AGM batteries and, when available, want to upgrade to:
- Lithium Ion Batteries - the cost to upgrade will only be the difference between the net purchase price of your car and the MSRP of a new Whip LSV with Lithium Ion batteries
- A new full speed Wheego Whip - the trade in value of your LSV Whip will be the net purchase price of your car less 2% for every month that you have owned your car. And you will receive a $7,500 federal tax rebate when you buy the full speed Whip
- There is also a referral program called the ""Wheego Friendzee" that pays a $250 cash rebate to both the new purchaser, and any owner who refers a new customer to Wheego.
"This is all part of our desire to create a community of customers that has a stake in the success of electric cars," continued McQuary, "buying the car is just the beginning of a relationship and a personal dialogue that we will have with our customers, where together we believe that we can make a significant contribution to the betterment of our lives."