Wheego Whip: What's Wrong With This Picture?

The car blogs and Engadget are gaga over the Wheego Whip, from Ruff & Tuff, supplier of "green power" electric vehicles that look like golf carts. But as Matt noted a few months ago, it looks a bit derivative.

Others might say that it is beyond derivative:

For your consideration: the original European and Canadian Smart Car circa 2005.

I mean, seriously, they are launching this in May? Mercedes might have something to say about that.

More on the Smart Car in TreeHugger:$19,000 Electric Car Coming to US in May 2009: Introducing the Wheego WhipSmart Car: How Smart Is It?Smart Car: Smart Changes?Smart Car Vending Machine in JapanSmart Car Interview with President Dave Schembri... You Asked, We Listened, Dave Answers!Halifax to Vancouver in a Smart Car

and Jumbo Shrimp: Smart Car Conversion, with the most extraordinary comment I ever have received on TreeHugger.