NICE Electric Car Company also in Trouble

by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 12.16.08
Cars & Transportation (cars)

NICE electric car company in trouble photo

Receivers Called in on Pioneering EV Retailer
The problems of the big three don’t bode well for SUVs - but that’s not the only kind of automotive transport that’s in trouble. With Norwegian electric car make THINK! in dire need of its own bail out, Toyota putting its Prius plant on hold, and Tesla running into trouble, the long promised dream of a greener car also seems to be somewhat challenged of late. Now we hear that London-based NICE electric vehicle retailer is also suffering - in fact Peak Oil news tells us that the receivers have been called in on the pioneering EV outlet:

Set up in 2006 by ex-Lotus colleagues Julian Wilford and Evert Geurtsen, Nice had been selling an all-electric version of the French-made Aixam Mega. It had also planned to expand its range by the end of the year, selling a Chinese-made two-seater called MyCar and five-seat MPV called the Ze-O. However, administrators were called in last week following a torrid year in which sales fell to fewer than one car a week.

Rival retailer GoinGreen still appears to be keeping its head above water, and put out a statement on their website arguing that this should not be allowed to be the end of electric vehicles:

"The Government recently backed the development of electric vehicle technology as it is an opportunity for the UK to take the lead and that we need to seize the opportunity given the state of the global economy. Other EVs are due to come to market, although most of these are still several years away or are very expensive. However, in the four years since GoinGreen launched, over 1,100 Londoners have experienced cheap and zero emissions driving in London by owning a G-Wiz," says Steve Hartridge, managing director of GoinGreen.

Meanwhile all still appears well on NICE’s own website.

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Comments (2)

As best as I can tell (from Alabama), in Europe where they have a "quadracycle" vehicle classification, these vehicles travel at velocities nearing or barely exceeding 50 mph. The Americanized version of the same type vehicle allows us a Zenn NEV, a small car capable of 45 mph, but only sold as a 25 or 35 mph vehicle, depending on where you live. What a tragedy that an inexpensive, easy to manage vehicle is not allowed to be nearly as useful in the US of A as its design is capable of.

Special note for the Detroit 3: If I can't buy an EV from you, I'll buy it from your rivals or I'll have a car converted.

jump to top Mark says:

Ya there is very high competition in all markets and automotive industry is also in trouble GM is the huge company of japan but it is also in trouble at this time.

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