Wink Electric Offer Carlike Features And Solar Charging

If most of your car trips are fairly short and at slower than highway speeds, you probably don't need a full car. A cheaper Neighborhood Electric Vehicle (NEV) might suffice, and US start-up Wink Motors has announced a new range of creatures, some of which can be solar-charged.

According to the company, all four Wink NEVs are fully legal in the United States and are manufactured to exceed safety requirements set forth by federal vehicle safety standards. With a top speed of 40 km/h (25 mph) limited by the government, they can travel up to 56 km/h on restricted access roads.

Unlike some "golf cart style" NEVs, these are all fully enclosed, seat four, and offer car-type features such as air conditioning, heating, power windows, power locks, mirrors, seat belts three-point safety, reversing cameras, infotainment: screens and USB chargers, glove boxes, luggage and folding rear seats for additional storage.

And all are powered by a 3kW (7kW peak) continuous electric motor, which in turn is powered by a lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) battery, which can load the average household with power output. 120 volts. And if you think that sounds a little familiar, you're wrong.

“We started with two existing frame designs to avoid reinventing the wheel and to reduce tooling costs,” Wink CEO Mark Dweck told us. "Then we had to develop it for the US market, which included the design of the interior, controls, safety mechanism, motor, batteries and other key components, as well as the vehicle regulations of NHTSA [National Highway Traffic Safety Administration] body panels, door handles, etc. are pre-existing materials and the resulting internal components and fittings are Wink specific.

Beneath the Wink package is the $8,995 Sprout 2-door, whose 60V/60Ah battery is said to have a 6-hour charge, good for a 40-mile (64 km) range. The car weighs 345 kg.

Next is the 362 kg (9,995,798 lb) Sprout Solar , whose portable solar panel provides an additional range of 24 km (15 miles) per day, although this obviously depends on factors such as use and location. geographical. The car also has a larger 80 hour battery, an 8 hour charge should be enough for around 60 miles (97 km).

The $10,995 Mark 1 loses the solar panel, but the rear sedan gains more interior space and a larger rear cargo area. It has the same battery as the Sprout Solar, offers the same 60-mile range, and weighs 1,190 pounds (540 kg).

As you might guess from its name, the 1,250-pound (567 kg) Wink Mark 2 Solar adds a solar panel to the rear. Although its other specifications are similar to the Mark 1, it has four doors, including a hatchback. Its price is 11995 dollars.

Please note that all prices shown are part of an initial offer valid until November 30. Winks can be ordered through the company's website. Dweck says shipping should begin later this month.

Source: Wink Engines

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