Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, we will be offering three different enclosure options on the SRK in addition to the base model. Please see the product page for more detailed information.

Our current prototypes have been tested at speeds above standard highway speed limits, but we intend to limit the top speed of our base model vehicles based on rated highway speed limits. This will be 65-70mph depending on the state they're purchased in.

As with vehicles of any type, the efficiency of the drivetrain is reduced exponentially above a certain speed. By setting a cap on top speed, we're able to maintain a reasonable travel range, even at highway speeds.

Our base model vehicle with a 40-mile range is designed for the everyday driver that needs to get around town and across expressways and highways as necessary, but not for extended distance at high speeds. For buyers of our extended (80-mile) or premium (160-mile est.) battery packs, we may make the limit on top speed optionally removable. The greater capacity and Lithium-Ion chemistry of our upgrade battery packs will be better equipped to handle the reduction in range and increased power requirements of extended high-speed travel.

The 40-mile range is at this point a conservative estimate based on averaging various driving speeds. The optimal speed range appears to be between 25 and 40 mph and constant travel at that speed will likely result in a range beyond 40 miles. Driving at highway speeds for an extended time or driving in stop-and-go traffic will likely decrease range from that peak. Once we have completed some in-depth range tests, we plan to release range specifications under a variety of external and internal conditions, including outside temperatures, driving speeds and regularity (constant speed vs. stop-n-go), uphill/downhill, and running additional electrical systems.

The target market for our initial small-scale production is Washington, Oregon, and California, so the temperature and climate testing we will be doing is probably a bit less rigorous than we will need to do as we expand east and north. Having said that, we do plan on marketing the vehicle to the rest of the States assuming adequate sales of that initial run, and we will make sure that the vehicle performs well in inclement weather and particularly low and high temperatures. As we get further into testing of the SRK, we will post battery performance and range results for a variety of conditions.

Yes, the SRK will have heat, and it will be part of the electrical system and will thus affect the drivable range of the vehicle. We are currently testing just how much it will affect the range, and we are also testing alternative efficient solutions to save electrical power, such as venting air warmed from the motor and differential into the cabin as part of the heating system.

Once we have completed some in-depth range tests, we plan to release range specifications under a variety of external and internal conditions, including outside temperatures, driving speeds and regularity (constant speed vs. stop-n-go), uphill/downhill, and running additional electrical systems.

Yes, we plan to offer AC as a feature upgrade.

The rear storage area can fit several grocery bags as standard, and can also be expanded by folding down the rear seat. The Deliverator option of the SRK will come without a rear seat, and a fully-expanded storage area.

We will be offering a LiFePO4 battery upgrade which will increase the range to an estimated 80 miles and increase battery life. Right now those batteries are fairly expensive, but those prices are constantly decreasing as research and development is proceeding rapidly.

The SRK plugs into any standard 110-volt household outlet or a 220-volt outlet that uses the standard J1772 outlet. These are the standard Level 2 connectors found at public charging stations around the country. We will also offer an adapter that allows you to connect to a standard 220V appliance outlet.

If the batteries are completely depleted, the SRK will take about 6 hours to charge from a standard 110-volt outlet and about 2 hours on a 220-volt source.

The total cost depends on the energy pricing in your local area. For a complete charge of the standard 40-mile battery pack, it will cost about $0.80 to $0.90 in Oregon or Washington and about $1.50 in California.

The SRK is as safe to recharge as any household appliance. We have also included additional safety features to ensure that you don’t drive away with the vehicle plugged in!

Battery life will be dramatically extended if you keep the batteries as charged as possible at all times. Therefore, it is better to top off the charge on your vehicle whenever possible rather than continuously drive it to zero. Also, it is better for the batteries if you store the vehicle fully charged rather than with the batteries depleted.

Our standard battery pack is comprised of lead-acid batteries, and are rated at 1,000 charge cycles. So, if you are running the batteries down (driving full range) and charging them full daily, that amounts to about 3 years. We estimate typical usage will result in closer to 4-5 years, which is comparable to the expected life of a normal car battery. The extended (80-mile range) battery pack upgrade uses lithium-ion batteries, and those packs should last 10+ years.

Yes, our lead-acid batteries are 97% recyclable.

There are a few options for end of life disposal:

1. Lead-acid batteries are highly recyclable. You can bring them back to us for recycling, or take them to any recycler of lead-acid batteries.
2. Your batteries will still be useful for stationary energy storage capabilities when they are no longer useful for driving. Stationary applications can include battery banks for home renewable energy systems such as solar photovoltaic, or in larger applications for utilities to store excess power until it is needed. Come back to our website or contact us for more detailed information on these options in the future.

As we are still in the prototyping stage and have not entered full production yet, we are still working out volume pricing of our batteries. Based on current pricing, our standard pack costs about $2400, but we are hopeful that with volume we are able to get that cost down below $2000. However, keep in mind that battery research is proceeding very rapidly and for those who purchase the standard pack, by the time those batteries need to be replaced, better batteries will likely be available at a much lower price, so upgrading at that point may be more cost effective. Also, while battery replacement costs are substantial, there are very few other maintenance costs associated with the vehicle, not to mention fuel cost savings.

Our target price for the base model SRK is $17,500. We will announce final pricing closer to the time of production.

You can secure your reservation by placing a pre-order with a fully refundable deposit of $100. You can place your pre-order online, or give us a call!

The 2010 federal EV purchase tax credit is listed here: http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/taxevb.shtml . Comparable state incentives exist as well but vary by state, of course. As we get closer to production, we will make sure that we comply as much as possible with whatever incentive requirements are included for 2011/2012. We will look further into the process as well, to see if there's anything additional we can do to better facilitate applying for those credits.

The deposit is fully refundable until the inventory is purchased that will be used to assemble the vehicle. This will typically occur about a month before vehicle delivery, and you will be given advanced notice as to when the deposit becomes non-refundable as well as when final payment for the vehicle is due.

The sooner you put an order in, the higher on the delivery list you will be. We expect to launch our pilot fleet in mid-2011 and begin production after the fleet program is completed.

Our focus with our initial small-scale production run will be on the West Coast states - Oregon, Washington, California. We are building our service partners in those states now in anticipation of entering production later this year.

However, the pieces that require service on our vehicle are far fewer than those in an ICE vehicle. Basically tires, shocks, brakes, and batteries are the only components that experience regular wear and tear. As such, existing tire centers are well-equipped to service our vehicles, and those are the type of shops that we are talking to in building our service network. So far we have received only positive feedback from the tire centers we have talked to, and they feel that they would have no trouble servicing our vehicles.

Arcimoto will never sell your information to anyone. Ever. Please read our privacy statement for more information.

The majority of our components originate from OEM suppliers, meaning that the individual parts comprising an Arcimoto vehicle are of no less quality than any car out of Detroit. Additionally, we operate a comparatively low-volume operation, meaning that additional time and care is put into each and every vehicle produced on our line. We are implementing very strict quality control and testing standards on every one of our vehicles. We are able to attain a low cost by judiciously selecting the features that are included in our vehicle and by eliminating much of the waste and overspending that is present in larger auto manufacturers.

Our initial target market is the west coast of the US (Oregon, Washington, California) in 2012, but we do intend to expand nationally and eventually internationally as well. Unfortunately, we don't have a distinct timeline for when we will be able to sell beyond the US, but we do intend to do so as soon as we are able.

Electric motors are incredibly more efficient at using energy than a typical combustion motor, so even if the electricity to charge the batteries comes completely from coal, the overall carbon emissions into the environment are less than an average gas-powered car. Perhaps even more importantly, electric vehicles dramatically reduce the amount of toxic emissions in urban areas where people live and breathe the air. By focusing emissions at the power source, any advances in 'clean coal' or other methods of reducing emissions will benefit all EV drivers immediately, without having to purchase a new vehicle.

However, this is an issue that's becoming less and less relevant, as alternative energy production sources are brought onto the national grid. Currently, only 50% of the nation's energy comes from coal, with the remaining percentage provided by nuclear (20%), hydroelectric (6%), and other renewable sources.

The story is even better in Oregon, where 60% of our state's electricity comes from hydroelectric sources and only 8% from coal. This is also improving as wind, solar and wave power is being added to the state electrical grid.

Tandem seating in a three-wheeled vehicle provides the best configuration for aerodynamics, balance and vehicle handling, and makes for unique and fun drive experience. As the driver, you're centered in the middle of the vehicle, which gives you excellent balance and equal visibility on both sides. The drive experience of an Arcimoto combines the best features of a car and a motorcycle.

If properly designed, the three-wheeled configuration can provide an extremely stable and safe driving experience.

The SRK's reverse-trike configuration, low center of gravity and center-balanced seating provides handling and control that is in many ways better than most traditional four-wheeled vehicles.

All of our vehicles are built in Eugene, Oregon with parts and labor sourced as locally as possible.

All of the major electronic and motive systems are properly ventilated and utilize forced convection (fans blowing).

No, our analysis of regenerative braking has led us to conclude that improving the efficiency of other aspects of the vehicle and/or adding additional battery capacity wins out in a cost-benefit analysis.

Including solar panels on the roof is not currently a cost-effective method of capturing energy. Solar panels have a more attractive payback time when they are placed on a rooftop, where they have a significant surface area and can be utilized whenever the sun is shining. This energy can be used to charge the vehicle or to deliver clean, renewable energy back to the electricity grid.

Unfortunately, it is impossible to recapture energy that is not being expended in the first place. In general, energy recapture is possible anywhere that heat is being generated in the vehicle. Internal wind turbines would actually add to the vehicle's overall aerodynamic drag, causing it to lose more energy than would be gained.

Despite recent advancements in automotive flywheel technology, they are still very expensive to implement and present more hazards than typical batteries do. Some F1 racecars utilize flywheels to provide quick bursts of acceleration, but extreme current dumps are not required in our application.

Arcimoto is currently seeking angel and venture investments and would be open to discussing potential investment opportunities with you.