Are we living through a small car renaissance? There’s the Slate Truck, Amble's dune buggy, and the Fiat Topolino, as well as a whole galaxy of kei cars and trucks from Japan that have their own built-in fan base. While microcar sales in the US are still as tiny as the vehicles themselves, there are some signs that Americans might not be as closed off to the idea of downsizing as you might think.
Is America ready for this quirky Jeep-looking EV that can park itself? Chip Motors is the latest startup with aspirations to disrupt the golf cart market. Its $15,000 EV can only go 25 mph, but it can park itself using remote operators. The latest example is the launch of Chip Motors, a Miami-based startup with an adorably boxy, open-air electric vehicle that defies easy categorization. Is it a golf cart? A Jeep Wrangler that got hit with a shrink ray? A bit of both?
The company calls Chip a “life utility vehicle,” or LUV for short, but a more accurate acronym would be LSV for “low speed vehicle,” similar to neighborhood electric vehicles from companies like Gem and Wink. It’s top speed of 25mph means it’s only legal on roads with 35mph speed limits or below. It’s intended as a second vehicle for short trips to the grocery store or for kid pickups. There’s a roll bar and a flat battery pack along the floor to protect occupants. And an LED screen on the front bumper acts as Chip's digital “face” as it smiles and responds to verbal commands. And it even parks itself using teleoperation, with the goal of eventually getting to Level 4, fully autonomous driving.
In terms of the hardware, Chip runs on in-wheel motors and a 15 kWh lithium iron phosphate battery that can recharge overnight on a standard 110-volt household outlet, or in 4 hours using a Level 2/240-volt charger via a NACS charge port — though on its website, the company notes that charge times are “illustrative,” pending final specs. The LFP provides an estimated 100 miles of range, but that’s just an estimate as well. Chip comes in four- and six-seat configurations, with the former starting at $15,000 and the latter at $18,000. You can reserve one today for $250, and the company says it will start deliveries in 2027.
Microcars may be a dead end in the US, but sales of golf carts have been growing steadily since the pandemic, said Chip Motors CEO Jameson Detweiler. But Chip is more than just a gussied up golf cart. He says the tiny EV is designed to capture the feeling of freedom associated with scooters and bicycles while removing much of the “mental overhead” that comes with owning a traditional automobile.
