2024 $7500. "tax rebate"

I do hope that some day someone will come out with a basic EV. I don't need all the thrills and frills of a tablet on my dash.

At any rate, I've owned 3 cars with touch screens, and all three have had problems with the infotainment center, including the Leaf (albeit, it wasn't the worst of the three and was still useable).

Put a backup screen on the rearview mirror and slap on some basic levers and knobs please. Get rid of the automatic heating controls please. I'd like AM/FM and weather stations please. No, I don't want the drive around with the internet please. A 3.5mm aux port would be nice too please.

 

People are finding 2020 low mileage bolts for $8,000. After tax credits

 

I transferred my 2024 Clean Vehicle tax credit when I purchased a '22 Bolt in Jan. The dealer must first register for the on-line IRS portal for time of sale reporting. Info for the tax credit can be found by searching for it on fueleconomy.gov.

This New and Used Clean Vehicle Time-of-Sale Reporting User Guide has directions for dealers on how to fill out the report using the portal.

Buyers who elect to transfer the tax credit to the dealer at the time of sale will get the full credit regardless of their tax liability. If the credit is not transferred, then buyers may not get the full refund depending on the amount of taxes owed during the year the vehicle was purchased.

 

My VPN lets me see Japanese commercials and the Nissan Sakura looks like a basic, get around town, two seater, Kei car. However, there is one by name 'NOTE' that looks a little larger and pretty good:

Nissan Note - Wikipedia

Also: 日産：ノート [ NOTE ] コンパクトカー Webカタログ トップ

A little larger: 2023 Nissan ARIYA: All-New Electric Crossover SUV | Nissan USA

Bob Wilson

 

What’s sort of pathetic is all the small low cost foreign EVs are fully street legal under the NEV laws.

It’s unfortunate nobody is willing to install a governor and bring them over for sale.

Equally unfortunate the federal “medium speed” legislation for 45mph NEVs lost traction because Tesla started delivering cars, without clearly defined federal mandates we are preventing many of the low cost Euro and Japanese mini EVs from entering our market at all.

And yeah the Epower and Japanese spec Notes will never touch US shores.


I’ve honestly considered doing the extremely painful and expensive process of bringing one over just to stick it to them and have a unique EV but for the Sakura or Note it’s too risky as they aren’t old enough and it’s likely they would still get crushed at the port.

 

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! You've answered my question!

Now I'm feeling the itch to look at EV's for sale again. (My wife keeps showing me ones for sale that she looks up. I think she's trying to hint at something.)

Now I'm really feeling the itch for buying an EV! Colorado also has another $4,000 incentive on top of the Federal used car tax credit that is also not out of tax liability.

If I could get an EV for cheap enough I'd keep the Avalon as a second car. Then it wouldn't matter how well the EV does on long road trips in winter conditions here in the Fourteeners.

 

I believe dealers had to be registered even when the credit isn't transferred. Many already were able to do the transfer before that was an option.

Need to point out NEV isn't a federal term. It is LSV(low speed vehicle).

I think the cost of importing and certifying means these LSV would no longer be low cost if brought over. Golf cart LSVs aren't exactly cheap. Such a segment needs a certain level of sales in order to retain the low cost, and there are a lot of roads where LSVs can't legally go. Relegating them to niche market only for the US.

Kandi tried selling EV cars in a LSV and full car form. Before the air bag choice was an issue, the LSV versions were still thousands more than a similar sized, full speed car. The 100% street legal one cost more. They're just selling EV golf carts, bikes, and an off road only pick up now. Kandi America | Leading in EVs, Electric Golf Carts, Utility Vehicles & More

Nissan was considering an ePower soemthing for here, but a straight series hybrid is going to have lackluster highway mpg ratings.

 

Federal law on NEVs was needed yes, any motivation fell apart once full speed EVs hit the market.

LSV/NEVs actually have been opened up to a lot more roads than you think and given many more exemptions due to a mass of obscure state level legislation 2010-2012 to make it easier to operate the cars. My own state modified the law such that they can drive across any road and on the road skirt if a suitable low speed road doesn’t interconnect to your destination. These changes are due to state government and college operators having trouble using their equipment. Some states allow operating on 45mph road. Mine allows them on the skirt of 70mph freeway if no reasonable interconnecting surface road exists. Similar laws passed without fanfare almost nationwide.

The whole point of NEV was to eliminate certification, only checks are lights, brakes, don’t need much of anything DOT certified.

Importation cost definitely an issue, tarriffs may also be an issue even though they shouldn’t apply to LSV,

As an individual even though neither crash nor emissions apply to these cars it’s no simple matter getting a one off waived through the port.
The necessary paperwork is opaque to the end user. I don’t believe this was the intent of FMS500 but that is the effect it’s had on non-businesses.

 

I only looked at Maine recently, and LSVs were still limited to 35mph roads. I see it is the same in California. NJ and Pennsylvania limit them to 25mph roads. Allowing them on faster roads or on shoulders isn't much of a problem in states with low population densities. With more people and more traffic, they would be an impediment to to traffic flow. Many of the roads I drive on barely have shoulders for bicycles.

The LSV manufacturer has to be registered with the NHTSA. The need DOT approved 3 point seatbelts and windshield, a back up camera, and the EVs a noise maker. If the minicar doesn't have a US VIN, it isn't a LSV, nor road legal.
How to know if electric micro-cars, LSVs, and NEVs are street-legal

 

Interesting, my father’s Miles ZX40 is licensed and FMS500 certified, it has a back up beeper, the vin is not US , only thing in the car DOT is the windshield, does have normal looking 3 point seatbelts though dot is nowhere to be found, definitely no backup camera. Maybe they updated laws after 2009?

 

The article was from 2023. I saw there were other changes since 2009. LSV trucks are now allowed, and the max weight is now 3000 pounds: I assume that's gross.
Couldn't find an example VIN, so maybe the format isn't exactly like a full speed/size cars.

To confuse matters, off road vehicles could be street legal in some states, and some may allow NEVs that don't meet the LSV requirements. That might work for an individual trying to import a microcar, but that isn't going to be a large enough potential market for some business to import something that doesn't meet the LSV regs.
Riding an ATV/UTV on the Road? State-by-State Legal Guide – ATV MAN

 

Here in Colorado, while there apparently isn't a state ATV law (except maybe on state highways, IDK) each town/county has it's own laws. Some towns allow ATV on streets and surounding roads. Others don't.

A small NEV pickup would be a perfect addition in so many ways. It would be a great commuter to and from work and would work for getting those odd items.

I don't understand modern day pickup trucks. They are SO impractical. I might as well as mount a truck bed on top of my Avalon, it might be closer to the ground than on the typical pickup truck so I can reach in and grab tools and materials better. That may be a hyperbole, but it isn't that far from the truth.

 

Wisconsin allows ATVs on more road at higher speeds than they do NEVs (do to mah local jobs)

In northern Wisconsin and even the UP, it’s not uncommon for families to only own motorcycles and ATVs being virtually “vehicle free”. Because tax, title , insurance is too high.
The other problem in northern WI/MI is that having an ATV can save hours on your commute because hundreds of miles of various roads has been blocked off to car traffic because the state doesn’t want to plow or maintain certain highways .
Certain very old critical highways between certain cities are either gone completely or ATV only.

The trail system in many areas is more comprehensive than actual road.

in a lighter note, GM appears to be outselling Ford on new no longer manufactured EVs and is loosing less money per EV despite the recall.

https://gmauthority.com/blog/2024/02/chevrolet-bolt-sales-numbers-figures-results-fourth-quarter-2023-q4/#google_vignette