The NMG: seriously whacked EV...now available

Here we have a...uh...vehicle...that is is looking to change the way people think about transportation. I'm not sure I have much faith in its ability to do that, but it's certainly worth talking about. Myers Motors, the folks who make this three-wheeler call it the MM NMG (No More Gas) but as I've researched this story, in my head, I've been calling it the EVX WTF. EV for Electric Vehicle, X cause it sounds cool, and I think you know what WTF stands for.

The MM NMG (EVX WTF really is a better name) is officially classified as a motorcycle, but it's got all the comforts of a car. The top speed is 70 mph and it's 100% electrically powered. Plus, the entire car is "built for safety" a feature that you won't see on many motorcycles. That's the good news.

The bad news is that it can only carry one person and it will only carry that one person 100 miles on a full charge. Then, once you've run out of juice, you'll need six to eight hours to recharge the batteries before you can head out again. You might think that a little car like this, without many components or even much battery life might be somewhat easy on the wallet. It's not. A new NMG will set you back about $25,000. Admittedly, this is much cheaper than most other EVs on the market. But with only one seat, and a seriously crazy design, we're not sure who'd go for it.

So far, its unique design has only brought it one success...a role in Austin Powers' Goldmember. Their website ensures prospective buyers that they'll get more attention in an NMG than in a $100,000 sports car (a Tesla Roadster maybe), and they're probably right. But it's going to be a very different kind of attention. If Myers Motors wants to get people to buy into the idea of a small, ultra-efficient, commuter vehicle, I think they're going to have to do something a little more traditional... and a hell of a lot cheaper.