Neighborhood electric vehicles

Small neighborhood electric vehicles (NEVs) have been gaining popularity throughout the United States and in other parts of the world. There are several companies that manufacture and sell NEVs in the United States. Some of these employ solar-electric technology. 

This section describes some of the many electric microcars available in the market. These cars are also named quadricycles, in Europe, and low-speed vehicle (LSV) in the United States, with a specific definition of electric microcars as neighborhood electric vehicles (NEVs). More particularly, in Europe, quadricycles are categories of four-wheeled microcars defined by limitations in terms of weight, power and speed and are classified into light quadricycles and heavy quadricycles, both with a maximum speed of 50 km/h. In the United States, LSVs must have a top speed of 20-25 mph (32-40 km/h) and NEVs are limited to roads with posted speed limits as high as 45 mph (72 km/h) depending on the particular state laws they are usually built to have a top speed of 30 mph (48 km/h). 

The Sunmobile SunVee is a solar neighborhood vehicle. Solar electric panels are integrated with the body to charge batteries which power an electric motor. The neighborhood range is about 30 miles with a top speed of about 25 miles/hour. The Sunmobile is based on a commercial four-wheeled, two person, pedaling bike, called a Rhoades Car. 

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