Neighborhood electric vehicle

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"NEV" redirects here. For other uses, see NEV (disambiguation).

A Neighborhood Electric Vehicle (NEV) is an American term for a speed limited battery electric vehicle (25-35 miles per hour in the U.S.A., this is 40-56 km/h+, as Low-Speed Electric Vehicles, or LSEVs, and Medium-Speed Electric Vehicles, or MSEVs) restricted by law to operation on roads with speed limits not exceeding 35-45 mph (56-72 km/h).[1][2] These speed restrictions, combined with a typical driving range of 30 miles (48 km) per charge and a typical three-year battery durability, are required because of a lack of federally mandated safety equipment and features which NEV's can not accommodate because of their design. To satisfy requirements for operation on streets, NEVs are equipped with three-point seat belts, windshields and windshield wipers, running lights, headlights, brake lights, reflectors, rear view mirrors, and turn signals. They must be licensed, and the driver must be licensed. Because airbags are not required the NEV cannot travel on highways or freeways.

In many cases, doors may be optional, crash protection from other vehicles is partially met compared to other non motorized transport such as bicycles because of the use of seat belts. Some makers are starting to use doors and steel impact beams, and aluminium foam may be used to absorb energy without increasing the weight.

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[edit] Supportive community design

The Canadian Dynasty EV 4 door sedan is designed for all-season use, as is Feelgood Car's two-door Zenn EV
The Canadian Dynasty EV 4 door sedan is designed for all-season use, as is Feelgood Car's two-door Zenn EV
The Indian REVA 2 doors is commercialized as a NEV is the USA and as a quadricycle elsewhere.
The Indian REVA 2 doors is commercialized as a NEV is the USA and as a quadricycle elsewhere.

These vehicles are appropriate for communities that provide separate routes for these vehicles or generally accommodate slow speed traffic such as traditional "grid" street plans found in older urban areas. Some retirement and golf club communities are specifically designed, even including an additional "mini garage" in the house designs. Community designs built upon the concepts of new urbanism are often suitable for these vehicles.

[edit] Inhibitory community design

Most modern communities within the USA are designed to separate residential neighborhoods, shopping centers, and places of employment, secondary education sites, and even recreation areas, connecting them with relatively high speed thoroughfares exceeding that available to NEVs with the expectation that a more traditional motor vehicle will be used for transport. Even on roads where the speed limit is 35 mph, usually legal for use by an NEV, the far heavier conventional vehicles are often driven well over the posted limit, leading to very high speed differentials. These factors of vehicle weight and speed differentials have inhibited the adaptation of NEVs in most suburban locations. Unlike bicycles, specialized routes and rights-of-way are usually unavailable to NEVs.

[edit] Examples

[edit] Planned Communities with NEV Programs

Innovative transit system as well as electric Hybrid transit system is developed in India with low capital cost of vehicles and low and appropriate technology.[1]

[edit] Other Notable NEV Communities

[edit] References

  1. ^ US DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 49 CFR Part 571 Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards
  2. ^ NEV (Neighborhood Electric Vehicle) is a Federally-approved street-legal vehicle classification which came into existence in 1998 under Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 500 (FMVSS 500). NEVs can legally travel on streets with a speed limit of 35 mph or less.
  3. ^ Zúñiga, Janine. "Coronado's electric cars enjoying life in the fast lane", San Diego Union-Tribune, 2007-05-29. Retrieved on 2007-08-24. 
  4. ^ Young, Kathryn. "Town that banned bags touts golf carts", Times Colonist, 2007-08-23. Retrieved on 2007-08-24. 

[edit] See also