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B.C. golf cart company expands into electric car market

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B.C. golf cart company expands into electric car market
B.C. golf cart company expands into electric car market – Mar 9, 2021

An Okanagan company is tapping into the low-speed, electric car market.

Vernon’s SC Carts has just introduced its NXT City electric car, one of the first of its kind in Canada.

“We kind of see a niche there with the slow-speed category,” SC Carts CEO Jeff Holomis told Global News.

“No gas, no oil, you just plug and go.”

READ MORE: B.C. company gets approval to build street-legal, low-speed electric vehicles

The company says it has manufactured what is Canada’s first electric, street-legal LSV, or low-speed vehicle

 “We run a lithium battery pack in it,” said Holomis. “It’s simple to charge; just plug it into your 110 (power) outlet in your garage.”
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A full charge takes about five hours and should get you around 95 kilometres in distance, depending on hills.
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Study reveals why Canadians reluctant to buy electric vehicles
The vehicle has a top speed of 40 km per hour, but can only be used in designated communities.

“We are allowed to drive on 50 km/hr roads in areas and communities that have permitted it,” said Holomis said.

The CEO says in an effort to help reduce emissions, low-speed compliant communities are becoming quite common

“Most of B.C. has approved it,” he said.
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How close is Canada to an all-electric vehicle future?

So, how much will it cost you to forgo fossil fuels and get behind the wheel of an NXT City LSV?

Holomis said a base, two-seat version starts at $20,000, with prices going up from there.

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According to SC Carts store manager Ian Karpinski, there’s overwhelming interest for its low-speed electric vehicles.

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Vernon is planning for a future where zero emission vehicles are the norm
But potential purchasers will have to get in line and wait, as takes about a month for the company to build one. 

“As we expand and get more employees,” said Karpinski, “we will shorten that time down.”

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