Does anyone know the story behind the G-Wizz? I'm interested in<br>- Why ...

Julian Bond - 2014-05-26 07:27:56+0000 - Updated: 2014-05-26 07:27:56+0000

Does anyone know the story behind the G-Wizz? I'm interested in
- Why they're no longer imported
- Total sales
- Total currently registered and on the road

And a review of the Li-On version.

I suspect that they are currently by some long way the most successful electric 4 wheel personal vehicle in the UK, but because they are registered as a quad don't get counted when people talk about electric cars.

Duncan Booth - 2014-05-26 07:44:16+0000

Sorry, but the G-Wiz was a long way off being the most successful electric vehicle in the UK. At the end of Q4 2013 there were 537 G-Wiz licensed (plus 42 with SORN). Compare this with 2977 Nissan Leaf or 680 Vauxhall Ampera both of which have graphs that are still heading upward.

The peak for the G-Wiz was 2009 Q4 with 628 licensed plus 4 SORN.

Julian Bond - 2014-05-26 07:54:56+0000

Ah, OK. I used to see a lot in London so for that reason I assumed it was in the thousands rather than hundreds.

Ian Kew - 2014-05-26 08:03:02+0000

+Julian Bond
I've never seen one OUTSIDE that London!

Julian Bond - 2014-05-26 08:03:06+0000

Intellectually, I like the idea of electric quads. In a similar kind of way to the idea of electric assist Cargo bikes especially the three wheeled variety. In practice though tiny, slow vehicles on the UK's roads is probably just terrifying when you're competing with white van man, SUVs and HGVs.

So who's going to produce a Renault Twizy with a G-Wiz style body? Or a legal 50 mph electric Velomobile? Or an electric MP3?

Ian Kew - 2014-05-26 08:11:54+0000

+Julian Bond
Logically, they make a lot of sense. I can't see the typical mentally-ill 4x4 SUV/V8 AMG Merc/any Audi driver wanting to step out of their respective tanks though.

http://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2012/10/electric-velomobiles.html

Julian Bond - 2014-05-26 09:14:20+0000

Nice link. Where I think it gets interesting is when a UK E-Velomobile is built and licensed under either moped (4kw, 45mph) or learner motorcycle (15kw) rules. IMHO, the 25kph (15mph) limits for unlicensed E-Bicycles barely make it worthwhile. You still get the help up hills but you're still travelling at bicycle speeds.

Julian Bond - 2014-05-26 11:54:45+0000 - Updated: 2014-05-26 11:55:06+0000

And then this.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Electric-Tuk-Tuk-Rickshaw-Ape-Cargo-Trike-L-K-STUNNING-REAL-HEAD-TURNER-/161310433949?pt=UK_SportsLeisure_Cycling_Bike_Lights&hash=item258ed9e29d

25kph electric tuktuk.

Trevor Larkum - 2014-05-28 21:16:27+0000

+Julian Bond The guy behind the G-Wiz was Keith Johnston - his blog is here: http://connevted.blogspot.co.uk/
NB: see the comment in the right hand column, you can get a booklet about the history of the G-Wiz from him direct.