Chip Motors plans $15,000 low-speed EV with remote parking
The Miami startup says its open-air Chip EV will top out at 25 mph, start deliveries in 2027 and use remote operators for parking features.
By James Whitfield · Staff Writer
3 min read
Chip Motors has introduced a small electric vehicle aimed at short neighborhood trips, with a starting price of $15,000 and planned deliveries in 2027. The Miami startup says the vehicle, called Chip, will be limited to 25 mph, putting it in the low-speed vehicle category rather than the broader passenger-car market.
According to The Verge, Chip is designed as an alternative to golf carts and second cars for errands, school pickups and other local travel. Its speed limit means it can be used only on roads with posted limits of 35 mph or lower, under the rules that govern low-speed vehicles.
Chip Motors calls the vehicle a “life utility vehicle,” or LUV, The Verge reported. The boxy, open-air EV will be offered in four-seat and six-seat versions, with the four-seat model starting at $15,000 and the six-seat model starting at $18,000. The company is taking $250 reservations.
The vehicle uses in-wheel motors and a 15 kWh lithium iron phosphate battery, according to Chip Motors details reported by The Verge. The company estimates a range of 100 miles, though The Verge noted that Chip Motors describes some charging figures as illustrative until final specifications are set.
Chip Motors says the EV can charge overnight from a standard 110-volt household outlet. The company also says it can charge in about four hours from a Level 2 240-volt charger through a NACS port, pending final specifications.
The design includes a roll bar and a flat battery pack mounted along the floor, according to The Verge. A front bumper LED display serves as a digital face that can respond to voice commands, part of the company’s effort to make the vehicle feel more expressive than a conventional utility cart.
Chip Motors CEO Jameson Detweiler told The Verge that sales of golf carts have grown since the pandemic, especially among young families in warm-weather markets using them for short trips. He argued that Chip is meant to offer some of the ease associated with scooters and bicycles while reducing the burdens that come with owning a traditional car.
The startup is also pitching a remote-driving feature called “Chip Go,” according to The Verge. Chip Motors says owners will be able to summon the vehicle, tell it to park itself or send it on limited errands, with remote operators handling those functions at launch.
Detweiler told The Verge that Chip Motors intends to take legal responsibility for its vehicles while they are being remotely operated. He said the company plans to keep developing the system and eventually wants the vehicle to reach Level 4 autonomy, though he did not provide detailed technical information about the teleoperation setup.
The Verge reported that Detweiler sees low-speed neighborhood operation as easier for remote driving than highway use because the vehicles travel below 25 mph. He also said cellular networks are already built to reduce problems from latency spikes.
Detweiler told The Verge that Chip has been in development in some form for nearly 15 years. He previously sold a camera technology company to a European e-scooter operator in 2022, according to The Verge.
Chip Motors is entering a small but active corner of the EV market, alongside neighborhood electric vehicles and compact imports that have built followings in the United States, The Verge reported. Detweiler said the company is also studying more weatherproof versions for colder regions and models that could handle highway driving.
This story draws on original reporting from The Verge.