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Shonandb
Samba Member
Joined: January 12, 2019
Posts: 1994
Location: Vancouver, BC
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 Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2025 11:54 am Post subject: Re: What out of the ordinary cars did you see today |
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Saw this Electra Meccanica Solo driving along West Georgia yesterday. One seater, 3 wheeled EV.
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76 Westy with a 2.5L Subaru SOHC + Vanagon (010) Automatic Transaxle
Build & Trip Thread: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=758760
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zerotofifty
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Joined: December 27, 2003
Posts: 3676
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| Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2025 3:56 pm Post subject: Re: What out of the ordinary cars did you see today |
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Saw a mid 80s 911 Targa in a metallic brown, and a bright orange BMW 2002 today ( late style with rectangle tail lamps). two cool cars.
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EverettB 
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Joined: April 11, 2000
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NJ John
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Joined: September 21, 2007
Posts: 2848
Location: HdG, MD & NJ
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| Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2025 4:22 pm Post subject: Re: What out of the ordinary cars did you see today |
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| Shonandb wrote: |
Saw this Electra Meccanica Solo driving along West Georgia yesterday. One seater, 3 wheeled EV.
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Some old kook probably driving it. The kinda guy you see walking with those hiking walking sticks at the park.
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Shonandb
Samba Member
Joined: January 12, 2019
Posts: 1994
Location: Vancouver, BC
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| Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2025 4:25 pm Post subject: Re: What out of the ordinary cars did you see today |
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| EverettB wrote: |
There's a guy with one of those little EVs here too.
He has only has 1 leg but I don't know if that's a factor in his ownership. |
I met the Founder and CEO of Electra Meccanica a few years ago for a CEO Search we were doing and he mentioned that production was somewhere in Arizona and that the bulk of their sales were in CA, but like many EV companies, the company was experiencing financial difficulties after accepting VC/investor money.
[quote="NJ John"]
| Shonandb wrote: |
Saw this Electra Meccanica Solo driving along West Georgia yesterday. One seater, 3 wheeled EV.
Some old kook probably driving it. The kinda guy you see walking with those hiking walking sticks at the park. |
My daughter's friends call me the "old kook who drives that old green car" so maybe we are all "old kooks" to someone... 
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76 Westy with a 2.5L Subaru SOHC + Vanagon (010) Automatic Transaxle
Build & Trip Thread: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=758760
Previous 1973 Panel Bus:
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zerotofifty
Samba Member
Joined: December 27, 2003
Posts: 3676
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| Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2025 7:47 pm Post subject: Re: What out of the ordinary cars did you see today |
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[quote="Shonandb"]
| EverettB wrote: |
There's a guy with one of those little EVs here too.
He has only has 1 leg but I don't know if that's a factor in his ownership. |
I met the Founder and CEO of Electra Meccanica a few years ago for a CEO Search we were doing and he mentioned that production was somewhere in Arizona and that the bulk of their sales were in CA, but like many EV companies, the company was experiencing financial difficulties after accepting VC/investor money.
| NJ John wrote: |
| Shonandb wrote: |
Saw this Electra Meccanica Solo driving along West Georgia yesterday. One seater, 3 wheeled EV.
Some old kook probably driving it. The kinda guy you see walking with those hiking walking sticks at the park. |
My daughter's friends call me the "old kook who drives that old green car" so maybe we are all "old kooks" to someone... |
Your green Bay Window is newer than a bunch of my cars, I consider it modern! I am a kookie kook I suppose.
Your Bay Window also looks very cool. Love the color. You lucky man.
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zerotofifty
Samba Member
Joined: December 27, 2003
Posts: 3676
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| Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2025 7:51 pm Post subject: Re: What out of the ordinary cars did you see today |
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| Shonandb wrote: |
Saw this Electra Meccanica Solo driving along West Georgia yesterday. One seater, 3 wheeled EV.
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A tiny death trap, and black of all colors, hard to see. I drive some small cars, and they is bright colors, red, yellow. I think that little three wheel thing should be bright safety orange or such. Black, ugh!!!!
Be safe, be seen, not dead. Bright colors save lives.
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oprn
Samba Member
Joined: November 13, 2016
Posts: 14675
Location: Western Canada
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| Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2025 4:56 am Post subject: Re: What out of the ordinary cars did you see today |
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No more a death trap than a Buggy, trike, motorcycle, side by side, quad or bicycle. Lots of us drive them. Those look like an awesome commuter car. Imagine how much better city traffic and parking lots would be if it was full of the likes of those instead of all the great hulking stinking SUVs and 4 X 4 trucks that only carry one person now! It wouldn't matter if they were gas, diesel or electric the air would be 10 times cleaner and the roads half as congested.
I do agree on the color! In addition to visibility, can you imagine sitting in an oven like that?!
Speaking of safety, it looks like you could exit/enter the car from either side. Wouldn't that be sweet? You wouldn't have to walk out on the street in the traffic to get in! Just step in off the sidewalk.
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MsTaboo
Samba Member
Joined: June 02, 2006
Posts: 4542
Location: East Kootenay, British Columbia
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| Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2025 11:24 am Post subject: Re: What out of the ordinary cars did you see today |
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| zerotofifty wrote: |
| ...Be safe, be seen, not dead. Bright colors save lives. |
Actually white is the safest "color" for cars.
I've never understood why some people like black cars; hot, shows dirt easily, and revels every dent.
If you live in the city these little cars make a lot of sense. Certainly nicer/safer than riding a motorcycle.
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Shonandb
Samba Member
Joined: January 12, 2019
Posts: 1994
Location: Vancouver, BC
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| Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2025 11:39 am Post subject: Re: What out of the ordinary cars did you see today |
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| zerotofifty wrote: |
| Shonandb wrote: |
| EverettB wrote: |
There's a guy with one of those little EVs here too.
He has only has 1 leg but I don't know if that's a factor in his ownership. |
I met the Founder and CEO of Electra Meccanica a few years ago for a CEO Search we were doing and he mentioned that production was somewhere in Arizona and that the bulk of their sales were in CA, but like many EV companies, the company was experiencing financial difficulties after accepting VC/investor money.
| NJ John wrote: |
| Shonandb wrote: |
Saw this Electra Meccanica Solo driving along West Georgia yesterday. One seater, 3 wheeled EV.
Some old kook probably driving it. The kinda guy you see walking with those hiking walking sticks at the park. |
My daughter's friends call me the "old kook who drives that old green car" so maybe we are all "old kooks" to someone... |
Your green Bay Window is newer than a bunch of my cars, I consider it modern! I am a kookie kook I suppose.
Your Bay Window also looks very cool. Love the color. You lucky man. |
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Thanks "zerotofifty". It was fun to build and we drive it every chance we get. The colour has grown on us and it makes the Bus easy to find in a parking lot.
| oprn wrote: |
No more a death trap than a Buggy, trike, motorcycle, side by side, quad or bicycle. Lots of us drive them. Those look like an awesome commuter car. ...
I do agree on the color! In addition to visibility, can you imagine sitting in an oven like that?!
Speaking of safety, it looks like you could exit/enter the car from either side. Wouldn't that be sweet? You wouldn't have to walk out on the street in the traffic to get in! Just step in off the sidewalk. |
I believe that they have heat and air conditioning so I would imagine that it would be comfortable to drive.
| MsTaboo wrote: |
| zerotofifty wrote: |
| ...Be safe, be seen, not dead. Bright colors save lives. |
Actually white is the safest "color" for cars.
I've never understood why some people like black cars; hot, shows dirt easily, and revels every dent.
If you live in the city these little cars make a lot of sense. Certainly nicer/safer than riding a motorcycle. |
I used to drive a small Japanese Kei car (similar size to the Solo above) as well as ride a motorcycle when I lived in Japan and commuted about 60 miles into Tokyo for 10+ years. At the time, Japan was a bit like Bangkok so although you had to wear a helmet when riding a scooter or motorcycle, you could pass cars/traffic at any speed via any opening including between lanes, on the shoulder, in the opposite lane, on the sidewalk, etc so basically a free for all.
I don't remember any close calls when riding the motorcycle but our car was hit while parked along a narrow street. I was also hit by Taxis a couple times while walking across cross walks as Taxi drivers are pretty much the same everywhere, and are not particularly safe drivers. Rolled up and across the hood the one time and landed on my feet watching the driver drive away. Just some small scrapes and ripped pants but "it was only a flesh wound".
Smog (diesel and gas engine emissions) were terrible but commuting on the bike took about 45 mins where it was about 90 mins on a good day in the Kei car. With temps in the high 90s to low 100F range from June to Oct, driving the car was more comfortable. Of course the trains were the best options but as I worked in central Tokyo, we'd be packed in like sardines for the 90 min commute each way.
I think the Solo's are a good in-city/short distance commuting vehicle option in places that don't get much cold weather and snow but you'd want to drive defensively like riding a motorcycle and have an easily seen colour as a lot of full sized SUVs and jacked, pick up trucks wouldn't see you.
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76 Westy with a 2.5L Subaru SOHC + Vanagon (010) Automatic Transaxle
Build & Trip Thread: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=758760
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finster
Samba Member
Joined: May 26, 2012
Posts: 9892
Location: not far from the madding crowd
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| Posted: Sat Jul 05, 2025 2:29 am Post subject: Re: What out of the ordinary cars did you see today |
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| Shonandb wrote: |
| ...but you'd want to drive defensively like riding a motorcycle and have an easily seen colour as a lot of over sized SUVs and jacked, pick up trucks wouldn't see you. |
amended your text and maybe fit a flag that can be seen over a high bonnet 
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