E-Toys

Electric vehicles are the future. They are getting better, faster and cheaper, and in many cases, they offer comparable or better performance than their gasoline counterparts. And with wind and solar power generation on the rise, e-vehicles will soon be able to be charged at little cost to the environment - the same environment that makes West of 105 so special. We’ve gathered together a few “toys” that will make enjoying the Great Colorado Outdoors that much more fun and that much more guilt free.

Rivian

In November 2018, electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian unveiled its Electric Adventure Vehicles — the R1T, an all-electric pickup, and the R1S, an all-electric SUV. The top-of-the-range version of the seven-seat R1S is projected to have an electric range of over 400 miles, a wading depth of one meter, lockable storage bins, a towing capacity of almost 8,000 pounds and will (they say) do 0-60 mph in three seconds. Both vehicles will be produced at Rivian’s manufacturing facility in Normal, Illinois. Rivian is now accepting preorders with a refundable deposit of $1,000. Deliveries are projected to start in late 2020.

Cake

The Swedish manufacturer of lightweight electric motorcycles launched in January 2018 with the Kalk OR. Developed solely for off-road use, the bike was strongly influenced by downhill and enduro mountain bikes, in both feel and handling, and its design takes into account the geometry, suspension and components from both styles. The bike weighs around 154 pounds and uses a single pivot direct drive to reduce the number of heavy and moving parts. The bike has three different riding modes to make it easier for all kinds of riders. Deliveries of the Kalk OR started this January. The company also announced its first street legal motorcycle, the Kalk&, so named because it has been engineered for both offroad and commuting. Full specs and the price will be revealed at the sales launch in late March 2019.

Bollinger

The Bollinger B2 is the world’s first all-electric, all-wheel drive pick up truck. Much the same as the B1 (Bollinger’s all-electric sport utility truck), the B2 has dual motors, all-wheel drive, hydro-pneumatic suspension, in-wheel portal gear hubs, 120 kWh battery pack, large front trunk space, an all aluminum body and a patented pass-through door for transporting long items. With a 4’ 1” wide by 5’ 9” long bed, the B2 can carry full 4’ x 8’ sheets of plywood with the tailgate down. The B2 will have a top speed of 100 mph with 15” ground clearance, a 5,001-pound payload capacity, a 7,500 pound towing capacity and an estimated 200 mile EPA range. Interestingly, neither the B1 or B2 will have air bags as the company says it will engineer both to safety standards that exceed federal regulations using seat belts. Production will start in 2020.

Nikola

Possibly the most fun you can have on four wheels is tearing around in an off-highway vehicle. And the Nikola NZT OHV from the powersports division of the Nikola Motor Company is nothing if not fun. With a range of 150 miles and capable of doing 0-60 mph in 3.5 seconds, the NZT is a serious machine. And did we mention that it is completely waterproof? It has an IP68 rating on all parts meaning you can submerge it in water (up to a depth of 1.5 meters for 30 minutes) and drive out without any problems (although Nikola does not condone this). The NZT also has a 7” instrument cluster and a 12.8” “infotainment” display with everything you need including battery life, range, temperatures, speed and elevation data. The NZT also receives periodic 4G software updates. Another feature? It has a four-digit pin so you don’t have to worry about losing your keys.

Find this article in the Spring 2019 issue here