Arcimoto Inaugurates New Manufacturing Facility with Showcase of First Production Vehicle

(Image courtesy of Arcimoto.)

Don’t let Tesla’s unstoppable PR juggernaut fool you: there’s more than one new car company out there looking to disrupt the auto industry. Granted, some have been struggling more than others—Elio Motors and Faraday Future being the most obvious examples—but there’s still plenty of room for new players to make a splash, especially in the growing electric vehicle (EV) industry.

Take Arcimoto, Inc., for example. The company recently celebrated the grand opening of its manufacturing plant in West Eugene, Ore. Arcimoto also used the event to celebrate surpassing 2,000 pre-orders for the company’s Fun Utility Vehicle (FUV), representing a total of more than $30 million USD in anticipated revenue.

“The grand opening celebration of our new plant was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience for the team, and we were delighted to share the evening with so many friends and supporters,” said Mark Frohnmayer, president and founder of Arcimoto. “It’s been a decade-long journey to get from a napkin sketch to showcasing our first-ever customer Arcimoto FUV, and we’re now beginning the ramp to production in volume.”

The Arcimoto FUV

The company’s awkwardly named Fun Utility Vehicle seems to be a compromise between the design philosophies of Elio Motors and Tesla: a small, electric commuter vehicle that’s intended to be affordable and enjoyable to drive.

You can view a promotional video for the Arcimoto FUV below:

According to Arcimoto’s website, the vehicle’s target specs are as follows:

Base Price: $11,900
Vehicle Class: Motorcycle
Top Speed: 80mph
Acceleration: 0-60 in 7.5 s
Range: 70 miles (130 with optional battery)
Efficiency: 230 MPGe
Weight: 1,100 lbs.
On-Board Charger: 120V and 240V
Brakes: Regenerative and Hydraulic

Arcimoto Manufacturing

Although it’s doubtful that Arcimoto will reach a point of actually being competitive with Tesla, the small company does have a few things going for it over the better-known EV maker. For one, Arcimoto seems to be in a much better position to deliver on its targets. The company’s 2,000 pre-orders might pale in comparison to Tesla’s almost half a million, but it also means that scaling production to meet demand is orders of magnitude easier for Arcimoto than for Tesla.

In fact, Arcimoto’s recent purchases of the BLM LC5 tube and sheet laser and the E-Turn52 tube bender, along with plans to install industrial robots to facilitate precise material handling and welding, will enable the company to scale up to produce an estimated 28,000 FUV chassis and frames annually.

(Image courtesy of Arcimoto.)

“The production speed of BLM’s LC5 Tube and Sheet Laser combined with the E-Turn52 Tube Bender will allow Arcimoto to scale to significant unit volume using the advanced, flexible manufacturing techniques they are pioneering for on-road vehicles,” said Andrew Dodd, North American sales director for the BLM Group. “Further, our advanced rapid-turn prototyping software will allow Arcimoto to leverage the full benefit of their flexible platform architecture, moving from 3D CAD to finished work product with minimal steps.”

Delivery of Arcimoto’s Signature Series vehicles is slated to begin this quarter, with wide pilot fleet deployment and the first customer deliveries planned for Q1 2018.

For more information, visit the Arcimoto website.