The production story is a bit of a mystery novel. Developed by Tianjin Gongjiangpai Auto Technology (try saying that five times fast after a pint of Guinness) and built by JMEV, the European versions will be assembled in Italy. Production kicks off this year with a limited run. Only 1,000 units are reserved for «select» European markets. It’s exclusive, which usually means «expensive,» but in China, this thing costs around $32,000. Even if they double that for import taxes, shipping, and those long lunch breaks Italy is famous for, it’s still a bargain compared to the vaporware Roadster.
So, where does that leave us? For those of you in the United States, I’m afraid it leaves you with absolutely nothing. Zero. Zilch. You can’t have it. What you can have is the tad more expensive Longbow, which has tons more power, meaning it is less forgiving. Or you can go for the even more expensive Caterham, which apparently is on its way to the US. But for my European friends, the SC01 might be the most exciting electric car of the year. It’s small, it’s light, it’s fast, and it’s relatively affordable. It’s the anti-Tesla. It’s proof that an EV doesn’t have to be a soulless appliance. It can be a bit mad, a bit rough around the edges, and genuinely fun. And that’s all I’ve ever wanted.
