Eli Zero: all the details on this new electric ‘city car’
Compact city cars
The rise of very compact city cars is unstoppable. After the Opel Rocks-e, Biro, Carver and Canta, a new player enters the playing field: the Eli Zero. As mentioned, the vehicle is available for sale immediately in the Netherlands.
Dutch Prize Eli Zero
Everything starts with a good price, what about the new Eli Zero? As attainable as an 8,500 euro Opel Rocks-e, this Zero is not. In fact, you can buy two copies of the Rocks-e for the starting price of the Zero. Below is a price comparison against competitors, in order from low to high.
- Opel Rocks-e: 8,499 euros
- Opel Rocks-e Tekno: 9,299 euros
- Carver: 10,990 euros
- Biro Winter: 13,495 euros
- Eli Zero: 16,990 euros
- Biro Urban Big: 16,995 euros
- Canta e-Comfort: 17,995 euros
Definitely not cheap
So no, the 45 km/h fast Eli Zero is not the cheapest, but if we look at equipment and technology, it is definitely one of the better choices. You can drive it with a moped license when you are 16. The only question is which 16-year-old invests a mere 17 grand in this Zero. Eli is mainly targeting people who are willing to forgo a normal car.
Eli Zero alternative to local transportation
Thus, the Eli Zero is an alternative to local transportation. Not only in the city, but beyond. According to the company, the average car trip in the Netherlands is no longer than 19 kilometers. A car travels an average of 32 kilometers per day and is stationary for 23 hours. According to its makers, the Zero is the car of tomorrow: small but comfortable.
Dimensions Eli Zero
The Eli Zero is particularly small. It only 2,250 mm long, 1,380 mm wide and 1,588 mm high. The wheelbase – the distance between the front and rear wheels – comes out to 1,600 mm. This makes the vehicle more than 70 percent smaller than the average passenger car. The turning radius comes out to 7 meters, similar to that of an Opel Rocks-e. On paper, it is a moped, so its top speed is 45 mph.
Charging the Eli Zero
The range of this citycar is on the generous side: 100 kilometers. The Zero has a 6 kWh lithium iron phosphate battery with a 3.2 kW onboard charger. With 240 volts, battery charging takes about 2.5 hours. With 120 volts, that’s a little over 5 hours. During deceleration, the Zero also recovers energy by braking on the electric motor. There is a choice of Eco or Normal driving modes.
More luxurious than an A-segment car
Eli manufactures the body of this ev-mobile from almost completely recyclable plastic. The interior has a very luxurious finish. What the Opel Rocks-e does lack is in this Zero, think power steering, power brakes, keyless starting with a start button, air conditioning, infotainment and a decent display, a rearview camera, bluetooth, a USB and 12V jack and even a sunroof. There is 160 liters of storage space aboard this two-seater so you can take some luggage with you as well. There is even a glove compartment, magazine holder and cup holder.
Eli Zero Warranty
But those extras also have a significant impact on the price: 16,990 euros. You do get 2 years (or 20,000 kilometers) warranty on the vehicle and 3 years (or 50,000 kilometers) on the battery for that money. The company Brom B.V. is responsible for the Eli Zero in the Netherlands.
