| Production: | 2011–2013 |
| Body Style: | 2-door hatchback |
| Platform: | Shuanghuan Noble |
| Motor: | Electric motor (45kW) |
| Battery: | Battery (30 kWh lithium iron phosphate battery) |
| Range: | 100miles |
| Wheelbase: | 2025mm |
| Length: | 3010mm |
| Width: | 1605mm |
| Height: | 1600mm |
| Weight: | 1210kg (2,670lb) |
The Wheego LiFe was an electric city car produced by American automobile manufacturer Wheego Technologies.
The LiFe was based on the bodyshell of the Shuanghuan Noble produced in China with its electric drivetrain assembled in the United States.[1] The Wheego LiFe was unveiled at the 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show and was sold in the United States at a price of US$32,995 before any applicable tax credits and other incentives.[2] [3] The Wheego LiFe was built with a 30 kWh lithium-iron phosphate battery pack and had an all-electric range of 100miles.[4] The first delivery took place in April 2011 to a customer in Atlanta.[5] A total of approximately 100 LiFes and 300 Whips were sold through 2013, when production ceased.[6]
Wheego Electric Cars Inc. was formed as a spin out from RTEV (Ruff & Tuff Electric Vehicles) in June 2009 and its first automobile was a two-seat compact car under the Wheego Whip name in North America and marketed by Shuanghuan Auto in China as the E-Noble, its brand name for the rest of the world. In the U.S. it was to be launched in August 2009 as a low-speed vehicle with a top speed of 25mph or as a Medium Speed Vehicle with a maximum speed of 35mph, depending on local state regulations. These versions used dry cell sealed AGM lead–acid batteries, with an all-electric range of 50miles on a single charge, and capable of recharging on any standard household 110 or 220-volt electrical outlet.
The 2011 Wheego LiFe production model used a 30 kWh lithium iron phosphate battery pack, could reach speeds up to 65mph and Wheego Electric Cars claimed that it had an all-electric range of 100miles. The chassis was the same as the Shuanghuan Noble, which once imported from China was reinforced for safety in the U.S. assembly plant to pass U.S. crash-testing. Final assembly took place in Corona, California. Around 73% of the vehicle was composed of American products giving it a high domestic content rating.
The first Wheego LiFe was delivered to a customer in Atlanta, Georgia on April 22 (Earth Day), 2011. As of March 2012, the company had manufactured 36 cars since April 2011, and only two cars were left in inventory. Wheego's business strategy was to build the cars only when the company gets money from sales or through venture capital. About 400 units were sold through 2013, when production ended.
The 2011 Wheego LiFe had the following specifications:[7]