Auto Blog: EV/Plug-in , AutoblogGreen Exclusive , American Electric Vehicle , GEM , ZENN We all want electric vehicles that we can afford. Unfortunately the only full function electric car “available on the market” in the United States right now is the Tesla Roadster. However even before car loans became hard to get, the Roadster was largely unaffordable. So, what other options are there? For now at least the only option is the neighborhood electric vehicle, also known as NEVs. These are not exactly full function vehicles. In fact, most NEVs are considered little more than glorified golf carts. By law in the United States, NEVs are limited to no more than 25 mph (although a few locations are looking to increase that to 35 mph). NEVs are covered by Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 500 which limits the maximum loaded weight to 3,000 lbs. According to FMVSS 500, an NEV has to be able to get to 20 mph within 1 mile, must have head and tail lights and a windshield, among other things. Learn more about NEVs after the jump. Gallery: AFVI 2008: GEM’s new cargo options Continue reading Greenlings: What is a neighborhood electric vehicle (NEV)? Greenlings: What is a neighborhood electric vehicle (NEV)? originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 06 Feb 2009 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds .Car Blog Green|Car Blog Green|Car Blog Green

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Greenlings: What is a neighborhood electric vehicle (NEV)?