GEM, a low-speed vehicle (LSV) manufacturer in Anaheim, California, has just released a new app to make it even easier to use those small vehicles. The GEM Go app shows users a map of all roads in their area and highlights the streets with posted speed limits of 35 mph (56 km/h) or lower.
Low-speed vehicles (LSVs) are a federally regulated class of motor vehicles in the US. They often look like micro-cars or golf carts, but must meet a certain set of safety requirements that go above and beyond golf cart regulations.
LSVs that meet those requirements are allowed to travel at speeds of up to 25 mph (40 km/h) and are allowed to operate on roads with speed limits of 35 mph (56 km/h) or lower.
GEM’s new app is designed to make it even easier to plan trips and determine which roads are accessible by LSVs.
Some areas have a limited number of roads with speed limits of 35 mph or lower. In other areas, like apparently Venice in Los Angeles (as seen in the app example below), pretty much any asphalt you can find is fair game.
GEM Go is a free web-based, mobile-friendly, interactive mapping app available at go.GEMcar.com. It is designed to be easy to use anywhere, even on your phone when heading out for a trip.
It of course works for planning trips with any LSV, not just GEM’s vehicles, and cyclists may even find it handy in a pinch to help avoid faster roads that are less friendly to bikes.
Playing around with it myself, it’s apparent just how much of the US is accessible by low-speed vehicles. Every city I look at is covered by a sprawling network of blue lines, showing me everywhere I can legally drive an LSV.
In fact, more than half of the roadways in the US have speed limits below 35 mph, and that number is actually growing as cities make the responsible decision to reduce speed limits for the safety of all road users. Washington, D.C., for example, has a default speed limit of 20 mph (32 km/h). LSVs can thus reach any part of the city. Heck, they could get a speeding ticket if a cop is having a bad day.
The CEO of GEM’s parent company Waev, Keith Simon, explained that he hopes the availability of the app will help encourage more people to use LSVs around the country:
GEM has been leading the charge in LSVs for more than 25 years. We created the GEM Go mapping app to help current and future GEM owners understand the breadth of places LSVs can actually operate – it’s eye-opening and we expect it will drive even greater adoption of LSVs across the country.
The number of LSVs on US roads is growing, even if they remain a small minority of total motor vehicles in use. There’s been a push toward smaller vehicles in many cities, with golf carts getting their own boost. Unlike golf carts though, which aren’t street legal outside of a few specific cities that have passed golf cart ordinances, LSVs contain more federally regulated safety features and are street legal almost everywhere.
Their safety can’t be compared to that of typical passenger cars that are rated for highway use, but their intended use in lower speed environments around slower moving traffic means that they usually don’t face the same collision risks faced by larger cars.
Simon believes that LSV numbers will continue to grow in the US, explaining:
Although we have an extensive installed base with GEM, it represents a very small fraction of what LSVs can become in the market when you keep breaking down the barriers like the lack of understanding of where GEM vehicles can be driven. With our recent launch of the all new MY24 GEM and now GEM Go we are on the leading edge of driving the LSV category forward.
Electrek’s Take
Anyone who knows me will already know I’m one of the biggest proponents of LSVs out there. Heck, google “LSV” and you’ll probably find that half the bylines are mine.
And so I love the idea of this new app to make it even easier and safer to find LSV-appropriate roads. If it actually mapped a journey for you, that’d be even better. But knowledge is half the battle and so even just showing you all of the roads you can use is a great asset.
As someone who loves LSVs and advocates for them, I can already tell you that the biggest argument against these handy vehicles is the misconception that they aren’t safe. You’ll certainly find people in the comments section below this article saying that a 25 mph vehicle shouldn’t be on a 35 mph road (they inevitably didn’t read this far). And I understand that sentiment – trust me, I do. I use LSVs all the time and I get it.
When I’m doing 25 mph on a 35 mph road with other cars doing 45 mph around me, it’s…. less than ideal. So I don’t do it very often (crossing the Brooklyn Bridge above was a rare example for me). While LSVs can legally be on 35 mph roads, I like to stick to even slower roads when possible. But so many cities these days have safer, slower speed limits. Washington, DC, defaults to 20 mph. Boston, New York City, Seattle, and many other major cities default to 25 mph citywide speed limits. It’s easier than ever to get somewhere in an LSV, and that is only improving.
And if I may say so from my own experience, it’s also more fun to go somewhere in an LSV. It’s novel and creates a more engaging experience. It’s simply fun.
Sure, you’ve got some of the same downsides of cars, such as often being stuck in traffic and not getting the same kind of exercise I get on my e-bikes. But I can also travel with more people, carry more things, have lockable storage, and have a roof over my head keeping me dry (and use the air conditioning in some models). Plus, I’m arguably a bit safer than if I was hit by a car driver while riding my e-bikes. So even though it has some downsides, LSVs are just a lot of fun to use, cost less than “real” cars and take up less space in a city. So anything that makes them even easier to use is a good thing in my book.
Now just don’t ask me to talk about my opinion on increasing the federal speed limit for LSVs. That’s another article for another day.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links.More.
Hyundai’s first three-row electric SUV is finally here, and it’s even better than we expected. The IONIQ 9 arrives with “class-leading” interior space, up to 335 miles of range, and much more. Hyundai is showing off just how spacious the IONIQ 9 really is.
Hyundai highlights how spacious the 3-row IONIQ 9 is
It’s been less than two months since the first IONIQ 9 models rolled off the assembly line at Hyundai’s massive new manufacturing plant in Georgia.
With its first three-row electric SUV about to reach dealerships any day, Hyundai wants you to know that the IONIQ 9 is spacious enough for just about anyone.
“The IONIQ 9 is more than just a vehicle; it’s a space where life happens,” Hyundai Motor America’s marketing chief, Sean Gilpin, explained.
Advertisement – scroll for more content
Hyundai launched a new ad campaign on Friday, ” Space to Connect, ” to highlight the SUV’s class-leading interior space.
With the second and third-row seats folded, the IONIQ 9 boasts up to 2,462 liters (87 cubic feet) of interior cargo space. That’s even more than the 2025 Ford Explorer with up to 2,429 liters (85.8 cubic feet). With all seats upright, the IONIQ 9 still has 620 liters of cargo capacity.
It’s not only spacious, but the IONIQ 9’s interior is packed with Hyundai’s most advanced software and connectivity tech.
As part of a curved panoramic display, the infotainment system includes dual 12″ driver display and infotainment screens.
Earlier this month, Hyundai announced that the 2026 IONIQ 9 will start at $58,995. With a $1,600 destination fee, the base RWD S model, which has a range of up to 335 miles, also starts at $60,555.
For $64,365 (including destination), you can upgrade to the AWD SE model with 303 horsepower and 320 miles range. Meanwhile, the range-topping IONIQ 9 AWD Performance Calligraphy Design trim, which gets added Matte paint, 21″ wheels, and 311 miles driving range, starts at $78,090.
2026 Hyundai IONIQ 9 Model
EV Powertrain
Drivetrain
Driving Range (miles)
Starting Price (including destination fee)
IONIQ 9 RWD S
160-kW (215-HP) Electric Motor
Rear- Wheel Drive
335
$60,555
IONIQ 9 AWD SE
226.1 kW (303-HP) Dual Electric Motors
All-Wheel Drive
320
$64,365
IONIQ 9 AWD SEL
226.1-kW (303-HP) Dual Electric Motors
All-Wheel Drive
320
$67,920
IONIQ 9 AWD PERFORMANCE LIMITED
314.6-kW (422-HP) Dual Electric Motors
All-Wheel Drive
311
$72,850
IONIQ 9 AWD PERFORMANCE CALLIGRAPHY
314.6-kW (422-HP) Dual Electric Motors
All-Wheel Drive
311
$76,590
IONIQ 9 AWD PERFORMANCE CALLIGRAPHY DESIGN
314.6-kW (422-HP) Dual Electric Motors
All-Wheel Drive
311
$78,090
2026 Hyundai IONIQ 9 prices and driving range by trim (*including a $1,600 destination fee)
The IONIQ 9 has a native NACS port to access Tesla Superchargers. Using a 350 kW DC fast charger, it can charge from 10% to 80% in as little as 24 minutes.
While you wait for the three-row IONIQ 9, Hyundai’s smaller IONIQ 5 is currently on sale. With leases starting at just $209 per month, the IONIQ 5 is hard to pass up right now. You can use our link to find Hyundai IONIQ 5 models at a dealer near you today.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links.More.
Federal tax credits are starting to waver under the current administration, but as of May 2025, you can still take advantage of up to $4,000 off the purchase of a used EV. If you’d rather not listed to me talk, you can skip right to all the BEVs and PHEVs that currently qualify by clicking here.
How the current tax credit works for used EVs
As part of revised terms in the Inflation Reduction Act signed by President Biden, federal tax credits have been extended (for now) and include revamped benefits for used EV purchases. That said, your used EV purchase must fit certain criteria to qualify for a credit up to $4,000. Per the IRS:
Beginning January 1, 2023, if you buy a qualified previously owned electric vehicle (EV) or fuel cell vehicle (FCV) from a licensed dealer for $25,000 or less, you may be eligible for a previously owned clean vehicle tax credit under Internal Revenue Code Section 25E.
Used EVs face terms that offer a credit equal to 30% of the sale price (up to $4,000). That should help consumers like yourselves get some change back in their pockets at the end of the fiscal year, as long as you stick to these terms as outlined by the IRS.
To qualify as a customer, you must:
Advertisement – scroll for more content
Be an individual who bought the vehicle for use and not for resale
Must be an individual (no businesses)
Not be the original owner
Not be claimed as a dependent on another person’s tax return
Not have claimed another used clean vehicle credit in the 3 years before the EV purchase date
Modified adjusted gross income must not exceed $75k for individuals, $112,500 for heads of households, and $150k for joint returns
Additionally, in order for used EV to qualify for federal tax credits, it must:
Have a sale price of $25,000 or less
Have a model year at least 2 years earlier than the calendar year when you buy it
For example, a vehicle purchased in 2023 would need a model year of 2021 or older
Not have already been transferred after August 16, 2022, to a qualified buyer
Have a gross vehicle weight rating of less than 14,000 pounds
Be an eligible FCV or plug-in EV with a battery capacity of least 7 kilowatt hours (kWh)
Be for use primarily in the United States
Purchased from a certified dealer:
For qualified used EVs, the dealer reports required information to you at the time of sale and to the IRS
A used vehicle qualifies for tax credit only once in its lifetime
These used EVs qualify for credits as of May 2025
It’s important to note that this is not the end-all, be-all list of used EVs that qualify for tax credits in the US. As always, we recommend speaking with a tax professional and EV dealer directly to ensure what you and your new vehicle qualify for. Without further ado, here are the all-electric models that currently qualify:
Tesla (TSLA) shareholders were getting excited on social media about a “Tesla prototype” that turned out to be a competitor’s prototype vehicle.
A new electric vehicle prototype started showing up on social media, and Tesla shareholders started sharing it, assuming it was a Tesla prototype.
A Tesla shareholder part of the “Rebellionaire” group on X, a group of Tesla stock pumpers, even shared it, claiming that it is “what gets him ultra bullish” on Tesla:
The only problem is that it wasn’t even a Tesla prototype.
Advertisement – scroll for more content
Faraday Future (FF) came out and confirmed that it is a prototype mule of their new ‘Faraday X’:
That’s our testing vehicle, a Faraday X Prototype Mule.
FF is better known for its very high-end FF91, but it is currently developing less expensive next-generation vehicles under its new Faraday X brand.
Tesla shareholders got excited because some are still holding on to the idea that Tesla is going to release new cheaper electric vehicles under new models.
Tesla has confirmed all that in their most recent financial results and earnings calls, but some are still holding on to the idea that Tesla plans to release completely new models due to Musk’s comments.
Electrek’s Take
I think part of Tesla’s problems right now are due to its shareholder base not recognizing its problems and blindly believing what Elon Musk says, despite a long history of misleading and plain wrong.
This is a prime example.
Tesla has now confirmed what we have been reporting for a year: the new vehicles are just going to be stripped-down versions of Model 3 and Model Y.
No new models are coming to market other than supposedly the Cybercab, but as long as this is only planned without a steering wheel, it is useless until it can solve unsupervised self-driving, which it has yet to do.
This is a problem that shareholders are either ignoring or don’t believe.
Tesla launched a single new model in the last five years, the Cybertruck, which was a commercial flop.
At some point, shareholders must wake up and realize that Musk is destroying Tesla’s EV business and that self-driving vehicles are not coming to save the day.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links.More.