We now have pricing for the Meyers Manx 2.0 EV and it’s not cheap
Meyers held an event at Pebble Beach to announce its new Resorter NEV, a lower-speed version of its upcoming Manx 2.0 electric dune buggy. At the event we also learned pricing for the 2.0 EV, and it’s a lot higher than we had hoped.
The Meyers Manx 2.0 EV is a resurrection of the iconic original dune buggy, which started off as a kit car built on a modified VW Beetle chassis. The car was popular in the 1960s as a desert racer and beach cruiser. The kit cost around $500-$1,000, in 1967 dollars, plus whatever it cost to get the various VW Beetle parts you needed to complete the build.
But the 2.0 is its own beast, built from the ground up as a tiny 1,500lb all-terrain EV, with a choice of a 20 or 40 kWh battery, 60kW charging, with 202hp and 0-60 in 4.5 seconds for the bigger-battery version – and no doors.
From the look and specs of it, it seems like it would be a blast to drive, especially for those who live in areas with good weather, like Newport Beach, California, where the original Meyers kit car was first conceived in a garage and where the new incarnation of Meyers – now owned by venture capital firm Trousdale – is still headquartered.
Meyers Manx 2.0 EV price: $74,000
And today, we learned how much the Meyer Manx 2.0 EV will set you back, and the price is higher than we wished: $74,000. Meyers has only released the base price, so we don’t know how much options will cost – in particular how much the upgraded 40kWh battery will set you back over the base 20kWh version.
Meyers had set expectations high from the start, holding introductory events in Malibu and Pebble Beach, not areas known for bargain-hunting. And the company plans to use pricey materials in the vehicle’s construction – for example, the roof of the Manx 2.0 EV is made of carbon fiber. As a new company making a bespoke beach buggy, with necessarily low production numbers, economies of scale will be working against it.
If you’re interested in the Manx 2.0 EV at $74k, Meyers is taking $500 deposits. It expects to ship the 2.0 EV in 2024, and is looking for 50 early-interest beta testers who will drive the car and provide feedback ahead of wide release.
Electrek’s Take
I’m no stranger to pricey early EV programs, having participated as a driver of the original Mini E, in 2009, which started off as a lease-only deal at $950/month. It was great fun being part of a group of 500 people, several of whom I still keep in touch with, and feeling like we had a part in shaping the future of BMW’s EV programs and even the EV industry as a whole. It’s why I’m even here to begin with, it’s what started my EV journey. So the idea of Manx’s beta program brought back fond memories of that time for me.
That said, we had hoped that a small, stripped-down EV for getting around town or using as a beach/desert toy would be more affordable than this. At this price, it’s positioned itself as a toy for some very-wealthy beach dwellers, who don’t mind spending almost double the price of the average new car in America for a car that will pretty much necessarily be a secondary or partial-use vehicle.
It’s not really fair to compare this car to higher-production vehicles from established companies, but given that the Leaf and Bolt exist in the sub-30k range and each have batteries of 40kWh or larger, are twice as big, and have a lot more “real car” things in the cockpit (touchscreen infotainment, doors, interior storage, and so on), we had hoped to see something a little closer to that.
Especially considering that the heritage of the Manx 2.0 was not expensive. As mentioned above (and in this Car & Driver article from 1967), when it first came out in the 60s, you could build one for as little as ~$800. That’s the equivalent of about ~$7k in 2023 dollars, after accounting for general inflation levels. Though you could spend up to around ~$4,000 if you really tricked it out, which is about ~$36k in 2023 dollars.
Heck, at this price, you could probably even buy an original one and convert it to electric, which for other vehicles is never really the economical choice – but here it might even be cheaper than going with a new base model Manx 2.0.
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Australian logistics company Linfox is making big moves to electrify its heavy-duty semi fleet with the addition of thirty new Volvo FH and FM Electric semi trucks as the Swedish brand works to begin production at its Brisbane facility.
Volvo Trucks is expecting to begin full scale production of its FH and FM Electric semi trucks at the Brisbane factory in early 2026, just in time to fill the Linfox order – which happens to be the company’s largest in Australia. So far.
“We are very proud to continue our close partnership with Linfox. The order for 30 Volvo electric trucks is proof of their trust in our company and in zero-emissions transport as a viable solution here and now,” said Roger Alm, President Volvo Trucks. “Our commitment to start building electric trucks in Australia demonstrates our confidence in this technology, and means we can offer an industry-leading range of purpose-built electric trucks all around the world.”
With the production kickoff of electric trucks in Australia, it means Volvo Trucks is building its big HDEVs and prime movers in five countries on three continents. Which, as the company’s electric fleet approaches the 100 millionth mile logged mark, probably means they’re pulling well ahead of some of the other guys.
“Linfox is excited to partner with Volvo in driving the future and leading sustainable logistics in Australia,” explains Peter Fox AM (Member of the Order of Australia), Executive Chairman of Linfox. “Further electrifying our fleet sets the standard for us and our customers and the entire industry.”
Linfox’ latest order includes 29 Volvo FH Electric and one FM Electric semi. The company currently has four electric Volvo trucks in its fleet of 195 semis, with plans to continue to electrify as ICE-powered assets reach retirement.
Electrek’s Take
Now counting miles in operation in the tens of millions and rolling out its third generation of electric semi trucks, Volvo (and, by extension, Mack and Renault) continue to build a huge lead in the commercial trucking space. The competition, meanwhile, seems content to post pictures of its first factory while trucks that have been on order for years still haven’t reached customers.
I can’t see how they (Tesla) catch up from here.
SOURCE | IMAGES: Volvo Trucks.
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Oakland International Airport (OAK) in Alameda, California is helping stressed-out air passengers breathe a little bit easier with the introduction of five new battery-electric K9MD shuttle buses to its ground equipment fleet.
Global EV leaders BYD aren’t coming to America – the Chinese brand is already here. The company has been building EVs in its $250 million, 106,000 square foot production facility in Lancaster, California since 2014, delivering hundreds of battery-electric buses to fleets across the world. With this order of five new K9MD buses, OAK becomes the latest airport to turn to BYD Ride to help electrify its ground operations.
“We applaud Oakland Airport and their commitment to electrifying its fleet,” said Jason Yan, Vice President of Sales, West Region and National Account at Ride. “[BYD] Ride is thrilled to partner with OAK to offer sustainable transportation solutions that benefit both the environment and the community.”
The K9MD buses seat up to 42 passengers and have a 208 mile operating range from a 352 kWh lithium iron phosphate battery. That battery is backed by a 12-year warranty to help keep fiscally conservative fleet buyers at ease, while the smooth, quiet, and electric drive keeps the fleet’s operators happy, too.
Oakland International Airport is operated by the Port of Oakland, and is scheduled to electrify its entire ground operations fleet by 2030.
Electrek’s Take
The people live and work near airports are exposed to more emissions than most – and that includes kids, the elderly … even their pets. Electrifying the assets that operate in those spaces pays huge and immediate dividends in terms of the public health of some of the most vulnerable populations.
It’s as good a place as any to start. Let’s go.
SOURCE | IMAGES: BYD.
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Environment
Trump meme coin dinner likely to include mostly non-Americans based on top $TRUMP holders
Jonathan Raa | Nurphoto | Getty Images
With President Donald Trump’s private dinner for top meme coin holders less than a week away, the leaderboard is awash with crypto wallets that are effectively anonymous.
On May 22, the top 220 $TRUMP holders are invited to a dinner with the president at his Virginia golf club outside of Washington, D.C. The event was announced last month, and the tally closed Monday night.
The nature of the pseudonymous wallets raises questions about the true identities and motivations of the token’s largest holders, who have bought a seat at the table with a U.S. president.
Documents from blockchain analytics firm Inca Digital that were reviewed by CNBC show where the top 275 $TRUMP token holders send and receive the token. Many are heavily tied to international exchanges like Binance that don’t service U.S. customers, an indication that they’re likely not U.S. citizens.
An analysis by Bloomberg revealed that 19 of the top 25 wallets are almost certainly owned by individuals operating outside the U.S.
Justin Sun, who openly shared that he bought $75 million worth of the Trump family’s World Liberty Financial token — a digital coin where 75% of proceeds go to Trump-related entities — is believed to be at the top of the $TRUMP meme token leaderboard.
Sun, who was born in China, is the crypto entrepreneur behind the Tron blockchain and is in talks with the SEC to resolve civil fraud charges.
A wallet called Sun currently holds more than $18 million worth of $TRUMP, with $4.5 million bought after the dinner contest announcement, according to Bloomberg.
Multiple reports point to the wallet being tied to the Tron founder. A representative for Sun didn’t respond to CNBC’s request for comment or confirm whether Sun is the wallet owner.
MemeCore, a Singapore-based crypto network that was vocal in its quest to secure a spot at the Trump dinner, landed in second place with an investment of $18 million. An Australian crypto entrepreneur also reportedly made the cut.
The leaderboard points to the token’s extreme volatility.
Inca Digital told CNBC that while 560,376 wallets have made a combined $5.2 billion in realized gains on the $TRUMP token, an even larger number — 592,962 wallets — have collectively lost $3.9 billion.
The figures underscore the massive wealth transfer within Trump’s crypto ecosystem, where early buyers have seen windfalls while the majority have suffered losses.
Chainalysis and Elliptic, two leading blockchain analytics firms, initially tracked $TRUMP token movements and trading fees. But days after CNBC published a story on the number of crypto wallets that had lost money on the meme coin, the firms said they were too busy with existing clients to continue blockchain analysis of the president’s self-branded meme token.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., the ranking member of the Senate Subcommittee on Investigations, warned that the Trump family’s growing crypto holdings may serve as a backdoor for foreign and corporate interests seeking access to the president.
Freight Technologies, a Houston-based logistics firm that trades on the Nasdaq and has a market cap of just over $2.3 million, bought $2 million worth of the $TRUMP tokens to influence U.S.-Mexico trade policy, according to a release. CEO Javier Selgas described the move as a strategic push to “champion fair and free trade” across the U.S.-Mexico border.
Freight Technologies finished in 250th place, missing the cut for the dinner.
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