Founded by Marcus Li, Eli Electric Vehicles want to ‘reimagine’ personal transportation by developing advanced, efficient and affordable micro-EVs for users wanting to commute short distances daily. They aspire to be the industry leader in electric transportation for short-distance and frequent trips.
Headquartered in California and Beijing, Eli's first vehicle, the ZERO, is designed to reduce traffic jams and the pollutants emitted by oversized cars. It is an electric car that has been designed for modern cities with a focus on energy-efficiency, versatility, and affordability. It is a two-seater for daily commuters with sufficient storage space for most workers in their attempt to reduce large car use over short distances.
Eli ZERO is classified as a Light Quadricycle in Europe
In the United States, Eli ZERO is classified as a NEV (Neighbourhood Electric Vehicle), or in Europe as a ‘Light Quadricycle’. Eli ZERO's stated energy efficiency (285+MPGe) on city streets, if achievable in real world conditions, is significantly lower than that of conventional cars and even larger electric cars.
Eli's founder Marcus Li had a vision while he was studying architecture in New York, and he began to consider city planning and transportation in more detail. He realised that the mode of transportation an individual chooses to use to travel from one place to another influences the appearance and character of those places. He decided to reconsider what a car can and should be in a period of rapid urbanisation and pressing environmental issues. He focused on creating an electric vehicle with a smaller vehicle footprint to efficiently reduce congestion and waste less urban space.
70% smaller than a saloon and 50% smaller than a MINI
The ZERO is being promoted as one of the most cost-effective, adaptable, and energy-efficient electric vehicles created for contemporary cities. It is intended to have a minimal street and parking footprint - it is 70% smaller than a saloon and 50% smaller than a MINI.
To reduce environmental impact, ZERO's body is made of highly recyclable Polypropylene (PP) and high-strength aluminium. Eli claims the ZERO consumes less than 10% of the energy of a conventional car and is aiming to be one of the most energy-efficient electric vehicles available.
Eli Electric’s first crowdfunding raised nearly $1.4M from over 1,500 investors
To power their product development, Eli started their second equity crowdsourcing campaign on StartEngine on September 13. The previous crowdfunding campaign for Eli Electric Vehicles ended on July 30, 2021, with almost $1.4M raised from more than 1,500 investors.
Eli ZERO's increased production, distribution expansion, and other routine operational costs will be supported in part by the funds from the latest round. The business has so far raised more than $6.5 million.
In preparation for its European market debut, the company also disclosed that it had signed distribution agreements with distributors in the E.U. Among these agreements, one with KSR Group stands out since it is extensive and encompasses more than 10 European nations and is one of the continent's leading micro mobility distributors.