A Beefed-Up Golf Cart And An Anti-Cybertruck: Cheap, Quirky EVs Are Coming

Forbes Daily Briefing · Jul 21, 2026 · 6m

U.S. sales of electric vehicles have plunged since the Trump administration killed a $7,500 federal credit last year, but a group of startups hopes to change that. They’re preparing to launch a new wave of quirky, affordable battery-powered models over the next year that are distinctly different from anything Tesla or other big automakers offer. The newest is a small, inexpensive “life utility vehicle” from Miami-based Chip, which starts taking reservations today. It only has a top speed of 25 miles per hour, and is intended as a secondary vehicle designed to handle daily shopping trips…