The ENVO Utility Personal Transporter Is A Mini Multipurpose Modular EV
What began as an e-bike conversion kit business has now grown into a full-blown electric micromobility company, and while ENVO continues to produce conversion kits, e-bikes, and e-scooters, it has also expanded into electric snow machines, e-ATVs, e-trikes, e-quads, and more. But all of those are relatively pedestrian in nature when compared to ENVO’s latest electric vehicle, the Utility Personal Transporter, or UPT, which promises to be a versatile platform that can be built out into a wide variety of configurations to meet the needs of its end users.
CleanTechnica’s own Kyle Field took a trip up to Vancouver last year to get a first-hand look at the company’s e-mobility offerings, including an introduction to the prototype of the UPT, saying,
“ENVO is thinking big and with the UPT, has developed a platform that aspires to fill the gap between e-bikes and full sized electric vehicles. It was designed with flexibility, durability, utility, and affordability in mind. It’s still early days, but it looks to have the potential to be truly transformative and could redefine how we think about personal electric mobility.”
Fast forward a bit, and it looks like ENVO is ready to make progress on what is described as “the Swiss knife of the micro-mobility industry,” as it was recently being featured by the company at the American International Motorcycle Expo (AIMExpo), as well as other trade shows.
Previously, the company had stated it would be taking deposits for pre-orders last year for production beginning in 2025, however, that timeline seems like it’s still up in the air, as the Reserve Now page for it is just a contact form. Regardless, the design of the UPT could be a viable direction for small electric vehicles — ones which are appropriately-sized for the task at hand, not full-sized EVs, and ones which can customized to suit their intended purpose rather than being a one-size-fits-all kind of solution.
“This powerful, long-range, all-wheel-drive utility platform looks similar to the chassis of a golf cart, but in place of the body/seats, it offers a wide range of possible configurations and builds, and it’s designed to handle anything from garden/home improvement jobs to pushing a mower or snow plow to a backcountry rescue vehicle and much more. It can even convert to a fully covered micro e-car.”
The UPT has 4 powerful in-wheel electric motors with a max output of 12,000 W, it’s all-wheel drive, and its double wishbone suspension promises to tame road bumps — and be able to handle some off-road conditions with ease. The adjustable steering column can be place to the center or the left or the right, and can be tilted for use while sitting, or completely folded flat for storage.
As the platform is essentially a small electric skateboard chassis, it’s a virtual blank slate that can have an enclosed body or cargo carriers or seats added to it, as well as tow hitches, allowing it to be adapted to a variety of user needs. According to ENVO, the UPT will have a top speed of 50 km/h (31 mph), a range of 100-200 km (62-124 miles), a max payload of 250 kg (~551 lb) and a towing capacity of 350 kg (~771 lb).
I could see this platform being used as the base for a number of applications, from farm and ranch chores to law enforcement to backcountry rescue operations, and as a non-polluting transport solution for use indoors in factory settings or campus-based businesses. The initial cost estimate of “between $12,000 and $15,000” seems a bit high right now, but assuming the company can bring the UPT to production and then scale up, that price should be able to come down a fair bit, and perhaps as battery costs come down, the overall price will too. See the website for more info.
Images courtesy of ENVO.
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