You’ve seen the headlines: an ex-Apple designer builds an electric vehicle with no doors, a top speed of 40 mph, and a price tag of $25,000. And you’ve probably thought the same thing everyone else does: That’s just a glorified golf cart.
You’re not wrong. But you’re also missing the point entirely.
The most revolutionary thing about this vehicle isn’t the lack of doors—it’s the nerve to charge $25,000 for something that costs $5,000 to build.
Let me tell you what’s actually happening here. This isn’t automotive innovation. It’s a regulatory and lifestyle arbitrage. The designer has taken a cheap, commoditized product—the humble golf cart—and wrapped it in the language of Silicon Valley design, minimalist aesthetics, and eco-conscious luxury. He’s selling you the idea of freedom while capping your speed at 40.
Think about the emotional hook: a doorless, open-air vehicle that lets you feel the wind, that promises carefree local mobility. You imagine yourself gliding through your neighborhood, waving at neighbors, running to the farmer’s market. It’s a fantasy of stripped-down, simple living. Then you see the price: $25,000. And you feel that gut punch.
That tension is intentional. The premium price is the whole point. It separates the buyers from the lookers. It turns a golf cart into a status symbol. You’re not buying transportation. You’re buying identity.
We’ve stopped buying cars. We’re buying identities that happen to move.
Look at the comments on the original article: “In other words, he built a glorified golf cart.” “It sounds like they are trying to create a category that’s already largely filled by the golf cart at half the price.” Those people are right. But they’re also the audience this product is not for. This is for the affluent eco-conscious buyer who wants to be seen as a minimalist pioneer. The people who buy a $5,000 bicycle to ride two miles to work. The people who spend $8,000 on a designer handbag to carry groceries.
The twist? The designer isn’t trying to solve transportation. He’s trying to reframe a commodity as a luxury. And it’s working, because enough people believe that if an ex-Apple guy designed it, it must be the future.
But here’s the truth: This vehicle doesn’t solve anything—it exploits our desire to feel special while doing the bare minimum. It’s a brilliant marketing move dressed as innovation. And it’s dangerous because it distracts us from building real solutions for urban mobility: affordable, safe, door-to-door transportation that doesn’t cost a month’s rent.
The future of mobility isn’t a doorless EV. It’s the realization that we’ll pay anything to feel like we’re escaping the system—even if we’re trapped in a 40 mph cage.
FAQ
Q: Isn't this just a fancy golf cart?
A: Yes. But that's the point. The designer is betting that people will pay a premium for the brand and the lifestyle, not the utility.
Q: Should you buy one?
A: Only if you have $25k to spend on a second vehicle for short errands and want to signal your eco-conscious design taste. Otherwise, buy a used golf cart for $5k.
Q: Could this really be the future of urban mobility?
A: It could be if cities redesign for low-speed vehicles. But as a standalone product, it's a luxury toy, not transportation. Real mobility solutions need to be affordable and accessible, not status symbols.