Chip Motors unveils $15,000 electric ‘life utility vehicle’

A Miami startup called Chip Motors has unveiled a small electric vehicle called Chip, starting at $15,000 for a 4-seat version and $18,000 for a 6-seat version. Despite the marketing name "life utility vehicle," this is a low-speed vehicle (LSV) — a street-legal category limited to 25 mph and roads posted 35 mph or under, the same rules that cover neighborhood electric vehicles like the GEM. It's an open-air, topless design by default, with plastic composite panels, hose-down interiors, and options like air conditioning, a hard or soft top, a lift kit, and built-in navigation. The company claims 100-plus miles of range, overnight charging on a regular household outlet, and faster charging on a 240V setup. Reservations are open with a refundable $250 deposit, but deliveries aren't expected until 2027.

The vehicle's headline feature, called "Chip Go," lets the car park itself or run errands without you inside. But this isn't self-driving technology — it's a remote human driver operating the car by teleoperation when the cabin is empty.

For homeowners, this is worth knowing about mainly as a low-cost EV option for short local trips like school runs or groceries, not as a replacement for a highway-capable car. It's priced as a premium entry in the golf-cart-style LSV market, where cheaper options already exist. Anyone considering one for daily errands might also think about how to charge it cheaply at home, including through solar.