2017 Electra Meccanica SOLO: Made in Canada!

An all-new Canadian-built car just hit the market, and the least we can say is that it won’t blend into the automotive landscape. The SOLO, a single-seat, three-wheeled, fully electric microcar is the work of the Vancouver-based company Electra Meccanica.

The SOLO boasts an electric motor that develops 82 horsepower and 140 pound-feet of torque, and thanks to its weight of only 1380 pounds (626 kilograms), it can dash from 0 to 100 km/h in eight seconds, according to its creator. Top speed is electronically limited to 130 km/h.

Hiding somewhere in that miniscule car is a 16.1-kWh battery pack, allowing for an estimated range of 160 kilometres. According to Electra Meccanica, the SOLO can be fully charged in three hours using a 240-volt charging station, or six hours on a household plug.

Standard features include keyless entry, power windows, a sound system with USB port and Bluetooth connectivity, an LCD instrument cluster, a cloth-covered and adjustable heated seat, a heating and ventilation system, a backup camera and heated mirrors, while air conditioning is optional. The SOLO also gets 15-inch alloy wheels and a choice of four paint colours: silver, black, red and white. It also features two trunks for a total volume of 285 litres.

The 2017 Electra Meccanica SOLO is now on sale at an MSRP of CAN$19,888.