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Global Electric Motorcars

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Global Electric Motorcars (GEM)
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryAutomotive
Founded1992; 32 years ago (1992)
Headquarters
Medina, Minnesota
,
United States
Area served
Global
ProductsSmall vehicles, NEVs, LSVs
ParentWaev
Websitewww.gemcar.com

Global Electric Motorcars (GEM) is an American automotive manufacturer specializing in neighborhood electric vehicles (NEVs) since 1998 and low-speed vehicles (LSVs) since 2001. By October 2015[1] the company had sold over 50,000 GEM Battery electric vehicles worldwide. Originally owned by Chrysler, GEM was acquired by Polaris Inc. in 2011. In January 2022, it became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Waev.[2]

History

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A GEM eLXD used by a street food vendor at the National Mall, Washington, D.C.

The company was founded in 1992 by a team of ex-General Motors engineers from Livonia, Michigan, under the name Trans2.[3]

The company was purchased by a group of North Dakota investors and relocated to Fargo, North Dakota.[3] Global Electric Motorcars manufactured its first vehicle in April 1998, a 48-volt GEM car designed for two passengers with a top speed of 20 mph (32 km/h).[4] Shortly after, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) established a new class of motor vehicles, the low-speed vehicle (LSV), also known as the Neighborhood Electric Vehicle (NEV).[5][6] This classification allowed GEM cars to be driven on public roads, provided they met specific safety criteria such as having safety belts, headlamps, windshield wipers, and safety glass.[7]

GEM battery-electric vehicles are street legal in nearly all 50 US states on public roads with speed limits of 35 mph (56 km/h) or less.[7] With a top speed of 25 mph (40 km/h), GEM cars have a range of 30–100 miles (50–160 km) on a single charge depending on the installed battery technology. They are battery-electric, operating on a 72-volt battery system that can be plugged into a standard 3-prong 120-volt outlet for recharging, and they fully recharge in six to eight hours.

Currently, there are six different models of GEM cars available,[7] GEM cars are utilized by local, state, and national government agencies, resorts, master-planned communities, universities, medical and corporate campuses, as well as by sports teams, taxi-shuttle services, and the general public.[4]

Timeline [3][8][9][10][11]

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  • April 1998
    • First GEM car produced in Fargo, North Dakota
  • October 1998
    • GEM eL first produced
  • November 1998
    • GEM eS first produced
  • December 1998
    • GEM e4 first produced
  • December 2000
    • DaimlerChrysler Corporation acquires Global Electric Motorcars, LLC
  • March 2004
    • 2005 models begin production
  • January 2006
    • GEM has 150 dealers
  • April 2006
    • GEM e6 first produced
  • December 2007
    • Global Electric Motorcars celebrates its 10th Anniversary
    • GEM eL XD first produced
  • June 2009
    • Global Electric Motorcars remains a wholly owned subsidiary of Chrysler Group LLC
  • June 2010
    • Global Electric Motorcars introduces the new Right Hand Drive GEM electric vehicle
  • July 2011
    • Global Electric Motorcars is sold to Polaris
  • August 2014
    • GEM receives first minor refresh under new owners Polaris
    • GEM eM1400 utility vehicle first produced
  • October 2015
    • GEM eM1400 LSV first produced
  • October 2016
    • GEM launches full redesign of e2, e4, e6, & eL XD models including lithium-ion battery offerings

Vehicles

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As of October 2015, the GEM neighborhood electric vehicle is the market leader in North America, with global sales of more than 50,000 units since 1998.[1]

  • Passenger Vehicles:
    • GEM e2 LSV — A two-passenger vehicle
    • GEM e4 LSV — A four-passenger vehicle
    • GEM e6 LSV — A six-passenger vehicle
  • Utility Vehicles:
    • GEM eL XD LSV— A heavier duty version of the GEM with a 70 in × 48 in (1,780 mm × 1,220 mm) bed, which comes in several different configurations, and a 1,100 lb (500 kg) cargo capacity.
    • GEM eM1400 LSV— A heavy duty GEM based on the Polaris ranger with a 51 in × 42 in (1,295 mm × 1,065 mm) bed with a 1,400 lb (635 kg) payload capacity.
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References

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  1. ^ a b Edelstein, Stephen (2015-11-03). "Polaris Updates GEM Low-Speed Electric Vehicles". Green Car Reports. Retrieved 2015-11-22.
  2. ^ "Waev Inc. Completes Purchase of GEM and Taylor-Dunn Businesses". commercial.polaris.com. US: Polaris Inc. 3 January 2022. Retrieved 2022-03-02.
  3. ^ a b c "WheelsAge". en.wheelsage.org. Retrieved 2024-09-17.
  4. ^ a b "About GEM". GEM - Electric Vehicles. Retrieved 2024-09-17.
  5. ^ "Federal Register :: Request Access". unblock.federalregister.gov. Retrieved 2024-02-25.
  6. ^ "Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards; Low-Speed Vehicles". Federal Register. 2006-04-19. Retrieved 2024-09-17.
  7. ^ a b c "Low-Speed Vehicles - GEM LSV". GEM - Electric Vehicles. Retrieved 2024-02-25.
  8. ^ Shepard, Jeff (October 24, 2000). "DaimlerChrysler Acquires Global Electric MotorCars". EE Power. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
  9. ^ Miller, Timothy (2017-01-31). "A Brief History of GEM Cars". GEM Car Parts Direct. Retrieved 2024-09-17.
  10. ^ "Global Electric Motorcars (GEM) USA". Japanese Car Trade. September 17, 2021. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
  11. ^ "Polaris to Acquire Global Electric Motorcars LLC (GEM)". Polaris. April 25, 2011. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
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