chip motors unveils $15,000 electric LUV with remote driving

CHIP MOTORS DOWNSIZES THE DAILY DRIVE

Chip Motors introduces Chip, a compact electric vehicle designed for the journeys that happen between home, school, shops and the nearest stretch of water. Described by the company as a ‘life utility vehicle,’ or LUV, it comes with four or six seats and reaches a top speed of 25 mph. This keeps it away from highways and on roads posted at 35 mph or below, where dragging several thousand pounds of SUV to collect a coffee can begin to feel slightly excessive.

The upright vehicle can be configured with an open frame, doors and either a hard or soft roof, while its friendly pixelated face gives the front end more personality than the average family runabout. Owners can select different colors, seats and accessories, including side and roof racks, air conditioning and a front storage compartment. The latter can even be equipped with a television and speakers, turning the bonnet into a small outdoor entertainment system because apparently a quiet picnic was no longer enough.

this electric LUV is designed for short trips around town | all images courtesy of chip motors

A HUMAN DRIVER, MINUS THE DRIVER’S SEAT

The vehicle’s most unusual feature is Chip Go, an optional remote-driving service intended to move the car while nobody is inside. Through the service, users could ask Chip to collect a curbside grocery order, find a parking space, return home or head out for a wash. Rather than relying on full autonomous driving, the system connects the vehicle to a professionally trained human operator who drives remotely using cameras and sensors offering a 360-degree view.

In other words, Chip may arrive without anyone behind the wheel, but someone is still doing the driving somewhere. The service only operates while the cabin is empty, according to the company, and owners can follow the vehicle’s location live before requesting its return. Chip Motors says the feature will be introduced regionally, suggesting that its promise of making parking someone else’s problem will depend on where that someone is allowed to operate.

Chip’s founders, Jameson Detweiler and Ilan Penn

LOCAL RANGE WITHOUT THE RANGE THEATRE

Chip Motors estimates a range of more than 100 miles per charge. The vehicle can recharge overnight through a standard 120-volt domestic outlet or connect to a 240-volt Level 2 charger through an NACS port. Its washable interior and plastic composite exterior panels are intended for sand, children, groceries and the other forms of evidence left behind by everyday life, while built-in LATCH anchors accommodate child seats.

The four-seat Chip is expected to start at $15,000, while the six-seat version begins at an estimated $18,000. Deliveries are scheduled to start in 2027, with reservations currently available for a fully refundable $250 payment. As Chip Motors notes in its reservation terms, pricing, specifications and production dates may still change before manufacturing begins — the vehicle may be deliberately small, but the usual startup caveats remain full-sized.

round headlights and a pixelated front display shape the vehicle’s friendly expression