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Ask Matt ... about an Arcimoto, Ecusta Trail crossings

Ryan Nelson’s Arcimoto gets 102 city miles per charge and can reach 75 mph. [MATT MATTESON/Hendersonville Lightning]

By Matt Matteson, Published: December 1, 2023

Q. What was that weird looking two-seater car I saw in town the other day?

That might be an Arcimoto (pronounced “ark-a-moto”). We caught up with the driver, Ryan Nelson, who had parked his vehicle at Southern Streams coffee shop, and quizzed him about the three-wheeled vehicle. “It’s like a motorcycle that seats two people,” he said. “There may be only two or three in the state and it took about a month to deliver it here.” (North Carolina is one of 18 states where an Arcimoto is available for purchase.)

The Arcimoto is all electric. Nelson said he ordered it online from the manufacturer in Eugene, Oregon, and paid $19,900. “We get a lot of smiles,” said Nelson’s wife, Kathy, who loves the vehicle. “I always ride in the back. It’s so much flipping fun!”

Nelson bought the EV for budget purposes. “I can go 102 city miles on a charge and it goes 75 mph and it’s legal on the interstate,” he said.

The Arcimoto has been in production since 2019. While most of the ultra-efficient EVs are on the West Coast, the company is seeing more interest on the East Coast. States have varying laws on its classification as an e-vehicle or a motorcycle (it steers like a motorcycle) thus the new term “autocycle.” The Arcimoto has a glass windshield with big wipers and plastic windows are optional. The company’s Deliverator swaps the back seat for a big box that is perfect for pizza transit. It also has a model with a flat bed geared for indoor industrial building use. And the Rapid Responder — are you listening Ecusta Trail planners? — is marketed for use by emergency workers. The Arcimoto of course has no exhaust fumes. You can learn more about the autocycle at arcimoto.com. 

Q. Now that the Ecusta Trail construction is underway, how will they deal with the crossing on U.S. 64 West near Battle Creek Road?

Plans call for a full-stop traffic signal light. NCDOT officials said the light will be activated by a cyclist (or pedestrian) pushing a button at each side of the crossing. The new light will be synced with an existing traffic light 350 yards to the east on U.S. 64 West at South Rugby Road. The traffic volume here is 14,000 vehicles per day, making it one of the heaviest traveled two-lane roads in the county. A similar push-button-activated traffic signal will be installed at the Kanuga Road crossing next to Willow Road.

Q. I saw that they finally tore down that vacant house on the corner of U.S. 64 West and Blythe Street which was an eyesore. Who did that?

That removal is compliments of helpful folks at the NCDOT. They acquired the tract last summer for $175,000. The property will be used for a new right turn lane on Blythe Street for westbound traffic. The improvements at Blythe Street are part of the mile long “White Pine to Blythe” project through Laurel Park that includes four roundabouts. Yup, a real “yield of dreams.”

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Send questions to askmattm@gmail.com.