Best Buy shifts into electric vehicles sales
Coming to shopping aisle near you: the Brammo Enertia electric motorcycle.
(Credit: Brammo)Would you like an electric bike to go with your new DVR?
Best Buy has started selling electric vehicles, including the Enertia electric motorcycle from Brammo, according to reports.
The company in May started offering electric bicycles, scooters, and Segway transporters at 21 of its West Coast stores, according to the Los Angeles Times. This month, the home products retailer will add the Enertia motorcycle to create an electric vehicle line with a range of speeds and range.
Although it may sound like a stretch to offer refrigerators and electric vehicles under the same roof, company representatives said that there is growing interest in electric transportation among its customers.
"Our business is already connecting in people's homes and lives with technology, appliances and computers," a Best Buy representative told the LA Times. "One of the things that's important for the future growth of [our company] is staying ahead of where technology is in people's lives."
From a product point of view, electric vehicles have a strong kinship to consumer electronics, according to Brammo CEO Craig Bramscher, who approached Best Buy about distributing the Enertia.
"What we're selling is a lot closer to consumer electronics than to transportation," Bramscher said at the Pacific Crest Clean Technology Conference in March. He said that the Enertia includes a built-in Web server, to run open-platform software applications with the potential for add-ons like onboard cameras that could download images to travel blogs.
The Enertia charges in about three hours from a regular wall outlet and can go up to about 50 miles per hour. It gets the equivalent of 373 miles per gallon and costs less than one cent per mile to run, according to Brammo.
With a retail cost of $11,995, the Enertia isn't likely to sell in high volumes like popular consumer electronics. But Best Buy CEO Brian Dunn said the move is part of the company's efforts to diversify its product mix to stay on top of new technologies.
"I'm not sure how it's going to do either," Dunn told The Wall Street Journal. "But I like the muscles we're exercising."
The Journal also reported that Best Buy is exploring selling home energy management systems that program air conditioning, lights, and appliances to cut energy use.
Martin LaMonica is a senior writer for CNET's Green Tech blog. He started at CNET News in 2002, covering IT and Web development. Before that, he was executive editor at IT publication InfoWorld. E-mail Martin. 
Even though I'm not the biggest Best Buy fan, smart move BB, smart move....just dont mess it up
Can go 50 miles per hour and do it for over 300 miles on a single charge?
The range of these is nowhere near 300 miles on a single charge. The range is actually 35-45 miles per charge. The article said it had a MPG equivalent of 373 miles per gallon.
It's obviously not a bicycle frame. Just look at it. It looks like a motorcycle frame. Although I agree the range isn't all that great and the price is way too high. I would have thought they could get a better range out of a motorcycle (actually it is a motorcycle, since they were incorrectly named in the first place. Motor is electric, and engine is gas, therefor this is a motorcycle by definition).
You could never use one on the highway. Not only is it too slow, but who wants to go only 45 miles and then wait three hours to recharge it? They might be OK for short city trips, but not at that price. Better off with a scooter.
Especially in return policies.
Buy from online retailers: Product ships DOA customer has to ship back wait a week or 2 to use product.
Buy from a retail store: Product is DOA customer simply takes 10 minute trip back to store and gets new one.
Also you tend to get a more secure feeling when buying from a physical store.
Also, have fun trying to return a broken TV to Amazon. I've seen them refuse more than a few returns when they TV screen arrived cracked or broken, because the customer had already signed for it. Trust me, if you order a TV online, open it and check it before you sign for the delivery. It can turn into a big headache if you don't.
Where would you put that thing... Car Audio?
Speed: 0-50 mph
Charge Rate: 3 hours
Run time: 40 miles
Battery charge life cycles: Unknown
Battery replacement costs: Unknown
That's a lot of money to pay for what is essentially a toy. But then if you can afford $12K for a motorcycle that is electric only, then it's not about the money, it's about being seen with one so it's more of a fashion accessory than motor vehicle.
http://twitter.com/markmayhew
- by ClaireEvolution July 21, 2009 1:06 PM PDT
- It shines a little differently when you look at the Enertia in it's natural light. Best Buy is the perfect setting due to the amount of foot traffic, and electronic reputation. In addition, Geek Squad is being intensely trained to work on all aspects of the powercycle and will be utilizing the existing garages Best Buy once had for sound system installment. It's max 50 mph speed, 45 minute charge, light weight and easy to handle model make it ideal for the daily commute.
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(30 Comments)Brammo is hoping to make this the iPhone you ride; with a customizable dashboard and personal features, the opportunities are endless- like all electronics. Yes the price is high- but so was the first iPod. The price will naturally come down with time. The battery is warranted for 2 years and will last for 1,700 charge cycles - roughly five years. Then, they will live in less performance based electronics such as wheelchairs.
The best part about the Enteria is it has a surprising amount or torque- the thing that is required in all entertaining forms of transportation. I guarantee you will have a huge smile on your face if you ride one of these things.