Remember the Tango? That narrow, weird-looking, over-powered electric car was the fastest EV money could buy back in 2008, and looked hilariously weird in California’s nicer neighborhoods. Six years on, I hadn’t heard much about the Tango, and assumed the tiny EV maker had been killed off by the credit crunch and bigger, badder competition from cars like the hot-selling Nissan Leaf and JPM-approved Tesla Model S.
I was very, very wrong. Tango been quietly delivering its stonking fast electric cars this whole time- and, as of February 20th, the company is staring down a $435 million, 15,000 unit single purchase order from Auckland, New Zealand.
The Auckland deal is far from final, but it has powerful backers behind it who are hoping the Tango will help ease traffic congestion while reducing harmful carbon emissions. At just under 3 feet wide, two staggered columns of Tango electric cars could, in theory, safely use the same lane on a road, just like lane-splitting motorcycles. In addition, many more could be fit into a given area for parking, shipping, etc.
We’ll keep following the Tango stories out of Auckland as they develop. Until we hear more, we should see this news as a reminder that anything is possible, and that nobody should count out a small, weird-looking car that can run a 13 second 1/4 mile.
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