BugE is a single-person, three-wheel battery-electric vehicle associated with Blue Sky Design and designer Mark Murphy. It was conceived as a do-it-yourself build, not simply as a ready-to-drive production car. Historical accounts describe a kit and one builder’s specific vehicle, but they do not establish whether kits or parts are available today, or provide a universal specification for every BugE.
What is the BugE?
Schultz Engineering describes BugE as a one-person, three-wheeled battery-electric vehicle designed by Mark Murphy at Blue Sky Design in Creswell, Oregon. Schultz Engineering’s BugE benchmarking page provides that description and attribution. The concept is DIY: the historical kit description concerns parts and components for building a functioning vehicle, rather than a guarantee that a complete, road-ready vehicle is supplied.
A Schultz Engineering retrospective gives the project context in the author’s own words: “In 2008, I had been struggling to design and build a fully stream-lined three wheeled, electric vehicle.” The retrospective does not identify the speaker by name or formal role, and the quote is personal context rather than a performance or safety claim.
What did the historical kit include?
A secondary overview reports that BugE kits consisted of parts and components intended to build a functioning vehicle. It says batteries were not included in the kits it describes, and reports a fiberglass battery compartment measuring 20 inches long by 14 inches wide by 9 inches tall. That overview is not a current official catalog, so these details should not be taken as a description of every build or any present-day offer.
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The compartment dimensions alone do not establish which battery will work. Physical fit is only one part of the decision: a builder also needs build-specific documentation for voltage, chemistry, capacity, cell count, wiring, and electrical protection. Confirm those details in the applicable manual and wiring diagram before buying batteries or parts.
What is known about one builder’s BugE?
A Schultz Engineering retrospective says its author purchased a 2007-vintage BugE on September 7, 2008. That individual vehicle had no rear suspension and used a 36-volt system. The author also says a 20-amp charger took the place normally used for the fourth battery. These are details of that specific vehicle, not verified specifications for every BugE.
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The account does not establish a standard range, speed, energy use, cost, or safety rating for BugE. Nor does it describe standardized performance or safety testing. Do not use the 36-volt figure as a battery prescription for another build.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Are BugE kits or parts available now?
Current kit or parts availability is not established by the available descriptions. They do not confirm a current official catalog, seller, stock, or present-day kit contents. A historical kit description is not evidence that a kit can still be ordered.
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- 6" EZGO TXT/PDS (2001.5-2022) Electric 6" Drop Axle Lift Kit and 12” Black ‘VAMPIRE’ wheels with mounted All-Terrain tires, center caps, and lug nuts."
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Before planning a build, verify whether a seller or rights holder currently offers the components, what is included, and whether the documentation matches the parts being supplied. If sourcing a used or incomplete project, ask for the build’s manual, electrical diagram, parts list, and records of modifications rather than assuming it matches the historical example.
What to verify before building or driving one
Because the available accounts do not establish a universal configuration, evaluate the particular vehicle and its documentation rather than treating BugE as a single fixed specification.
Quick Recap
- Documentation: Check that the manual, wiring diagram, and parts information are complete and apply to that specific build.
- Battery system: Confirm required voltage, chemistry, capacity, count, physical dimensions, wiring, and protection from build-specific documentation before purchase.
- Configuration: Identify the installed suspension and other modifications; the documented example’s lack of rear suspension is not proof that every build is the same.
- Parts and support: Establish what is actually available and whether missing or replacement components can be identified reliably.
- Public-road use: Ask the motor-vehicle regulator in the relevant jurisdiction how this particular vehicle would be classified, inspected, titled, and registered. The cited sources do not establish road-registration eligibility anywhere.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
