The Nimbus One is a narrow, enclosed, tilting three-wheeled electric vehicle designed for short urban trips. In a 2022 drive of an early demonstration prototype, TechCrunch’s Haje Jan Kamps found a promising cabin and compact footprint, but unsettled lean behavior and a mechanical problem that prevented a meaningful assessment of acceleration. Nimbus’s published range, speed and price figures were company claims and launch plans—not verified production-car results. Current retail availability remains unconfirmed.
What is the Nimbus One?
Nimbus presented the One as a small electric vehicle that combines some weather protection of a car with a footprint narrower than a conventional passenger car. It has three wheels and leans as it turns. The concept was aimed at short city journeys, rather than being a conventional car or an established production model.
Founder and CEO Lihang Nong described its lean behavior to TechCrunch as resembling a boat: “You turn left and it pitches to the left.” That was the company’s explanation of the intended driving feel, not evidence that the prototype’s handling was already intuitive.
Development partner Wheelab says it worked on the Nimbus One from April 2021 through June 2022, helping develop a proof of concept into a show-quality demonstration prototype for trade shows, press presentations and customer trials. That history supports treating the vehicle Kamps drove as a prototype; it does not establish that series production followed. Wheelab’s Nimbus One project account.
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What was it like to drive?
Handling and acceleration
Kamps reported that the prototype initially felt wobbly. During slalom maneuvers, its lean angle seemed wrong to him—at times too slight and at times excessive. The test was brief, and he cautioned against treating his impressions as a final judgment of how a developed vehicle would drive.
A skipping drive belt made a loud crunching or clicking noise when he tried to accelerate, limiting what he could learn about performance. Doors also needed adjustment before his drive. These were observations about one early test vehicle, not findings from a production-car evaluation or a formal safety test. Kamps’s first-drive report.
Cabin, fit and visibility
The enclosed cabin was a bright spot for Kamps. He liked the heater, roof, windshield and wipers, and considered the compact footprint and removable-battery arrangement practical for urban use.
Fit and visibility were less convincing for him. At 6 feet 4 inches, he found it difficult to move his knees between the pedals, with his hair close to the windshield. He also noted a significant blind spot created by the door pillars. These are one tall reviewer’s observations, not a universal fit assessment.
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Steering update after the test
Kamps said Nimbus CEO Lihang Nong emailed him after the drive: “We tuned the steering feel after you left based on your comments and then it drove much more predictably for new drivers.” This is a company statement about an adjustment after the test, not independent confirmation of the handling of a later vehicle.
How far does the Nimbus One go?
In its June 2022 launch coverage, TechCrunch reported Nimbus’s claimed figures: a 9 kWh battery, up to 93 miles of range and a 50 mph top speed. The article also gave company-reported charging times of 1.2 hours on Level 2 power or 5.4 hours from household power. These were prototype-era specifications; the reviewed sources do not verify them through testing of a production vehicle. TechCrunch’s launch report.
Kamps considered the stated 50 mph maximum a practical drawback for his Bay Area driving. He did not feel safe taking a vehicle with that limit across the bridge between San Francisco and Oakland amid faster traffic. That is his assessment of a particular route and traffic context, not a universal judgment about where the Nimbus could be used.
What features and batteries were reported?
The 2022 launch report described a two-seat cabin, display, Bluetooth speakers, power windows, phone charging, heat, optional air conditioning and a front-collision warning feature. It also described removable, swappable batteries. These were announced features, not independently verified production equipment.
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Battery descriptions differ between prototype-era accounts. Kamps reported that the vehicle he drove had four removable batteries under the driver’s seat, with household and 220-volt charging options. A CBS San Francisco report described two removable batteries. The available accounts do not resolve whether this reflects different versions or descriptions, so the four-battery detail applies specifically to Kamps’s test vehicle. CBS San Francisco’s report.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Can you buy the Nimbus One?
Current purchase availability is unconfirmed. A June 2026 retrospective by Scooterhelden says the Nimbus One does not appear to be a regularly available production vehicle and notes a lack of reliable public delivery indications. That is a secondary assessment, not an official cancellation announcement. The sources do not establish a current sales channel, confirmed customer deliveries or that no vehicle was ever delivered. Scooterhelden’s 2026 retrospective.
How to interpret the old price and delivery plans
TechCrunch reported that Nimbus had begun taking preorders with a $100 deposit, expected an outright price of about $9,980 or a $200 monthly subscription, and anticipated first deliveries in the third quarter of 2023. CBS San Francisco separately reported the company’s target of mass production in 2023 and a purchase price just under $10,000 or $200 per month for rental. These are historical plans and prices, not current offers or evidence that the expected deliveries occurred.
How to judge the Nimbus concept
The prototype’s appeal is easy to understand: a narrow vehicle with an enclosed cabin, weather protection and a claimed 93-mile range could suit some short urban journeys. But the evidence available for the Nimbus One is not enough to establish real-world range, production handling, safety outcomes, long-term reliability or present-day ownership costs. No named independent study or outcome statistic on those subjects appears in the cited reporting.
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For someone considering a similar vehicle, the useful comparison is not just a claimed range or an old launch price. Check whether a model is actually available, then compare its useful speed and range, weather protection, carrying capacity, handling and safety evidence, charging practicality and total cost. Scooterhelden names Carver, AEMotion and Kerv Automotive as related concepts, but the available reporting does not support a current side-by-side comparison of their specifications or availability.
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