Electric vehicles have certainly come a long way. Today, you can walk into a Tesla store and check out the latest in EV technology. But 50 years ago, the choices were few, if any. One EV oddity was the Kelsen Sports Rider Electric Motorcar. It was built in small quantities by Kelsen Mfg. Co. out of Stanton, California. This one from 1972 looks to be in good condition but hasn’t been used in years and isn’t running. It can be found in Pebble Beach, California and here on eBay for $2,500, although offers will be entertained. We appreciate Larry D bringing this tip to our attention!
There doesn’t seem to be a lot of information about these cars or the Kelsen company online. Apparently, there were at least three and four-wheel versions of the cars built from 1963-73. We understand they may have only been sold in Long Beach and were marketed as automobiles. Build numbers don’t seem to exist, so the closest we can get is that “very few were produced.”
The cars operated off a 36-volt electrical system requiring six batteries. In the technical sense, they were cars with the kinds of features you would expect in an automobile, i.e., a hard top, bumpers, steering wheel, turn signals, horn and rear-view mirrors. But they looked like enclosed golf carts and we’re guessing the body is made of fiberglass.
We’re told this Sports Rider has been idle for quite some time, doesn’t run and the seller doesn’t know what it would take it get it running again aside from new batteries. But it looks to be in good condition, which suggests it’s been stored indoors. The body looks sound and the interior complete. This one is painted white, although apparently you could have also gotten one in blue, red or yellow.
There is no mention how fast one of these would go or how far it traveled on a charge. But I doubt this is really anything you want to take outside of a 35-mph zone. I’m not seeing a holder for a license plate, so could you actually get it registered with the DMV? Apparently, they were not sold with titles as the two we found online were offered with only a bill of sale. The seller offers a video of the car, but it doesn’t show anything the still photos don’t.
Maybe 3 standard 12V marine batteries would suffice.
Sports Rider? There’s nothing sporty about it. Looks like a group of kids took a golf cart and turned it into a commuter vehicle for a high school project.
Golf is a sport though….
Its designers did manage to keep the back of the car level with the front, thereby offering great rearward vision … something that’s lost with today’s tiltmobiles.
Looks like a prototype Goggomobil might have put together and tried to sell as a mail delivery vehicle.
Die einzige Ähnlichkeit mit einem Goggomobil ist die zierliche Größe und es hat ein weibliches Lenkrad ha ha
It looks like a lego car….
Just what I need right now with gas prices here in Melbourne nudging $3 a
gallon! With this one, I think I’d yank all
that 50 year old hardware out and replace it with modern lithium ion batteries and charge controllers. And
while I was at it, I’d add a solar panel
to the roof so you could charge it as
you drove it. Throw in some re-gen
braking, and call it done. I’d use it to
drive to Racetrack for smokes or to
Walmart for shopping but not much
else. Shoot, folks here think that Palm
Bay Road is their own private race track
and they do their best NASCAR impressions as they jockey for position
and cut you off. In short, they’d squash
you like a grape!
Kenneth Carney….
You want to drive this thing on so called race track? You’d be road kill!
Small generator and a couple or 6 lithium batteries .. maybe up to 48 volts and you have a contender
VERRRWWWEEE INTERESTING
Had I been the designer I think reverse opening doors would have been slightly more practical and convenient .
Cant say that it has as much distinctive “un-atractiveness” as our Comuteacar
prototype mailmobile …But not near as interesting as our Change of pace EVA electric AMC pacer with 21 batteries along with all the goodies like radio and gasoline heater
But as is proven every day Beauty is in the eye of the beholder
My eyes hurt as I look at this jewel! Not sure to wash it with gasoline and dry it of with a cigaret lighter or build a bomb fire in the cock pit?
Six, 6 volt batteries, have more amp-hour capacity than three, 12 volt batteries. Therefore, the 6 volt batteries would give you longer range. However, you could put in six 12 volt batteries, which give you about the same range as the 6 volt batteries.
I Have a Pretty one in Mint condition For Sale they are Actually super fun to Drive
Tony seven zero two four eight one zero five one five
I have pictures