Buddy

Buddy was a compact Norwegian electric city car produced by Buddy Electric, a company previously known as ElBil Norge AS and Pure Mobility AS. The vehicle descended from the Kewet electric-car program, which began in Denmark in the early 1990s and later involved production in Germany. After acquiring the rights to the Kewet in 1998, ElBil Norge continued developing the platform and introduced a substantially revised model in 2005 under the name Kewet Buddy Citi-Jet 6. It was subsequently marketed simply as the Buddy. The car was conceived for short urban journeys rather than long-distance travel. It was unusually narrow and short, measuring approximately 2.44 metres in length, and could carry three adults. Its electric drivetrain used a 72-volt, 13-kilowatt DC motor and lead-acid batteries. Depending on weather, terrain, driving style and battery condition, practical range was generally in the tens of kilometres, while maximum speed was approximately 80 km/h. Later development vehicles tested lithium-ion battery systems, but these were not the standard commercial configuration during the main production period. Buddy used a tubular steel safety structure and a lightweight body. Earlier bodies used fibreglass, while later versions adopted pDCPD polymer construction intended to reduce weight and manufacturing cost while improving impact resistance. The vehicle was classified in the European Union as a heavy quadricycle, allowing it to operate as a normal road vehicle subject to the relevant national licensing rules. Its basic engineering emphasised mechanical simplicity and easy charging from a conventional grounded electrical outlet. At the same time, it lacked several safety and driver-assistance features common in larger passenger cars, including airbags, ABS and electronic stability control. The product was offered in standard form and as the BuddyCab, which featured a folding roof. Its visual identity was notably more playful than that of most contemporary cars. Customers frequently ordered brightly coloured bodies and decorative themes, making the Buddy recognisable in Norway's emerging electric-vehicle market. In 2007, Buddy and the earlier Kewet vehicles together represented a significant share of Norway's electric-car fleet, and the Buddy ranked ahead of several established international automotive marques in Norwegian brand sales rankings in 2006. Production took place at the company's facility in Økern, Oslo. Output was modest, with reported production of roughly five to six vehicles per week in 2007 and a theoretical annual capacity of about 500 vehicles. The company explored expansion in Portugal and shipped its first twelve Buddy cars to Copenhagen in December 2008. A revised version launched around 2010 was initially called the MetroBuddy, but the Metro prefix was later dropped because of unhelpful or confusing associations with the term. The business struggled to sustain operations. ElBil Norge was rebranded as Pure Mobility, and the company entered bankruptcy in 2011 before being liquidated in 2014. Production of the Buddy ended after the 2013 model year. Through October 2013, combined Kewet and Buddy sales since the beginning of the program were reported at approximately 1,500 vehicles, including 1,087 registered in Norway. The vehicle later gained additional public visibility through appearances in the films 1001 Grams and Downsizing, although those appearances occurred after commercial production had ended.

The Buddy originated in the Kewet electric-vehicle project, whose first model was produced in Hadsund, Denmark, in 1991. During the first five generations, production moved between Hadsund and Nordhausen, Germany, and more than 1,000 vehicles were made for customers in 18 countries. The project established the basic concept later associated with the Buddy: a small, lightweight electric vehicle intended primarily for urban and short-distance use. In 1998, the rights to the Kewet program were acquired by ElBil Norge AS, then operating under the name Kollega Bil AS. The Norwegian company continued to refine the design and reorganised its identity as it developed a more contemporary successor. A new model was presented in autumn 2005 as the Kewet Buddy Citi-Jet 6. The branding was later simplified to Buddy, creating the name under which the vehicle became best known. Buddy Electric manufactured the car at Økern in Oslo. The company reported production of approximately five or six vehicles per week in 2007, with a theoretical annual capacity of about 500 units. It also considered a much larger facility in Portugal, with projected capacity of 5,000 vehicles per year, although the available historical account does not establish that the proposed plant became a sustained production operation. In December 2008, the first twelve vehicles from the Oslo factory were shipped to Copenhagen. The Buddy was engineered as a heavy quadricycle rather than a conventional full-size passenger car. It used a welded tubular steel frame, a compact three-seat cabin and a lightweight body. Early bodies were made from fibreglass, while later versions used pDCPD polymer. The standard drivetrain was a 72-volt, 13-kilowatt brushed DC motor paired with lead-acid batteries. Full charging could take approximately six to eight hours from a normal grounded outlet. The company also operated development vehicles with lithium-ion batteries, exploring higher range and possible future upgrades. The vehicle's compact dimensions, low operating complexity and bright custom colour schemes helped it stand out in Norway. In 2006 it ranked 29th among automotive brands in Norwegian sales, ahead of Jaguar, Fiat, Smart and Porsche. In 2007, Kewet and Buddy vehicles together accounted for about one-fifth of the electric cars in Norway. The Norwegian market remained the model's principal base: 125 Buddies were sold there in 2011, representing approximately six percent of that year's electric-vehicle sales. By September 2013, 1,087 vehicles from the broader Kewet and Buddy lineage were registered in Norway. Around 2010, the company launched an updated version under the provisional name MetroBuddy. The Metro element was subsequently removed because it produced negative or confusing associations. The company itself also changed names, becoming Pure Mobility after operating as ElBil Norge. These branding and product revisions were not enough to secure long-term commercial viability. Pure Mobility declared bankruptcy in 2011 and was liquidated in 2014. Buddy production ended after the 2013 model year. The vehicle continued to have cultural visibility after production. A Buddy appears in the Norwegian film 1001 Grams, released in 2014, and another appears in the 2017 Hollywood film Downsizing. These appearances helped preserve awareness of the distinctive Norwegian electric car, but they did not represent a continuation of the original manufacturing business.

• 2014

  Company liquidation completed

  [1]Buddy (electric car)en.wikipedia.org

  The company associated with the Buddy was liquidated.

• 2013

  Production ends

  [1]Buddy (electric car)en.wikipedia.org

  Buddy production ceased after the 2013 model year.

• 2011

  Manufacturer declares bankruptcy

  [1]Buddy (electric car)en.wikipedia.org

  Pure Mobility, the renamed company behind the vehicle, entered bankruptcy.

• 2010

  Updated Buddy introduced

  [1]Buddy (electric car)en.wikipedia.org

  Pure Mobility introduced a revised version, initially using the MetroBuddy name before reverting to Buddy.

• 2008

  Copenhagen export begins

  [1]Buddy (electric car)en.wikipedia.org

  The first twelve Buddy vehicles produced at Økern were shipped to Copenhagen.

• 2007

  Norwegian market presence peaks in visibility

  [1]Buddy (electric car)en.wikipedia.org

  Kewet and Buddy vehicles together represented about 20 percent of Norway's electric cars, while Oslo production ran at roughly five to six vehicles per week.

• 2005

  Buddy successor presented

  [1]Buddy (electric car)en.wikipedia.org

  A new generation was introduced as the Kewet Buddy Citi-Jet 6 and later became known simply as the Buddy.

• 1998

  Kewet rights acquired by ElBil Norge

  [1]Buddy (electric car)en.wikipedia.org

  ElBil Norge, previously known as Kollega Bil, acquired the rights to the Kewet electric-vehicle program.

• 1991

  First Kewet model produced

  [1]Buddy (electric car)en.wikipedia.org

  The predecessor program began production in Hadsund, Denmark, establishing the vehicle lineage from which the Buddy later developed.

A small, practical and visually distinctive electric vehicle for urban mobility, positioned between a conventional passenger car and a heavy quadricycle.

• Electric city car · 2005

  Buddy

  The main production model was a short, narrow three-seat electric vehicle designed for urban use. It used a tubular steel safety structure, lightweight body panels, a 72-volt 13-kilowatt DC motor and lead-acid batteries. Depending on conditions, its practical range was generally about 20 to 60 kilometres, with a maximum speed of approximately 80 km/h. The vehicle was classified as a heavy quadricycle in the European Union.

• Electric city car

  BuddyCab

  The BuddyCab was an open-air-oriented variant of the Buddy with a folding roof. It retained the compact electric drivetrain and city-focused configuration of the standard vehicle while offering a different body and roof experience.

• Electric city car · 2005

  Kewet Buddy Citi-Jet 6

  This model name was used when the sixth-generation Kewet vehicle was presented in 2005. It later became more widely identified as the Buddy, linking the newer Norwegian vehicle to the preceding Kewet family.

• Electric city car · 2010

  M9

  M9 refers to a later Buddy registration grouping associated with vehicles produced during the 2010–2013 period. It represented the updated phase of the Buddy program rather than a separate mainstream brand.

• 2011

  Cease operations through bankruptcyStrategy

  Background

  The company behind the Buddy was unable to sustain its operations despite the vehicle's niche market presence.

  Action taken

  Pure Mobility declared bankruptcy, and the associated company was later liquidated in 2014.

  Aftermath

  Buddy production ultimately ended after the 2013 model year, closing the commercial chapter of the Kewet-derived vehicle line.

  Source

• 2010

  Revise the Buddy and test the MetroBuddy nameProduct launch

  Background

  Pure Mobility introduced a revised version as it attempted to refresh the product and broaden its urban mobility positioning.

  Action taken

  The updated vehicle was initially called MetroBuddy, but the Metro prefix was later removed because of negative or confusing associations.

  Aftermath

  The product continued under the simpler Buddy name until production ended after the 2013 model year.

  Source

• 2005

  Introduce the sixth-generation Kewet-derived vehicleGeneration change

  Background

  ElBil Norge sought to update the inherited Kewet design for continued urban electric-vehicle use.

  Action taken

  The company presented the Kewet Buddy Citi-Jet 6, subsequently marketed as the Buddy.

  Aftermath

  The model became the company's central product and gained a visible position in Norway's early electric-car market.

  Source

• 1998

  Acquire the Kewet vehicle rightsM&A

  Background

  The Kewet electric-vehicle program had already developed several generations before the Norwegian company took control of its rights.

  Action taken

  ElBil Norge, then known as Kollega Bil, acquired the rights and continued development of the vehicle line.

  Aftermath

  The acquisition provided the technical and product foundation for the Buddy, introduced as a new generation in 2005.

  Source

1. 1Buddy (electric car)en.wikipedia.org