Wheego Technologies

Wheego Technologies is an American mobility-technology company based in Atlanta, Georgia. It originated in June 2009 as Wheego Electric Cars, a spin-out from Rough and Tuff Electric Vehicles, a manufacturer of battery-powered recreational vehicles. The new company entered the emerging U.S. electric-car market with compact vehicles assembled from Chinese-sourced platforms and adapted for North American use. Its first vehicle, the Wheego Whip, was a two-seat compact electric car introduced in the United States in August 2009. Developed with Shuanghuan Auto, the vehicle used the Shuanghuan Noble platform. Shuanghuan manufactured the underlying vehicle in China, while Wheego completed final electric-vehicle integration in the United States, including installation of the motor, drivetrain, controller, electronics, and software. Depending on local regulations, the Whip was offered as either a low-speed vehicle with a maximum speed of 25 miles per hour or a medium-speed vehicle capable of approximately 35 miles per hour. Wheego marketed the model in North America, Japan, and the Caribbean. The company’s second major vehicle was the Wheego LiFe, a small highway-capable electric car that began sales in April 2011. The LiFe used a lithium iron phosphate battery system and an electric drivetrain installed in California. It employed a 60-horsepower electric synchronous-induction motor and a 60-kilowatt-hour battery pack. Its electronically limited top speed was approximately 65 miles per hour, while its advertised range was about 100 miles on a full charge. The vehicle could be charged from a standard household outlet or through an SAE J1772 Level 2 charging station. Production ended in 2013. The LiFe was positioned primarily as a commuter vehicle and was among the early highway-speed, street-legal battery-electric cars sold in the United States. In 2015, Wheego moved away from manufacturing electric cars and began concentrating on technologies for autonomous and semi-autonomous vehicles. Its work expanded into software platforms, vehicle-system tools, sensor integration, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and related development systems. The company also pursued Internet of Things applications involving connected devices and infrastructure for homes, businesses, and roadways. The corporate name changed from Wheego Electric Cars to Wheego Technologies in 2016, reflecting the shift from vehicle production toward broader technology development. In 2018, it adopted the name Autonomous Fusion. The later organization maintained offices in Atlanta and Sonoma, California, and described its activities as spanning autonomous-vehicle technologies and connected environments. Mike McQuary is identified as its chief executive officer. The Wheego name therefore represents the company’s earlier electric-vehicle manufacturing phase, while Wheego Technologies describes the transitional technology-focused identity documented in the company’s canonical encyclopedia entry.

Wheego began in June 2009 as Wheego Electric Cars, a company spun out of Rough and Tuff Electric Vehicles. Its original business was the production and sale of small battery-powered vehicles. The company entered the automobile market through a partnership with Shuanghuan Auto, using a Chinese-manufactured platform for the Wheego Whip and completing key electric-vehicle integration work in the United States. The Whip was introduced in the United States in August 2009. It was a two-seat compact vehicle intended for urban and short-distance transportation. Regulatory classification varied by jurisdiction: some markets treated it as a low-speed vehicle limited to 25 miles per hour, while others permitted a medium-speed configuration with a top speed of about 35 miles per hour. Wheego marketed the model across North America, Japan, and the Caribbean. Wheego expanded its range with the LiFe, which entered sales in April 2011. Unlike the low-speed Whip, the LiFe was designed for highway use and used a lithium iron phosphate battery pack. Its electric drivetrain and battery systems were installed in California into a small car sourced from China. The vehicle was electronically limited to approximately 65 miles per hour and was advertised with a range of roughly 100 miles. It could use either household charging or an SAE J1772 Level 2 charging station. Production of the LiFe ended in 2013. The company changed direction in 2015. Rather than continuing primarily as an electric-car producer, it began developing tools and systems for autonomous vehicles. This transition broadened its technical scope to include autonomous-driving software, system-development tools, sensor integration, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and technologies supporting semi-autonomous vehicles. In 2016, the company changed its name to Wheego Technologies. The new name reflected a business that was no longer centered solely on branded electric cars. Its technology interests also included Internet of Things applications for homes, commercial buildings, and roadway environments. These projects connected the company’s vehicle expertise with broader infrastructure and device networks. In 2018, the company adopted the name Autonomous Fusion. The rebranding represented another step away from the Wheego electric-car identity and toward autonomous mobility and connected-environment technologies. The organization has been associated with offices in Atlanta, Georgia, and Sonoma, California. Mike McQuary is identified as chief executive officer. The company’s documented evolution is therefore from a 2009 electric-vehicle spin-out, through a short-lived vehicle-manufacturing period, to a technology company focused on autonomy, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and connected systems.

• 2018

  Company renamed Autonomous Fusion

  [1]Wheego Technologiesen.wikipedia.org

  The organization adopted the Autonomous Fusion name to emphasize autonomous mobility and connected-technology development.

• 2016

  Company renamed Wheego Technologies

  [1]Wheego Technologiesen.wikipedia.org

  The business adopted the Wheego Technologies name as it broadened beyond electric-vehicle production.

• 2015

  Strategic shift toward autonomous-vehicle technology

  [1]Wheego Technologiesen.wikipedia.org

  Wheego moved its primary focus from electric-car manufacturing to software, systems, tools, and artificial-intelligence technologies for autonomous vehicles.

• 2013

  LiFe production ends

  [1]Wheego Technologiesen.wikipedia.org

  Production of the Wheego LiFe ceased after its short period as an early highway-speed electric commuter vehicle.

• 2011

  Wheego LiFe sales begin

  [1]Wheego Technologiesen.wikipedia.org

  The highway-capable Wheego LiFe began selling in April 2011, using a lithium iron phosphate battery system and a California-installed electric drivetrain.

• 2009

  Wheego Electric Cars established

  [1]Wheego Technologiesen.wikipedia.org

  Wheego Electric Cars was created in June 2009 as a spin-out from Rough and Tuff Electric Vehicles.

• 2009

  Wheego Whip introduced

  [1]Wheego Technologiesen.wikipedia.org

  The company launched the two-seat Wheego Whip in the United States in August 2009 as a low-speed or medium-speed electric vehicle, depending on local regulations.

The company was initially positioned as an early-market electric-vehicle manufacturer offering compact urban and commuter cars. Following its 2015 strategic shift, it repositioned itself as a developer of autonomous-driving tools, artificial-intelligence and machine-learning systems, and connected-device technologies for vehicles, buildings, homes, businesses, and roadways.

• Low-speed and medium-speed electric car · 2009

  Wheego Whip

  The Whip was Wheego’s first automobile, a two-seat compact electric vehicle launched in the United States in August 2009. It was developed with Shuanghuan Auto and based on the Shuanghuan Noble platform. The underlying vehicle was manufactured in China, while Wheego completed final assembly and electric-system integration in the United States. Depending on state or market rules, the Whip was configured as a low-speed vehicle limited to 25 miles per hour or a medium-speed vehicle capable of about 35 miles per hour. It was marketed in North America, Japan, and the Caribbean.

• Highway-capable battery-electric car · 2011

  Wheego LiFe

  The LiFe was Wheego’s second major electric vehicle and began sales in April 2011. It used a lithium iron phosphate battery pack and an electric drivetrain installed in California into a small China-sourced car. Its 60-horsepower electric motor was paired with a 60-kilowatt-hour battery system. The vehicle was electronically limited to approximately 65 miles per hour and advertised with a range of about 100 miles. Charging could be performed through a household outlet or an SAE J1772 Level 2 station. It was aimed mainly at commuters and production ended in 2013.

• Autonomous mobility technology · 2015

  Autonomous-vehicle technology systems

  After its 2015 strategic transition, the company developed software platforms, system tools, sensor-integration capabilities, and artificial-intelligence and machine-learning technologies for autonomous and semi-autonomous vehicles. The work represented a shift from selling complete electric cars to supplying technology intended to support vehicle autonomy and related mobility applications.

• Internet of Things and connected infrastructure

  Connected IoT technologies

  The company’s broader technology scope includes connected devices and Internet of Things applications for residential, commercial, and roadway environments. These activities extend its autonomous-mobility focus into networked infrastructure, smart-home systems, business environments, and intelligent-roadway applications.

• 2018

  Rebrand as Autonomous FusionOther

  Background

  The company continued moving toward autonomous mobility, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and connected infrastructure.

  Action taken

  The organization changed its name from Wheego Technologies to Autonomous Fusion.

  Aftermath

  The rebrand further separated the company’s later technology identity from its earlier electric-car manufacturing business.

  Source

• 2016

  Adoption of the Wheego Technologies nameOther

  Background

  The original Wheego Electric Cars identity no longer fully described the company’s expanding work in autonomous mobility and connected technologies.

  Action taken

  The company changed its name to Wheego Technologies.

  Aftermath

  The new identity emphasized technology development beyond the manufacture of branded electric cars.

  Source

• 2015

  Shift from electric-car manufacturing to autonomous-vehicle technologyStrategy

  Background

  After producing the Whip and LiFe electric vehicles, the company redirected its main effort toward autonomous-vehicle software, systems, tools, sensor integration, artificial intelligence, and machine learning.

  Action taken

  Wheego reduced the emphasis on vehicle production and developed technology intended for autonomous and semi-autonomous mobility applications.

  Aftermath

  The strategic change preceded the 2016 adoption of the Wheego Technologies name and the 2018 rebrand as Autonomous Fusion.

  Source

1. 1Wheego Technologiesen.wikipedia.org