Stuff We Drifted in Our Office: Actev Arrow Electric Go-Kart Tested

From the February 2018 issue

In a world where chairs are apexes, shelving units are chicanes, and cubicle partitions are Jersey barriers, C/D’s Ann Arbor headquarters becomes the Monaco Grand Prix of electric karting. We know this because we tried it, inserting ourselves into the Actev Arrow then slicing through the lobby sideways like the Gilles Villeneuve of cube laborers. And guess what? It was awesome.

Actev Motors, a Silicon Valley–based company, released the Arrow in 2016 to fill a gap in the children’s electric-car market, which lacked a vehicle appropriate for five-to-nine-year-olds. (It’s officially rated for only 130 pounds, but we took some liberties with that.) The Arrow is a 73-pound kart stuffed with technology. Its maker claims a 12-mph top speed, which is just right for kids outside. We verified that its top speed occurs only in brief bursts but suspected even the 11-mph pace it frequently achieves was too quick for indoor use. Erasing any doubt, deputy editor Daniel Pund early-apexed Turn 4 of our in-office course, triggering yet another call to Oxford Property Management’s crack drywall team. “She’s loose on turn-in,” groaned Pund, extracting himself from the machine.

Though we didn’t use all the kart’s safety features, Actev thought of nearly everything: The accompanying free app allows parents (or co-workers) to limit the Arrow’s top speed as well as stop it remotely. A front-collision-avoidance sensor works at speeds below 9 mph. And parents are able to build an invisible boundary to contain the Arrow with geofencing.

Actev asks $1000 for the naked Arrow and another $200 for either red or silver bodywork (which adds 10 pounds to the curb weight). Drift rings, hard plastic covers that fasten over the rear tires (all four are pneumatic), cost $60. A double-capacity battery, good for run times up to 45 minutes in our hands, is $150.

Fire up the Arrow by pressing the button on the back of the seat, and it sings a synthesized Ferrari V-12 growl, the volume of which can be adjusted from the app. And, for better or worse, it’s all electric, which means its braking (regenerative only) lacks the ability to hold the kart stationary on a hill, a “feature” sure to surprise your six-year-old, as it did this author’s. Nonetheless, the Arrow’s instant steering, near-­violent transitional response, and four-inch-high seating position cement its status as an authentic kart—albeit one tuned for those not fully developed.

Smart Car

Actev refers to the Arrow as a “Smart-Kart” because it designed the kart with the computing power and connectivity of a mobile gaming platform, according to CEO Dave Bell. Use of a CAN bus permits expanded functionality as Actev invents new features. Among the possibilities are downloadable engine sounds and a Formula 1–style steering wheel incorporating an LCD display, push buttons, haptics, and Bluetooth connectivity to support games or STEM educational projects. Electric power steering using a computer-controlled servo might even enable a remote-controlled, if not fully automated, Arrow.

Specifications >

VEHICLE TYPE: mid-motor, rear-wheel-drive, 1-passenger go-kart

AS-TESTED PRICE: $1410 (base price: $1000)

MOTORS: 2 permanent-magnet DC; combined output, 1.0 hp, 4.4 lb-ft

BATTERY: air-cooled lithium-ion, 0.17 kWh

TRANSMISSION: 1-speed direct drive

DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 33.5 in
Length: 55.5 in
Width: 29.5 in Height: 23.5 in
Curb weight: 83 lb

C/D TEST RESULTS:
Zero to 10 mph: 5.3 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 83.1 sec @ 11 mph
Top speed: 12 mph