Electric vehicle business launches in Sioux Falls with plans to go nationwide

June 18, 2019

A new business introducing unique all-electric vehicles to the U.S. has started in Sioux Falls with plans to create a national distribution network.

Momentum MotorWerks sells all-electric vehicles built on a golf cart chassis. Developed and manufactured in China, they go up to 25 miles per hour for 75 miles and take six to eight hours to recharge.

Jeff Sand, a teacher in Mitchell., discovered them in 2017 while looking for a safer way to traverse the golf course during the summer.

He ended up connecting with a fledgling U.S. dealer who ultimately transitioned the business to Sand. Sand sold a handful of the vehicles to test the market under the name Midwest Electric Vehicles.

“The vehicles intrigued me,” said Eric Christensen, a business consultant who had been looking for a new venture and reached out to Sand.

“I’ve been part of international sales and distribution companies, so I got in touch with the manufacturer about getting the distributorship, and it worked out,” Christensen said. “We felt ‘Midwest Electric Vehicles’ isn’t good national branding so thought about it, and being that they’re electric and electricity is all about momentum and movement, that’s how we settled on Momentum MotorWerks.”

They started the business in March and recently leased a building near the Tea exit for Interstate 29 at 27109 Independence Ave. and have vehicles starting to arrive.

The Momentum vehicles come in two models – Coupe and Trek – and include fully enclosed cabins with heat and air conditioning, stereos with Bluetooth capability, power windows, windshields with wipers, optional remote locks and a standard charging system.

“I literally plug it into the outlet in my garage on the wall,” Christensen said. “There’s no special charger or big box to carry around.”

The Coupe can be outfitted with turf tires and a mountable golf bag and driven from someone’s home, onto the course and back. Doors can be taken off similar to a Jeep.

The Trek “is like a miniature truck,” Christensen said. “You can run it around the farm, throw some things in the back, take it to a beach and run it right over sand.”

The vehicles are good fits for quick neighborhood trips, camping, trips to the lake, golfing and senior communities.

“Snowbirds love this concept,” Christensen said. “You jump in and drive to the clubhouse or community gathering space. In a lot of retirement communities, there are golf carts, but they don’t have the safety of our vehicles. There’s seat belts, you’re enclosed, and there are doors and windows.”

Pricing starts at $14,900 for a Coupe and $15,900 for a Trek.

“And there’s a host of options,” Christensen said. “We’ve put them out with fatter tires, custom wheels, we tint the windows, we put graphics on them and golf bag holders.”

The Trek comes with a lockable covered box and optional flatbeds.

While the vehicles are used mainly in Southeast Asia, they also have been sold in Russia and the Middle East, he said.

Momentum MotorWerks’ plan is to grow a national distribution network through franchising and to eventually have a retail storefront in Sioux Falls.

The facility in Tea also will allow people to try out vehicles starting next month. Until then, customers can see them by appointment or contacting Momentum MotorWerks and one can be brought to them to try. To learn more click here.

“We’re getting our feet wet,” Christensen said. “It’s a unique market. We’re walking before we run.”

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Electric vehicle business launches in Sioux Falls with plans to go nationwide

A new business introducing unique all-electric vehicles to the U.S. has started in Sioux Falls with plans to create a national distribution network.

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