Not a luxury, just a way to get around: an American startup rethinks the electric car

Tennessee startup Shockwave Motors bets on a light, simple and affordable EV for short everyday trips instead of competing with Tesla or BYD.

American company Shockwave Motors, based in Tennessee, offers a different take on electric cars. The startup has no interest in competing with Tesla, BYD or large electric SUVs. Its goal is to build a simple, light and affordable vehicle for short, everyday trips.

The idea of founder John McMillian rests on a single question: why use big, heavy and expensive machines just to get to work, run errands or move around town? Shockwave’s designs leave out the giant screens, the complex digital features and the surplus power. The company is betting on lower weight, fewer parts and easy repairability.

The logic is straightforward: the simpler the electric car, the cheaper it is to build, service and fix. A lighter vehicle also uses less energy. That matters all the more in a market where compact EVs often cost more than €35,000 and slip out of reach for a share of buyers.

Shockwave remains a small company for now and is not promising a quick mass-market launch. Its strategy is to validate the product first, then move to a small production run and grow only once the project has proven it works.