Imagine a world where you could text your car to come pick you up. It replies, pulls up to where you’re standing, you hop in and drive yourself home, Chip drops you off at your front door, then heads to the garage to park itself.

Or maybe you’re at your kid’s baseball game and realize you forgot the post-game snacks. You text Chip to head to the grocery store, place a pickup order through the store’s app, remotely open the frunk when Chip arrives, and Chip comes right back before the game is over.

Is Chip Autonomous?

Instead of relying on self-driving software, Chip Motors uses trained remote operators. When the vehicle is empty, one of those operators can remotely take control and drive it short distances at low speeds—more like pulling into your garage or finding a nearby parking space. That could mean pulling into your garage, heading to the grocery store, or finding a parking space after dropping you off.

The important detail is that remote operation only happens when nobody is inside the vehicle. If you’re riding in it, you’re the one driving.

It’s a very different approach than what companies like Tesla are pursuing, but it accomplishes some of the same convenience without requiring full autonomy.

While Chip may feel autonomous, it isn’t.

What Are the Specs?

Chip Motors says the vehicle will offer:

• A top speed of 25 mph
• More than 100 miles of range
• Seating for four or six passengers
• A wheelbase that’s smaller than a typical four-seat SUV
• A starting price of $15,000

If those numbers hold true, Chip would land in a pretty unique spot. It’s far less expensive than most electric vehicles, while offering significantly more capability than a typical neighborhood golf cart.

Is Chip Practical?

For your everyday commute? Probably not.

That’s not really what Chip is designed for.

Chip Motors is focused on what it calls America’s second vehicle. Think neighborhood drives, trips to the park, quick grocery runs, or grabbing dinner just down the road.

Personally, I live in a small town with a neighborhood bar and grill just a few minutes away. I could easily see something like Chip replacing our golf cart and becoming our go-to vehicle for short trips around town.

That’s also why Chip is trying to compete with Tesla, Rivian, or Lucid.

Instead, it’s going after companies like Polaris, Club Car, and other manufacturers that build neighborhood vehicles, golf carts, and side-by-sides.

Whether Chip Motors succeeds or not, it’s asking a question the rest of the auto industry largely isn’t: Does every trip really require a full-size vehicle?

It won’t replace your daily driver, but it could replace more trips than you might expect.

If Chip can convince Americans that a second vehicle doesn’t have to look like a traditional car, it may have found a niche that few companies are seriously pursuing. Only time will tell whether that bet pays off, but it’s already one of the more interesting ideas we’ve seen in the EV space this year.