Meyers Manx Resorter NEV is an expensive, nostalgic toy

In the 1960s, Bruce Meyers created what would become one of the most iconic vehicles of the era, the Meyers Manx. Using a shortened VW Beetle chassis and plenty of fiberglass, the dune buggy defined beach cruising for an entire generation. Though Meyers died in 2021, his company lives on and is taking deposits for a new electric version of the cute kart.

The Resorter NEV – short for neighborhood electric vehicle – looks the part of a vintage beach cruiser, but its limited top speed of 25 mph means it’s closer to a golf kart than the VW-powered buggies from decades ago. Even so, it has some cool stuff under its vintage-inspired skin, including air conditioning and heating, regenerative braking and power steering. Underneath, there’s an aluminum monocoque chassis, four-wheel independent suspension and two electric motors. The buggy also has four seats, making it an open-top cruiser for the whole family.

Buyers can reserve a Resorter NEV with a $500 deposit, and the vehicle’s base price is $49,000. There will likely be upgrades available, including a more powerful stereo, nicer interior finishes, custom colors and more. Interestingly, the Manx is part of a surprisingly lively NEV market, which includes another vintage revival vehicle – the Moke California. Its design started in Britain in the 1960s and has seen action in the military, but it now lives on as a highly customizable electric beach cruiser.

While it’s super cool, the Resorter NEV isn’t the only model from the new Meyers Manx company. Its Manx 2.0 EV promises a more robust experience, with beefy tires, a 300-mile range and a 0-60 time as quick as 4.5 seconds. Though it can also be reserved for $500, its price tag extends to $74,000, and that’s before options. It’s at least got legitimate range and more power, making it more usable as a vehicle instead of a weekend beach toy, though that’s likely its primary purpose in life for most buyers.