FAQ

The lithium technology offers higher power density (kWh per kg)  than lead-acid’s. In practice, this translates into a 4 times lighter battery for the same rated capacity. Another key incentive is the lifetime of the batteries with at least twice more cycles expected compared with lead-acid’s, which is backed up by an hassle-free warranty of 5 years.

The flexibility of charging at any point through the day with no maintenance requirement contribute to the overall hassle-free experience.

Lead-acid battery technology is over 100 years old and has been proven to be reliable and relatively inexpensive. Based on your application (low mileage etc.) and budget, as well as maintenance routine, going for Lead could be a sensible option.

Looking back on our experience, if the batteries are correctly maintained, under a mild climate, the lifetime could go as far as 8 to 10 years.

If temperatures are an issue – as low as -20°C or as hot as 45°C – then the lead batteries are the preferred option.

First and eternal question which has no definitive answer. In our utility vehicle segment, the range is not a real issue since most end-users are driving in average 50 km/day. For instance, from collecting waste to maintaining green spaces, municipal agents spend most of their time on the fields rather than in the vehicle so that explains the low mileage.

With a wide range of battery options, our role is to ensure you get the right battery to fit your daily application and budget.

We aligned our data with the new regulations in place so the ranges follow the new WLTP cycle with up to 199 km autonomy.

Based on our extensive experience with long-time customers, the traction lead-acid batteries do last 6 to 8 years. In some cases, we do see vehicles over 10 years old with still the same pack.

Comparable with any other components of the vehicle, the EOL is followed by a strict recycling process - standardized for the last 40 years - which is proven to be very efficient (>80% return rate).

Our current range of vehicles does not need any additional electric installation. Plug the vehicle to any 230V/13A domestic socket.

On request, the G4 can be equipped with the standard Type 2 plug to ensure compatibility with the public charging stations.

The European driving license (class B) is required to use our vehicles homologated Quadricycles or N1 on the roads.

In France, we do offer the specific VASP type approval on the G4 which lifts the requirement of the driving license but limits the max. speed to 25 km/h.

Goupil offer as an option an electric fan heater for the purpose of maintaining the cabin temperatures at acceptable levels. This solution cannot substitute to the optional diesel heating system (WEBASTO) which is proven more adequate in cold environments.

Due to the nature of the applications involving many stop & go’s and door openings, the electric fan heater is the customer most favored option and can be combined with the heating seat option for improved comfort in freezing days.

GOUPIL has always paid a great attention to the consumption of the offered electric equipment to avoid sacrifices on the range of the vehicle. As such, even with our most power-hungry equipment (A Goupil design high-pressure cleaner with 130 bars of max. pressure), the combined solution does provide at least a typical day of use.

In real life, the high-pressure cleaner consumes about 15% of the 14kWh Lithium battery per hour.

The financial incentives vary from one country to another and can be of various forms. In France, our customers benefit from the environmental bonus of up to 4000 € when they acquire a brand-new Goupil with N1 homologation. We suggest consulting your local importer to know more about the State contributions.

With the torque readily available from the electric motor, the Goupil offers high towing capacities. For instance, the G4 is capable of towing 1 ton on the road (with Class B driving license) and up to 1.4 ton with the Class BE driving license.

The charging time depends on the battery pack option. As rule of thumb, you will need a whole night (5 to 9 hours) to fully charge your battery.

Beware that the lead batteries do need a complete charge cycle each time it is plugged in to the wall. Lithium batteries can be charged at any point during the day, with a rate of about 20% capacity recovered per hour.

Our vehicles have been designed to fulfil your daily routine as much as possible. With that in mind, priorities were set to offer a robust solution with ease of use in terms of maneuverability and ergonomics, with a sufficient driving range to complete a day of work minimum. By offering unique features, Goupil’s are defined as a viable alternative to the utility class vehicles, in the urban cleaning segment and industrial applications.

Goupil have partnered with SNAM, a pioneer in the batteries collection & recycling chain, who guarantees a recycling capability of at least 70% with our Lithium batteries.

Based on the residual capacity of each battery cell, the latter can be reprocessed in a different application or reduced to Lithium carbonate powder for a new industrialization.

By design, the Goupil EV is perfectly fitted for applications such as bins collection or last-mile deliveries where stop & go’s are numerous. With no clutch, vibrations nor engine noise, the end-users experience is vastly improved, and maintenance operations reduced.

As our solutions are mainly used in the urban areas of the cities, this contributes also to the well-being of the neighborhood with considerably reduced carbon emissions, and strong desire of the municipalities to limit the number of combustion vehicles in those areas.

We can say it is but not for long.

From 2021, the new electric & hybrid vehicles will have to comply with a new EU regulation aiming at improving the safety of the pedestrians, cyclists and other vulnerable people on the streets. As such, all new models will be equipped with a permanent system to alert people of their presence on the roads: the AVAS (Acoustic Vehicle Alert System).

The lithium batteries used in our vehicles comply with very strict safety regulations (R100-02). Amongst over 2 000 vehicles in circulation, no incidents have been recorded.

No. Since the beginning, Goupil have deliberately integrated the cost of the battery within the vehicle price. We do offer long-term leasing on the entire vehicle basis.

Goupil was founded in 1996 with the sole purpose of designing and manufacturing 100% utility electric vehicle. With the confidence gained over the years from our customers and partners, we created and built up the compact electric utility vehicles market making our company the pioneer in this field.

With current utility cost in France, a full charge costs between 1.20€ and 2.50€ depending on the battery capacity. This translates into 0.02€ per km or 2€ per 100 km.

Although Goupil belongs to Polaris Industries Inc., leader in the manufacture of Off-Road Vehicles (ORV), we have a totally different approach with vehicles designed for road use and specific work needs in mind. Supplied with turf tires, our vehicles can be driven in grass & turf and soft grounds.

Recently launched, the G2 design brings in some off-road capabilities allowing it to ride on rough terrains usually reserved for ATV/4x4’s.