Amble Launches $25,000 Electric Buggy Designed by Former Apple and Audi Engineers

Amble, a mobility startup based in Lisbon, Portugal, has launched the Amble One, a street-legal, stripped-down electric buggy priced at $25,000. The vehicle is designed for specialized environments such as private estates, coastal paths, and luxury hotel resorts where traditional automobiles are impractical.

The development team consists of alumni from major automotive and tech firms, including Audi, Ford, and Apple. The project is led by design head Julian Hoenig, who previously worked on Apple’s canceled electric vehicle project, often referred to as Project Titan. The founders also have ties to Cowboy ebikes and Forpeople, a creative agency that has collaborated with brands including Nio EVs, Arc’teryx, and Herman Miller.

The Amble One targets a niche in the electric vehicle market by blending affordability with a minimalist, luxury aesthetic. Rather than competing with long-range commuter EVs, the buggy focuses on “last-mile” luxury transport in high-end leisure settings.

Who is behind the design of the Amble One?

The Amble One is the product of a multidisciplinary team with deep roots in both traditional automotive engineering and consumer electronics. Julian Hoenig serves as the design lead; his experience at Apple is credited with the vehicle’s minimalist, high-tech appearance, which mirrors the design language typically associated with Cupertino-based products.

Beyond Hoenig, the founding team includes former employees of Audi and Ford, providing the mechanical expertise necessary to move the vehicle from a concept to a street-legal product. This combination of “Silicon Valley” design and “German” automotive engineering aims to create a vehicle that is functionally simple but aesthetically premium.

The team’s history with Cowboy ebikes suggests a focus on urban mobility and streamlined user experiences. Additionally, the involvement of Forpeople—an agency known for high-end industrial design for clients like Herman Miller—indicates that Amble is positioning the One as a lifestyle accessory as much as a transport tool.

What are the specifications and intended use of the Amble One?

The Amble One is categorized as a street-legal electric buggy, designed specifically for environments where a standard car feels oversized or out of place. According to company details, the vehicle is intended for use on coastal paths, private estates, and the transit routes between luxury villas and the sea.

The vehicle is priced at $25,000, positioning it as an affordable entry point into the luxury EV space. While detailed technical specifications regarding battery capacity and exact range have not been widely released in official filings, the vehicle’s “stripped-down” nature suggests a focus on efficiency and light weight over high-speed performance.

The design philosophy emphasizes a “less is more” approach. By removing the complexities of a full-sized passenger car—such as heavy soundproofing, complex infotainment systems, and bulky chassis components—Amble has created a vehicle that functions as a high-end evolution of the traditional golf cart.

How does the Amble One fit into the current EV market?

The Amble One enters the market at a time when many EV manufacturers are struggling to produce affordable models. While giants like Tesla and BYD focus on mass-market commuters, Amble is carving out a “micro-mobility” luxury niche. This strategy avoids direct competition with long-range EVs and instead targets the hospitality and luxury real estate sectors.

By focusing on the L7e vehicle category (heavy quadricycles) in the European Union, Amble can bypass some of the more stringent and expensive crash-test requirements mandated for full-sized M1 passenger cars. This regulatory path is what allows the company to maintain a $25,000 price point while utilizing premium materials and a high-profile design team.

The vehicle’s arrival follows a broader trend of “lifestyle EVs,” where the value is derived from the specific utility and status of the vehicle rather than its raw performance metrics. The Amble One is positioned as a tool for specific geographies—such as the Mediterranean coast or gated communities—where the goal is leisure rather than commuting.

For more information on European electric vehicle regulations and the L7e category, readers can consult the European Commission’s guide on product standardization.

Amble has not yet announced a formal delivery date for the first production units, but the company has officially emerged from stealth mode to begin taking interest and preparing for market entry.

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