Organic Transit, Inc.

I bought my ELF in July 2017 from their local dealer in Portland, OR. It is a fun little thing to ride around in.

My first indication of problems with their parts department was when I tried to get a replacement left-hand cable for the nuVinci transmission. In response to my email quote request, I was asked to provide a photo. I think it was obvious what I needed.

Last November someone backed into me while I was in the travel lane of my apartment parking area. Even at these low speeds the right-hand front of the plastic shell shredded. I took my ELF back to the local dealer assuming he would have an inside channel for parts. He finally heard back from OT and ordered my parts just after Christmas. It has now been about 10 weeks and still no replacement. Organic Transit has some of the worst customer service I have ever experienced.

They never answer their phones, even on their sales line. When you call their parts line there is a snarky recording about the "fastest way to get your a[redacted]s on the road is to send an email.

I managed to get a reply saying "As you may know we are a small start up company with each employee doing several tasks. With that said, at this time we have found that our Customer Service works best through email. Emails are submitted and we respond to them in the order in which the request are received. Depending on the email volume it could take a few day before a response can be sent, but we have found that we can service more customers this way."

So they just wait until someone gets around to it and then hopefully they can take care of the problem before they need to get back to their usual assignment.

This company needs a dedicated customer service department that answers their phone and a website where you can order parts on-line.

I would rate Organic Transit's design and engineering 5 stars but their customer support stinks.

July 15 I sent an $500 deposit to Organic Transit. Later, in talking with sales it was discovered the [redacted] is not engineered in a way which would accommodate my physical issues. I asked for my deposit back and within a few weeks received a check for $450. I made inquiry about what happened to my $50 not refunded and was promised they would get back to me. This last inquiry was September 20th.Product_Or_Service: [redacted]Desired SettlementI would like the remainder of my deposit refunded.Business Response We have sent the customer the balance of his refund.I have emailed the customer to let him know that the balance of the refund was placed in the mail to him yesterday. This will satisfy his complaint.

I have called the company and left messages several times in the last four weeks about a service problem with my electric trike with no response back.I had a question about the electric trike wiring and left a message asking for assistance. I have called the company and left messages several times in the last four weeks both by phone and via their contact us web page about a service problem with my product with no response back.Desired SettlementAnswer my questions on the product.Business Response Mr[redacted] product is not under warranty. If he is in need of parts we are more than happy to supply them. I sent this Revdex.com complaint to our Customer Service Manager who did an email check for Mr.[redacted] email and found no emails from him. He said he has not heard from Mr. [redacted] since he made his purchase in 2014. He sent the email below today June 3rd to Mr. [redacted].Dear Mr. [redacted],I just received an Email Revdex.com complaint stating you were having problemswith your ELF purchased march 2014. The complaint also said you have been trying to reach OT without success or a returned call. I can find no record of your calls.I do not have any Emails from you since 2014.What problems are you having and how can I help?Best regards,[redacted]Consumer Response I am a surviving son of my deceased father and am now the new owner of the ELF vehicle. All I wanted was answers to two questions that I called twice about and also put two messages on their **contact us** web page. I have been totally ignored by them.Final Business Response According to our Customer Service Department this customer does not have a new ELF. He bought an ELF in 2014 and we have nothing in our email records from him since 2014. None the less when the customer complained to Revdex.com, our Customer Service representative emailed the customer back right away (see email message below).The customer never responded to our email and so we don't know what he wants or how to help him. If he would please answer the email we sent him we would be more than happy to help him.Hello Mr [redacted],I just received an Email Revdex.com complaint stating you were having problemswith your ELF purchased march 2014. The complaint also said you have been trying to reach OT without success or a returned call. I can find no record of your calls.I do not have any Emails from you since 2014.What problems are you having and how can I help?Best regards,[redacted]-- [redacted] Organic Transit311 W. Corporation St.Durham, NC 27701Phone 919-908-1599 Ext. 3

I took delivery of my ELF electric bicycle in Jan 16. I can't get electrical system to operate. I contacted company many times.In June 2015 I purchased "ELF" electric bicycle from Organic Transit in Durham NC. It is 2FR w/ 15 amp battery + CVT transmission. My "build number" is [redacted] I waited for a long time to get bike, and my deliver time was delayed several times, from approximately Sep. 2015 to finally Jan 2016. Organic Transit contacted me in Dec 2015 or Jan 2016 and said, "we had a cancellation from another customer, so we will ship you their bike." I wonder if the order was rushed, and this may possibly be the reason for my ELF's electrical issues. The ELF was completed and delivered to me in late Jan 2016. Bike is pedal or electric powered. I can't get the electric components to function, although it did for the first few days. I have made many phone contacts. text messages with photos, as well as e-mail contacts to Organic Transit about the issue. I have spoken with [redacted] receptionists, and others, to get resolution. Organic Transit sent me a replacement battery charger, due to fan not working on charger. I did finally receive replacement charger the other day (after lost for 2 days by UPS). The new charger seems to do same thing, fan not operating, battery not charging or having power for the bike. My brother had tested battery at c. 53.7 amps a few weeks ago.I also had sent photo of "brain box" or electrical control system, to Organic Transit, showing a disconnected wire. That red wire apparently was never plugged in. I don't want to plug in wire to unknown connection point, as there are several. Also seat slips after being locked in place, creating potential hazard.Anyway, after many contacts with company, satisfactory resolution still has not been given. It is very frustrating that for around three months (Jan 2016 until now, late Apr 2016 I can't satisfactorily operate vehicle in electric mode, although pedal power does function.If copies of my text messages to the company are needed as proof of contacts, I can show them.Desired SettlementFirst, I really like the idea for the bike and I commend Organic Transit for coming up with such a profound, sagacious, and revolutionary idea for personal transportation. I would like Organic Transit to either fix the problem, or take back bike and refund my money. I bought the bike because I believe in it. I had read reviews and the idea thrilled me. However, I have had probably around 25 contacts with the company (e-mails, text, phone calls) but the issue remains unresolved. Again, I really like the company and their product and I don't want to embarrass or bring negative attention against Organic Transit. Business Response The customer was sent a new battery and a new charger because we believed that was the problem. However, that was not the problem. So now our Customer Service Manager is sending a repair person direct to the customer's house to make a house call to correct the problem.Upper management has asked the customer to let us know the results of the house call which is scheduled for next week. In addition, upper management provided direct contact information to the customer in case he needs any further assistance after the house call and repair.Consumer Response The company has contacted me and at this point their response appears to be correct that Organic Transit will send a "repair person" to look at vehicle and to repair it. If problem is fixed next week then I will be satisfied, but I won't know until repair person comes, as I was told, in a few days.Final Business Response Organic Transit is sending a repair person from our corporate office in North Carolina to the customer's house in California to diagnosis the problem and deliver a new part.I've asked the customer to respond and let me know what happens after that and to let me know if I can be of any further assistance.

The Elf, bike/car product of organic transit, flips very easily. my vehicle flipped in the middle of traffic making a turn going only 15 MPH. the vehicle itself only goes 20 MPH so I did not see flipping as being an issue. By flipping I mean completely rolled over and ejected me out of the door less/seat belt-less vehicle. The reasons it flips 1. Not balanced, all of the weight is distributed in the back on one tire. 2. Light weight (150 lbs) 3. Very much a wind pocket. it is a large hollow plastic bubble with no doors. 4. To tall (5ft). I was thrown out of the car into traffic and slid across the pavement injuring my hands and knees, it could of been much worse, I am a very agile person. The major issue with the elf is that they brag you do not need to have insure or a license. meaning young children and unlicensed, uninsured drivers can be driving this bike car in the middle of traffic. Put how easily it flips/rolls on top of that and you have a very very unsafe situation. I have only had the vehicle for 3 weeks and I am more then unsatisfied. not do I feel right selling it to someone else when I know how dangerous it is. Also one by one pieces have been braking. the vehicle is very cheaply made and was very expensive. I contacted the company ( a week ago) and they have not contacted me back with a solution. when I talked to a representative on the phone, about the situation, he claimed that "my vehicle was only the second of 226 that flipped in less then a one year period, and there is nothing wrong with that." First off, 1/10,000 vehicles flipping in a ten year period is bad, let alone 1/113 in a one year period. Second off this assumes the claim that there were no safety test, just an examination of the first 200 customers. Furthermore the vehicle almost flipped again after a I rode it home from on the day of the accident . going from a dead stop, crossing traffic and making a left hand turn. the left front wheel lifted nearly a foot off the ground. I have not road the vehicle every againProduct_Or_Service: ElfDesired SettlementI want to return the vehicle for a full refund of my money. many people think I should file a legal complaint against the company and sue them, for it could be saving some ones life in the long run. I do not wish to sue them but I hope they understand IT IS VERY UNSAFE. They wanted me to pay them to have it shipped pay them to fix it pay them to have shipped back and sell it on my own terms, this will not be happening. it is not my fault the vehicle flipped, and I will never ride in it again.More info received from the consumer 2014-04-03the issues have been resolved

I bought a "showroom" model electric trike that was really a "demo" with 600 miles on it and not covered by a warranty. I called Organic Transit on April 6, 2016 and talked to [redacted]. I asked if they had any used Elfs for sale and was told they do not sell used vehicles. We proceeded to "build" my special order trike. When we were done, [redacted] said they had on their showroom floor just like mine. She sent me two quotes, one for the new and one showroom quote. The first showroom quote was $5,995 for the elf, then she sent another quote for that same vehicle at $6,695. When questioned about the price increase, she stated that this model had been upgraded. The vehicle was purchased with a $10,000 money order because Organic Transit does not take checks or credit cards. My Elf arrived promptly on April 11, 2016. It was missing the computer user guide, the extra battery and an owner's manual. Those things were promptly delivered. Things were great until I noticed significant wear on my tires and saw nearly 600 miles on my odometer! It was THEN that I was told that my "showroom" model was really a "demo" model and that demos are not covered under warranty! I chose the "showroom" model knowing it was a year old but with an 8% discount which made it worth not getting the USB port that I wanted in the new build one. Also, the showroom model was ready to ship. I never would have purchased ANY product for $10,000 with no warranty and cannot believe they sold me this very used trike for nearly full price with no disclosure about the lack of warranty or the miles on it.Desired SettlementI asked for a refund of $4,000.00, a new rear tire, and a full warranty OR drive this until my new one is built and exchange them when it is delivered for the same price.Business Response 1. The customer called asking for a used ELF and our Sales Representative said we had a used demo on the showroom floor. 2. The Sales Rep wrote and sent her two quotes --- for a brand new one and for the showroom demo. The customer picked the showroom demo NOT a new model.3. According to the Sales Rep, the customer chose a demo so that she did not have the normal 3-month-wait time and to get a fully loaded model at a discount.4.The Sales Rep said she had a number of long telephone conversations and that the customer knew that the ELF she referred to as showroom model was a used demo.5.After the sale the customer told us she had a problem with her back tire. We offered to have customer service help her even though demos are not under warranty. We asked her to explain her problem and send a photo of it and she never did.6. She received a 1.8 demo model of $10,184.50. The price for a brand new 1.8 is now $11,859.55 so she received a significant savings on her model.However, since there appears to be a miscommunication Organic Transit, although under no obligation, did the following:1. Offer her a free warranty on the ELF she currently owns.2. Offered a full refund for her ELF provided she pays for the shipping using an OT certified shippers. Have not yet heard back on her decision.Consumer Response The words "used or "demo" were never used in voice or email communications with the sales rep. I built my custom ELF with the sales rep AFTER which she said they had one like it on their showroom floor. She then sent me two quotes, one for the showroom model and one for the custom unit. The original price I was quoted for this "showroom" unit was for an 'ELF 2FR CoPilot Two Seater with a base price of $5,995.00. I was then told she sent me the "wrong" quote by using an outdated (the original) price sheet, and I was sent a new quote for the "showroom" model with a $6,695 base price.Neither of their offers work for me. If I had wanted a used Elf, I would have bought one on eBay with a few hundred miles on it for $3,000. The option of sending it back for a full refund at my expense using their carrier is not acceptable either. I bought this unit under fraudulent circumstances; I should not have to cover the shipping costs to return it. I paid $700 to have it shipped from North Carolina.This company does not accept credit cards or checks, only money orders and accepts no returns on their custom units. These business practices leave the consumer with no recourse when the product is not as described or does not work for them.I want a complete refund of the $10,000 I sent to Organic transport for the used, demo that I was sold.Final Business Response 1. The customer admitted in her first email that she called Organic Transit asking for a used ELF. Our Sales Representative said we had a used showroom demo model on the showroom floor. The Sales Rep wrote and sent her two quotes --- for a brand new one and for the showroom model. She picked the showroom model NOT a new model. According to the Sales Rep, she chose the showroom demo so that she did not have the normal 3-month-wait time that it takes to build a new ELF and so that she could get many options at a discount.2. She paid $9369.74 excluding shipping for your showroom demo ELF. That ELF with those options today costs $11,859.55 excluding shipping. She was aware that she was receiving a deep discount and no wait time but now claims she had no idea why and that she didn't know the showroom model was a used demo. 3. Customer said she wanted to return her ELF. We do not normally accept returns or give refunds and we are under no obligation to do so. However we agreed to make an exception because she says she misunderstood what she was buying. However, Organic Transit does not agree with her contention that she was in any way misled.4. To receive a refund she must ship her ELF back in the same manner as it was received using our approved Organic Transit certified shipper. She is responsible for the return shipping costs. As a courtesy we agreed to arrange this for her and provide her with a date and the shipping cost.5. When we have received the ELF back via our certified shipper and inspected her ELF we will issue a full refund check minus original shipping costs.6. Customer is refusing to pay the return shipping costs. We have already compromised by agreeing to take back the ELF even though it is against our return policy. 7.Just a few days ago the customer told me by email that she loved her ELF and would never return it. At that point I agreed to give her a full warranty on her ELF as if it was brand new. I asked her to send me photos and a list of any problems we could help correct. She did not reply to that email.7. I have offered her either a full warranty or a full refund even though we are under no obligation to offer either. Customer is not satisfied with either of those options. And so my hands are tied since she is not returning the ELF via our certified shipper as required to obtain a refund.