Cheap Chinese electric cars are coming to the US and Europe • Hacker News Board

Re: Cheap Chinese electric cars are coming to the US and Europe

#11

Post by mdgrech23 » Mon, Feb 04, 2019, 5:00 PM UTC

No crash protection? Almost 10k? I can get a decent used vehicle for 10k with a better top speed and crash protection. Seems like a no brainer to me to stick w/ a traditional model.

Re: Cheap Chinese electric cars are coming to the US and Europe

#12

Post by hourislate » Mon, Feb 04, 2019, 5:00 PM UTC

amigiac wrote: post #6

They don't mention the range...

This was from a link to FOX NEWS in the article.

https://www.foxnews.com/auto/new-half-ton-electric-pickup-co...

>It’s made by China’s Kaiyun Motors and has a 5.5 hp motor that's good for a top speed of just 28 mph, which classifies it as a low-speed or neighborhood electric vehicle (LSV/NEV). Regulations regarding their operation vary state to state, but they are street legal in some places. It's aimed mainly at commercial customers and has a range of 75 miles per charge.

Re: Cheap Chinese electric cars are coming to the US and Europe

#13

Post by akshatrathi » Mon, Feb 04, 2019, 5:01 PM UTC

I wrote this article and a field guide on China's electric-car boom https://qz.com/guide/electric-cars/. Happy to answer any questions.

Re: Cheap Chinese electric cars are coming to the US and Europe

#14

Post by yingw787 » Mon, Feb 04, 2019, 5:01 PM UTC

I sure hope these aren’t road legal. Maybe in warehouses or farms or golf courses. Not roads.

Re: Cheap Chinese electric cars are coming to the US and Europe

#15

Post by monochromatic » Mon, Feb 04, 2019, 5:01 PM UTC

oblio wrote: post #8

howard941 wrote: post #5

I'd prefer something like this for my in-city commute over the already-allowed golf cart, but not at that price point.

> but not at that price point Are they too expensive?

$9000 seems like a lot for something so limited.

Re: Cheap Chinese electric cars are coming to the US and Europe

#16

Post by akshatrathi » Mon, Feb 04, 2019, 5:02 PM UTC

mdgrech23 wrote: post #11

No crash protection? Almost 10k? I can get a decent used vehicle for 10k with a better top speed and crash protection. Seems like a no brainer to me to stick w/ a traditional model.

I didn't say there's no crash protection on the Pickman. It's the $1000 cars sold in China that don't have them. Pretty sure that to qualify in the US and Europe, the Kaiyun car need to a minimum level of safety features.

Re: Cheap Chinese electric cars are coming to the US and Europe

#17

Post by bryanlarsen » Mon, Feb 04, 2019, 5:03 PM UTC

yingw787 wrote: post #14

I sure hope these aren’t road legal. Maybe in warehouses or farms or golf courses. Not roads.

They fall under the same laws as golf karts, which vary from state to state.

Re: Cheap Chinese electric cars are coming to the US and Europe

#18

Post by blhack » Mon, Feb 04, 2019, 5:03 PM UTC

mdgrech23 wrote: post #11

No crash protection? Almost 10k? I can get a decent used vehicle for 10k with a better top speed and crash protection. Seems like a no brainer to me to stick w/ a traditional model.

It seems obvious that used versions of these will be cheaper than $10k.

Re: Cheap Chinese electric cars are coming to the US and Europe

#19

Post by DeonPenny » Mon, Feb 04, 2019, 5:04 PM UTC

I would guess these work better in china which is a more dense country without the driving culture the US at least has. A car that goes 28mph with a limited range is basically a scooter.

Re: Cheap Chinese electric cars are coming to the US and Europe

#20

Post by akshatrathi » Mon, Feb 04, 2019, 5:05 PM UTC

yingw787 wrote: post #14

I sure hope these aren’t road legal. Maybe in warehouses or farms or golf courses. Not roads.

There will be an NHTSA approved road legal version, per Fox News https://www.foxnews.com/auto/new-half-ton-electric-pickup-co...