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Cheap Chinese electric cars are coming to the US and Europe

qz.com

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

#71

Post by rconti »

Poiesis wrote: post #33

At that price point I'd enthusiastically recommend a three year old Nissan Leaf; that's about what I paid and it's served me well.

Absolutely. You're not saving money buying a brand-new $9k car with zero resale value. You're honestly better off just buying a used Corolla and paying for gas or a used EV like you mention.

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

#72

Post by BRAlNlAC »

bluGill wrote: post #9
amigiac wrote: post #6

They don't mention the range...

That is one of the things not mentioned. Do they have heat/AC, do they work when it is -30, how do they do in a crash (granted at a 28mph top speed they don't need much production). Will they be road legal? I'm interested, my 4 mile commute never gets to 30mph anyway, but I need to be sure it will work for me vs just be another ATV that I have no use for. (I just moved, my bike is someplace but until the weather impr…

>granted at a 28mph top speed they don't need much production(sic)

I have to disagree. When it comes to crash safety I am usually much more worried about a large SUV with bald tires than I am about crashing my own car. That SUV is on the road regardless of what you drive unfortunately, which drives the arms race of ever safer (and bigger and more dangerous) vehicles.

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

#73

Post by stemc43 »

Someone1234 wrote: post #31

I'd technically be in the demographic for this. I have a less than 10 mile commute. However, that 28 MpH maximum speed is a legitimate limitation/problem, even on my under 10 mile commute, there's at least two roads that are 40 MpH (people drive 45 MpH), and I'm going to get honked at if I can barely maintain 28 MpH. I like the price and concept... But that max speed is a deal breaker. It will be interesting to see w…

There is no way these will be street legal in US. Just 0% chance. Selling something street legal is a huge hustle in US -> is why there is exactly 0 Chinese car manufacturers represented here (hell - no even european renault and peugeot can get established) -> just a huge lobby & big & politics & patent war stacking up against this.

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

#74

Post by raws »

akshatrathi wrote: post #13

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.

Thank you for populating your articles with graphs and sources at qz, that makes it one of my favorite source of information!

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

#75

Post by bluGill »

AJ007 wrote: post #58
bluGill wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That is one of the things not mentioned. Do they have heat/AC, do they work when it is -30, how do they do in a crash (granted at a 28mph top speed they don't need much production). Will they be road legal? I'm interested, my 4 mile commute never gets to 30mph anyway, but I need to be sure it will work for me vs just be another ATV that I have no use for. (I just moved, my bike is someplace but until the weather impr…

I may wildly presumptive (based on the photo in the article), but if there aren't any doors I'm not sure how useful heat/AC would be.

If heat/AC is not useful, then I'm not a customer. If they can (magic?) make useful heat/AC without doors I'm fine with that. (though that does bring up the question - if I go through a puddle will I stay dry?)

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

#76

Post by bluGill »

dv_dt wrote: post #55

These seem like utility (landscaping) grade golf carts that are already a market in the US. Available in mostly gas, but some electric forms. https://www.deere.com/en/gator-utility-vehicles/ https://www.toro.com/en/sports-fields-municipalities/utility... https://www.catresourcecenter.com/machine/landscaping/utilit...

Except these are designed to be road legal in the 46 states that allow them. As far as I can tell, the utility vehicles you state are not road legal - the difference is minor though as you can legally drive them on the road in all 50 states for things like agriculture but the limits are stronger.

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

#77

Post by akshatrathi »

raws wrote: post #74
akshatrathi wrote: post #13

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.

Thank you for populating your articles with graphs and sources at qz, that makes it one of my favorite source of information!

It also happens to be my favorite thing about writing Qz articles. :)

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

#78

Post by bluGill »

zazen wrote: post #27
akshatrathi wrote: post #13

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.

Are these road-legal in the west? If the off-road farm and construction-site applications are the only use-cases, that would seem to rather limit the impact on the market.

Probably, but you better check your exact situation which might be illegal anyway.

They are legal in 46 states currently, on streets with a speed limit <= 35mph. Some towns have more restrictive laws as well.

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

#79

Post by yellowapple »

akshatrathi wrote: post #23
monochromatic wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

$9000 seems like a lot for something so limited.

Yeah, I'd like to buy them at the price they sell it in China: $2,500.

I suspect the price difference is due to different standards of "road-worthiness" in China v. the US.

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

#80

Post by cmrdporcupine »

If it can have a snow plow mounted on the front and it has a trailer hitch, I'd buy one just for use on my hobby farm. Assuming they make it to Canada. I don't need it to be road legal, either. Just needs to be narrow enough to get down an 8' vineyard row, and be able to push a couple feet of snow.
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