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When it comes to crazy electric vehicles from Alibaba, I’ve seen and written about seemingly every category under the sun. From animal-shaped electric boats and e-submarines to electric versions of Henry Ford’s Model T and even electric motorcycles with only one wheel. But never before have I found a direct-from-China EV that was as equal parts fascinating and suicidal as this one. And so it is with a combination of morbid curiosity and substantial trepidation that I present to you this week’s Awesomely Weird Alibaba Electric Vehicle of the Week: a 60+ mph (100 km/h) standing electric scooter.

You know, like a Bird electric scooter. The kind you ride to go get a coffee.

Except this one looks like it ate a few Bird scooters. And it’s the kind you stand up on to go meet Odin in Valhalla.

This massive electric scooter touts a peak power rating of 8,000 W from a pair of gigantic hub motors. That’s enough power to rocket this bad-idea-on-wheels to a claimed 100 km/h, or 62 mph.

I’d call the scooter death defying at these speeds, but I think it might be more accurate to call it death inducing.

The vendor helpfully mentions that the scooter can be limited to 25 km/h (15.5 mph), presumably to make it street legal. Good luck explaining that to the cop that pulls you over after finally catching up with you. I imagine it’d be a bit like pointing to the turn signals you added to your monster truck while stamping your foot and indignantly saying “See, officer?”

The scooter comes with two 72V battery options of either 35Ah or 45Ah. But let’s not kid ourselves, if you’re getting something this ridiculous, then you’re going to max out the pack.

With the larger 3.2 kWh option, that 25 km/h speed limit would probably let the scooter cross the US on a couple of charge stops. At modest speeds of 60 km/h (37 mph) though, the seller rates that battery for 100-130 km (62-81 miles) of range.

Still not too shabby!

That’s a big battery; credit where credit is due. It’s so big that the scooter even comes with two chargers so you have a prayer of filling that battery in a single overnight charge.

The good news is that even though you’ll be flying through the night at breakneck speed (perhaps literally), people will surely see you coming from a distance and have time to get out of the way. That’s because this rolling liability has more lights than a landing strip at O’Hare.

There are four giant spotlights, standard headlights, “ambient lighting,” LED lights built into the acrylic deck, tail lights, and turn signals. Even the instrument display lights up like a Christmas tree.

To be honest, though, that’s a pretty nice instrument panel. Despite the relatively low price of $2,645, the screen seems nicer than you used to find on most electric Zero Motorcycles costing 5-7x the price (until Zero updated those screens lately).

And while I’m making concessions, the scooter actually seems fairly decently built. The full suspension will at least give you a fighting chance when you hit anything on the road larger than a pencil at max speed. And the 13-inch wheels are quite large by scooter standards. They might even help you fare better against potholes. Of course you could also use the scooter’s other defense against potholes: Just hit them at 60 mph and your wheels won’t have time to drop down into them.

Check out how many gadgets we’ve got on those bars, too! This scooter is more decked out than a mall rent-a-cop’s tactical belt.

One area of the sales page that I absolutely love is the “notes” section. In it, the seller provides a couple key pieces of advice for prospective new scooter owners:

Note:
1.This scooter is not 100% waterproof, the water can not come in the battery (water don’t steep the pedal);

2. For the drop testing in the video, it don’t mean customer can drop it. Pls love your scooter and protect it carefully.:)

That is to say, this scooter appears to be able to handle anything you could throw at it up to and including the apocalypse, as long as it’s a dry end of times. And also, don’t drop your scooter. Though good luck even trying not to. The damn thing weighs 58 kg (127 lb).

I also love how the kind helmet-less organ donor in the demo video below is decked out in tactical elbow and knee pads but is just raw-dogging it down the road with no skid-lid. This man made the conscious decision to ride a 60 mph standing scooter with no helmet, but then thought to himself, “I better protect myself with elbow pads, that’s how I make my money.”

For the actually reasonable price of $2,695, the scooter may just be one of the cheaper ways to go out in a blaze of glory on a thrill ride.

I’m not saying I recommend anyone get one of these, and in fact I’m actively advising against it. Though the free shipping is working against me by making this out to be an even sweeter deal – if the kind of deal you’re looking for is a kamikaze scooter.

I suggest we all sit this one out and just enjoy the scooter on paper for its ridiculousness. There are plenty of other fun and weird electric vehicles on Alibaba that won’t actively try to kill you.

Check out some of my other Awesomely Weird Alibaba Electric Vehicle of the Week finds below, or drop me a line if you happen to find something fun and weird in your own perusings!


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Pete Townshend’s Quadrophenia talked about modern masculinity before Gen Z was born 

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Pete Townshend's Quadrophenia talked about modern masculinity before Gen Z was born 

Despite The Who’s Quadrophenia being set over 60 years ago, Pete Townshend’s themes of identity, mental health, and modern masculinity are just as relevant today.

The album is having a renaissance as Pete Townshend’s Quadrophenia A Mod ballet is being brought to life via dance at Sadler’s Wells East, and Sky News has an exclusive first look.

As Townshend puts it, the album he wrote is “perfect” for the stage.

Pete Townshend
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Pete Townshend

“My wife Rachel did the orchestration for me, and as soon as I heard it I said to her it would make a fabulous ballet and we never really let that go,” he tells Sky News.

“Heavy percussion, concussive sequences. They’re explosive moments. They’re also romantic movement moments.”

If you identify with the demographics of Millennial, Gen Y or Gen Z, you might not be familiar with The Who and Mod culture.

But in post-war Britain the Mods were a cultural phenomenon characterised by fashion, music, and of course, scooters. The young rebels were seen as a counter-culture to the establishment and The Who, with Roger Daltry’s lead vocals and Pete Townshend’s writing, were the soundtrack.

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Quadrophenia the album is widely regarded as an essay on the British adolescent experience at the time, focusing on the life of fictional protagonist Jimmy – a young Mod struggling with his sanity, self-doubt, and alienation. 

Townshend sets the rock opera in 1965 but thinks its themes of identity, mental health, and modern masculinity are just as relevant today.

He says: “The phobias and the restrictions and the unwritten laws about how young men should behave. The ground that they broke, that we broke because I was a part of it.

“Men were letting go of [the] wartime-related, uniform-related stance that if I wear this kind of outfit it makes me look like a man.”

Paris Fitzpatrick and Pete Townshend. Pic: Johan Persson
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Paris Fitzpatrick and Pete Townshend. Pic: Johan Persson

This struggle of modern masculinity and identity appears to be echoing today as manosphere influencers like Andrew Tate, incel culture, and Netflix’s Adolescence make headlines.

For dancer Paris Fitzpatrick, who takes on the lead role of Jimmy, the story resonates.

Paris Fitzpatrick, who takes on the lead role of Jimmy in the ballet
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Paris Fitzpatrick, who takes on the lead role of Jimmy in the ballet

“I think there’s a connection massively and I think there may even be a little more revival in some way,” he tells Sky News.

“I love that myself. I love non-conforming to gender norms and typical masculinity; I think it’s great to challenge things.”

Despite the album being written before he was born, the dancer says he was familiar with the genre already.

“I actually did an art GCSE project about Mods and rockers and Quadrophenia,” he says.

“I think we’ll be able to bring it to new audiences and hopefully, maybe people will be inspired to to learn more about their music and the whole cultural movement of the early 60s.”

Read more from Sky News:
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In 1979, the album was adapted into a film directed by Franc Roddam starring Ray Winstone and Sting but Townshend admits because the film missed key points he is “not a big fan”.

“What it turned out to be in the movie was a story about culture, about social scenario and less about really the specifics of mental illness and how that affects young people,” he adds, also complimenting Roddam’s writing for the film.

Perhaps a testament to Pete Townshend’s creativity, Quadrophenia started as an album, was successfully adapted to film and now it will hit the stage as a contemporary ballet.

It appears that over six decades later Mod culture is still cool and their issues still relatable.

Quadrophenia, a Mod Ballet will tour to Plymouth Theatre Royal from 28 May to 1 June 2025, Edinburgh Festival Theatre from 10 to 14 June 2025 and the Mayflower, Southampton from 18 to 21 June 2025 before having its official opening at Sadler’s Wells Theatre, London on 24 June running to 13 July 2025 and then visiting The Lowry, Salford from 15 to 19 July 2025.

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Russell Brand charged with rape and sexual assault

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Russell Brand charged with rape and sexual assault

Russell Brand has been charged with rape and two counts of sexual assault between 1999 and 2005.

The Metropolitan Police say the 50-year-old comedian, actor and author has also been charged with one count of oral rape and one count of indecent assault.

The charges relate to four women.

He is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday 2 May.

Police have said Brand is accused of raping a woman in the Bournemouth area in 1999 and indecently assaulting a woman in the Westminster area of London in 2001.

He is also accused of orally raping and sexually assaulting a woman in Westminster in 2004.

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Ashna Hurynag discusses Russell Brand’s charges

The fourth charge alleges that a woman was sexually assaulted in Westminster between 2004 and 2005.

Police began investigating Brand, from Oxfordshire, in September 2023 after receiving a number of allegations.

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The comedian has denied the accusations and said he has “never engaged in non-consensual activity”.

He added in a video on X: “Of course, I am now going to have the opportunity to defend these charges in court, and I’m incredibly grateful for that.”

Metropolitan Police Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy, who is leading the investigation, said: “The women who have made reports continue to receive support from specially trained officers.

“The Met’s investigation remains open and detectives ask anyone who has been affected by this case, or anyone who has any information, to come forward and speak with police.”

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Tom Cruise leads moment of silence in tribute to ‘dear friend’ Val Kilmer

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Tom Cruise leads moment of silence in tribute to 'dear friend' Val Kilmer

Tom Cruise has paid tribute to Val Kilmer, wishing his Top Gun co-star “well on the next journey”.

Cruise, speaking at the CinemaCon film event in Las Vegas on Thursday, asked for a moment’s silence to reflect on the “wonderful” times shared with the star, whom he called a “dear friend”.

Kilmer, who died of pneumonia on Tuesday aged 65, rocketed to fame starring alongside Cruise in the 1986 blockbuster Top Gun, playing Tom ‘Iceman’ Kazansky, a rival fighter pilot to Cruise’s character Maverick.

Tom Cruise, star of the upcoming film "Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning," leads a moment of silence for late actor Val Kilmer during the Paramount Pictures presentation at CinemaCon at Caesars Palace on Thursday, April 3, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Image:
Tom Cruise said ‘I wish you well on the next journey’. Pic: AP

Val Kilmer in 2017. Pic: AP
Image:
Val Kilmer in 2017. Pic: AP

His last part was a cameo role in the 2022 blockbuster sequel Top Gun: Maverick.

Cruise, on stage at Caesars Palace on Thursday, said: “I’d like to honour a dear friend of mine, Val Kilmer. I can’t tell you how much I admire his work, how grateful and honoured I was when he joined Top Gun and came back later for Top Gun: Maverick.

“I think it would be really nice if we could have a moment together because he loved movies and he gave a lot to all of us. Just kind of think about all the wonderful times that we had with him.

“I wish you well on the next journey.”

The moment of silence followed a string of tributes from Hollywood figures including Cher, Francis Ford Coppola, Antonio Banderas and Michelle Monaghan.

Kilmer’s daughter Mercedes told the New York Times on Wednesday that the actor had died from pneumonia.

Tom Cruise takes part in the Paramount Pictures presentation at CinemaCon at Caesars Palace on Thursday, April 3, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
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Tom Cruise at Caesars Palace on Thursday. Pic: AP

Diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014, Kilmer discussed his illness and recovery in his 2020 memoir Your Huckleberry and Amazon Prime documentary Val.

He underwent radiation and chemotherapy treatments for the disease and also had a tracheostomy which damaged his vocal cords and permanently gave him a raspy speaking voice.

Kilmer played Batman in the 1995 film Batman Forever and received critical acclaim for his portrayal of rock singer Jim Morrison in the 1991 movie The Doors.

Read more from Sky News:
Tributes to ‘genius’ Kilmer
Richest billionaires named
Springsteen’s seven new albums

He also starred in True Romance and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, as well as playing criminal Chris Shiherlis in Michael Mann’s 1995 movie Heat and Doc Holliday in the 1993 film Tombstone.

In 1988 he married British actress Joanne Whalley, whom he met while working on fantasy adventure Willow.

The couple had two children before divorcing in 1996.

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