Weird Alibaba: A solar-powered ,000 inflatable electric houseboat

Weird Alibaba: A solar-powered $10,000 inflatable electric houseboat

Published

3 years ago

November 26, 2022

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The list of weird yet awesome electric boats on Alibaba seems to grow every week. Fortunately for us, we’ve managed to stumble upon another oddball offering in the form of an inflatable electric houseboat. And if you ask me, it’s perfect for the latest edition of the Awesomely Weird Alibaba Electric Vehicle of the Week series.

For some reason our graphics guy seems to think this is more of a bathroom toy that I’d put in my tub than a fully-fledged ocean-going vessel. But don’t be fooled! This inflatable boat is actually 6 meters (20 feet) long and can fit up to six people aboard (and apparently another three on the roof).

The canopy is somehow rigid enough to support several people on top, making it a fun diving platform when you’re out on the lake.

I have no idea how an inflatable houseboat could be that strong, but they seem to have figured it out.

Or at least someone has. Googling around leads me to believe that this might be a knockoff from a company called Hovercraft SI. Or maybe they just source their inflatable boats from the Alibaba vendor I found. Who knows? The only thing I do know for sure is that I definitely want one of these things!

And at $10,000 (or just $6,000 if you buy 100 units!), it’s probably one of the cheapest electric houseboats on the market.

The term houseboat might be a bit of a stretch though. I’m not sure there’s much of a kitchen, as an open flame in a plastic inflatable boat doesn’t seem like a good idea. It’s the same reason you don’t see many barbecues in rental bounce houses.

And I’ve never seen an inflatable toilet before but I’m guessing it wouldn’t be an enjoyable experience. So this houseboat is likely missing a head.

But the rest seems to be nicely thought out. At first I questioned why it needed fenders — it’s not like you’re going to scratch up your fiberglass hull. But then I realized that perhaps sliding your inflatable boat right up to a splinter-lined wooden dock might not be the best idea.

And check out those accoutrements! There’s a great looking captain’s chair and command console, there are large windows to enjoy the sunrise each morning when you wake, and there are even privacy curtains to keep other’s eyes off of you at night. You what they say, when this houseboats a’rocking….either don’t come a’knocking or maybe call the Coast Guard because something has gone horribly wrong with my inflatable houseboat.

Apologies to my more tech-enthused readers, but we don’t have a lot of specs to share on this interesting marine abode. We can tell that the electric outboard motor is made by EPropulsion, but I don’t see any information about batteries.

There’s a good chance it’s running a 24V-48V system, but without any further information from the manufacturer I’m a bit worried that it’s a BYOB (bring your own batteries) situation.

That’s the case with my own electric boat that I recently ordered, where I have to supply the 24V batteries stateside when it arrives.

Even so, that’s the easy part. If China can make me an inflatable houseboat, I don’t mind scrounging around for some batteries.

I’m not sure how much solar is on the roof either, but those three panels look to be a good 250W each, maybe more. That’s not likely enough to power the motor alone, but it might double the range of the battery on a sunny day. It also means that you could probably avoid charging the boat if you use it just on the weekends. Even if you nearly drain it over the weekend, it can charge back up all week and be ready for you with a full charge next Saturday morning. Or considering that most houseboats are fairly stationary, you’d be able to use its battery for running other devices like lights, music, charging up electric surfboards, etc.

At $10,000, this one unfortunately won’t be added my growing stable of questionable purchases from Alibaba. But if someone else wants to take a risk, I’ll be excited to hear all about your maiden voyage.

Maybe just bring a life jacket.

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Environment

India’s inflation rises to 0.71% in November as decline in food, fuel prices loses steam

Published

2 hours ago

December 12, 2025

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India’s inflation rises to 0.71% in November as decline in food, fuel prices loses steam

Shoppers purchase groceries at the upscale LuLu Hypermarket located in the Lulu International Shopping Mall in Kerala, India, on May 25, 2022.

Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty Images

India’s consumer inflation rose to 0.71% in November, accelerating from an all-time low of 0.25% in the prior month.

The headline inflation number was in line with estimates of a 0.70% rise in the consumer price index, according to a Reuters poll of economists’ median estimates.

The rise in consumer inflation was due to rises in the price of vegetables, eggs, meat and fish, spices and fuel, the government said in its Friday release, adding that fuel and light prices rose 2.32% in November compared to 1.98% in October.

Inflation also rose in both urban and rural areas.

Low inflation environment, coupled with the weakening of some key economic indicators, led India’s central bank to cut its policy rates by 25 basis points last week, allowing it to boost the country’s already strong economic growth.

The Reserve Bank of India expects consumer inflation at 2% for fiscal year ending March 2026, down from 2.6% forecast in October. It estimates CPI at 2.9% in the three months to March, rising to 4.0% in the quarter ending September 2026.

“The growth-inflation balance, especially the benign inflation outlook on both headline and core, continues to provide the policy space to support the growth momentum,” the central bank said last week after its monetary policy meeting.

Low inflation outlook has allowed the central bank “to remain growth supportive,” RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra said, adding that the central bank will “continue to meet productive requirements of the economy in a proactive manner.”

Experts are divided on whether the 25-basis-point cut will be the last in this easing cycle or the RBI could ease further, given Malhotra’s “dovish” signals.

“We believe weaker growth down the line, low for long inflation, and tight fiscal policy may require growth supportive monetary policy in 2026 as well,” HSBC Research said in a report last week, post the monetary policy announcement.

In August, the U.S. imposed an additional 25% tariff on Indian imports, raising total duties to as high as 50%, among the steepest imposed by Washington on its trading partners, with textiles, gems and jewelry, and marine products being hit the hardest.

While exports to the U.S. account for just about 2% of India’s GDP, a prolonged weakness in those labor-intensive sectors could lead to job losses and weigh on overall growth.

To cushion the blow, New Delhi rationalized its goods and services tax regime, reducing levies on several items on Sept. 22, to spur domestic demand ahead of a month-long festive season. The tax cuts led to reduced prices for consumer goods, vehicles, and farm products, boosting consumption.

While consumption picked up, exports to the U.S., one of India’s major trading partners, fell for a second straight month in October, sliding 8.5% from a year earlier to $6.3 billion. Overall, outbound shipments in October also dropped 11.8% to $34.38 billion.

With no deal between New Delhi and Washington in sight, in the last few days, and a drop in exports, the Indian rupee has been hitting record lows against the dollar, and was trading below the 90-rupee-per-dollar mark on Friday.

Environment

Global EV sales jump 21% in 2025 as Europe surges and the US stalls

Published

13 hours ago

December 12, 2025

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Global EV sales jump 21% in 2025 as Europe surges and the US stalls

EV and battery supply chain research specialists Benchmark Mineral Intelligence reports that 2.0 million electric vehicles were sold globally in November 2025, bringing global EV sales to 18.5 million units year-to-date. That’s a 21% increase compared to the same period in 2024.

Europe was the clear growth leader in November, while North America continued to lag following the expiration of US EV tax credits. China, meanwhile, remains the world’s largest EV market by a wide margin.

Europe leads global growth

Europe’s EV market jumped 36% year-over-year in November 2025, with BEV sales up 35% and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) sales rising 39%. That brings Europe’s total EV sales to 3.8 million units for the year so far, up 33% compared to January–November 2024.

France finally returned to year-to-date growth in November, edging up 1% after spending most of 2025 in the red following earlier subsidy cuts. The rebound was led by OEMs such as the Volkswagen Group and Renault, a wider selection of EV models, and France’s “leasing social” program, aimed at helping lower-income households switch to EVs.

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Italy also posted a standout month, logging record EV sales of just under 25,000 units in November. The surge followed the launch of a new incentive program designed to replace older ICE vehicles. The program earmarks €597.3 million (about $700 million) in funding for the replacement of around 39,000 gas cars.

The UK expanded access to its full £3,750 ($4,400) EV subsidy by adding five more eligible models: the Nissan Leaf (built in Sunderland, with deliveries starting in early 2026), the MINI Countryman, Renault 4, Renault 5, and Alpine A290.

US market slows after federal tax credit’s premature death

In North America, EV sales in the US did tick up month-over-month in November, following a sharp October drop after federal tax credits expired on September 30, 2025. Brands including Kia (up 30%), Hyundai (up 20%), Honda (up 11%), and Subaru (232 Solterra sales versus just 13 the month before) all saw gains, but overall volumes remain below levels when the federal tax credit was still available.

Policy changes aren’t helping. In early December, Trump formally “reset” US Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards, lowering the required fleetwide average to about 34.5 mpg by 2031. That’s a steep drop from the roughly 50.4 mpg target under the previous rule. Automakers can now meet the standard largely through gas vehicles, reducing pressure to scale BEVs and PHEVs.

Those loosened rules are already reflected in investment decisions, such as Stellantis’ $13 billion plan to expand US production by 50%, with a heavy focus on ICE vehicles. Earlier this year, Trump’s big bill set fines for missing CAFE targets to $0, further weakening the incentive for OEMs to electrify.

That’s some foolish policymaking, considering the world reached peak gas car sales in 2017. The US under Trump will be left behind, just as it will be with its attempts to revive the coal industry.

China still dominates, exports surge

China remains the backbone of global EV sales, even as growth slows. The Chinese market grew 3% year-over-year and 4% month-over-month in November. Year-to-date, EV sales in China are up 19%, with 11.6 million units sold.

One of the biggest headlines out of China is exports. BYD reported a record 131,935 EV exports in November, blowing past its previous high of around 90,000 units set in June. BYD sales in Europe have jumped more than fourfold this year to around 200,000 vehicles, doubled in Southeast Asia, and climbed by more than 50% in South America.

Global snapshot

Global EV sales from January to November 2025 vs January to November 2024, YTD %:

Global: 18.5 million, +21%
China: 11.6 million, +19%
Europe: 3.8 million, +33%
North America: 1.7 million, -1%
Rest of World: 1.5 million, +48%

The takeaway: EV demand continues to grow worldwide, but policy support – or the lack thereof – is increasingly shaping where this growth shows up.

“Overall, EV demand remains resilient, supported by expanding model ranges and sustained policy incentives worldwide,” said Rho Motion data manager Charles Lester.

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Environment

Hyundai’s new midsize electric SUV spotted overseas for the first time

Published

14 hours ago

December 11, 2025

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Hyundai's new midsize electric SUV spotted overseas for the first time

The Elexio is Hyundai’s first electric SUV custom-tailored for the Chinese market, but now it’s headed overseas.

Hyundai is bringing the Elexio electric SUV overseas

Hyundai’s midsize electric SUV was spotted on a carrier truck in Melbourne, Australia, alongside a few of its other vehicles.

Although the Elexio is built by Hyundai’s joint venture with BAIC Motor, Beijing-Hyundai, “tailor-made for Chinese consumers,” we had a feeling it would be sold overseas.

A few months ago, Don Romano, CEO of Hyundai Australia, hinted that the midsize electric SUV could arrive in The Land Down Under. Romano told journalists during an IONIQ 9 launch event that the Elexio’s launch in Australia was “under evaluation,” calling it “a promising vehicle.”

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Hyundai confirmed the rumors shortly after, saying the new midsize electric SUV would launch in Australia in early 2026.

According to CarsGuide, the Elexio was caught on a car carrier in Melbourne on Wednesday morning ahead of its official launch.

Powered by an 88.1 kWh battery, the Elexio delivers up to nearly 450 miles (722 km) CLTC range. It’s based on the E-GMP platform, which underpins all IONIQ models and Kia’s EV lineup, with single and dual-motor (AWD) powertrain options. The electric SUV can also recharge from 30% to 80% in about 27 minutes.

The interior is packed with advanced Chinese tech, including Huawei’s advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8295 chip that powers the massive 27″ 4K widescreen display.

The Elexio is 4,615 mm long, 1,875 mm wide, and 1,698 mm tall, with a wheelbase of 2,750 mm, which is a bit shorter than the Tesla Model Y. It’s closer in size to the BYD Yuan Plus, sold overseas as the Atto 3.

Hyundai’s midsize electric SUV is expected to compete with some of Australia’s top-selling EVs, including the Tesla Model Y and Geely EX5.

Hyundai-Elexio-electric-SUV — The Hyundai Elexio electric SUV (Source: Beijing Hyundai)

Prices have yet to be announced, but given the IONIQ 5 starts at $76,200 (AUD), before on-road costs, the Elexio should be slightly cheaper.

In China, the Elexio is available in three trims: Fun, Smart, or Tech, with pre-sale prices starting at RMB 119,800 ($16,900).

Although the electric SUV is launching in Australia and possibly other overseas markets like New Zealand, it’s not expected to be a true global vehicle. Hyundai designed it specifically for Chinese buyers, leveraging local tech and design elements.

For those in the US, if you’re looking for a midsize electric SUV, the IONIQ 5 is worth a look with 300+ miles of range, fast charging, and a spacious, tech-filled interior. With leases starting at just $189 a month, the IONIQ 5 is cheaper than most gas-powered cars in its class. You can use our link to find the Hyundai IONIQ 5 models closest to you.

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