Weird Alibaba: 4-door $4.5k Chinese electric pick-up truck for off-road adventures
When most families go on safari, they rent a truck or pay a company for a guided tour. But with this cheap Chinese electric truck I find in the bowels of the internet, you could spend the same amount of money and get to keep your safari truck at the end! And lucky for us, this funky little e-truck is perfect for this week’s Awesomely Weird Alibaba Electric Vehicle of the Week column!
We’re no stranger to mini electric pickup trucks. This series has featured fun little farm trucks, hot pink Barbie trucks-come-to-life, and even stubby little pickup trucks with a bed the size of a suitcase.
But never before have we seen such an off-road ready mini electric truck, and that makes this week’s feature a special find.
It already comes complete with front bash guard with fog lights, full length extended roof rack, rear mesh rack for protected storage, roof light bar, tubular doors, skid plate, and optional running boards (just in case you need help climbing up into a mini pickup truck).
The truck itself is setup as a four seater so you can take the whole family on safari, though there appears to be a two-seater variant as well for the non-breeders to enjoy their vacation in peace.
It’d be nice if this thing came as a 4×4, but the electric motor mounted on the rear axle precludes it. Instead, you’ve got yourself a rear wheel drive truck. The good news though is there’s no driveshaft tunnel, meaning you’ve got a flat floor throughout the entire cab.
The motor isn’t particularly impressive at just 4,000W, though like most Chinese EVs, that’s a continuous power rating. Peak power is likely closer to 6,500W or around 8.7 hp.
That’s enough for the 45 km/h (28 mph) top speed. You may not outrun any lions or charging rhinos, but at least you’ll get a darn good last look at them through those open tubular doors!
For batteries, this truck rocks 72V 100Ah lead acid batteries. The first thing I’d do if this were my truck would be to rip out that 7.2 kWh of century-old battery technology and toss in six new 12V 100Ah LiFePO4 bricks to get some modern day battery technology.
The vendor claims a range of 120 km (75 miles) with the original batteries, and I’d wager that you’d do slightly better with the lithium iron phosphate upgrade, since those batteries are much more tolerant of deep discharges. They’ll also last a good 7-10x as long, so it’s worth the upgrade.
I’ve got an electric boat on the way from Alibaba and I’ve already got those exact LiFePO4 bricks waiting in my garage to load up the hull with modern, safe energy storage.
The rest of the features on the truck are surprisingly good, especially considering the reasonable $4,500 purchase price. We’re looking at rack-and-pinion steering, independent front suspension, aluminum wheels, electric windows, three-point seat belts, and even a front storage frunk.
Of course this thing would never cost you just $4,500 in the end, considering you’ve probably got a couple thousand bucks in freight charges, another grand or so in import duties, several hundred dollars in customs broker fees and port charges, etc.
Then you’re looking at the small problem of it not being even close to street legal in the US. There are a growing number of DOT-approved 25 mph (40 km/h) mini EVs in the US that qualify as road legal LSVs, (low speed vehicles), but this ain’t one of them. There are even street-legal mini pickups in the US that look like what this is based on, though they cost around 4-6x this much.
If your main use is a safari trip though, street legal status might not be at the top of your priority list.
I’m sorry to say that I don’t think I’ll be adding this one to my list of fun Alibaba purchases.
I took a risk on buying an electric mini-truck from China last summer and it actually went quite well.
It was a gamble that I’m not sure I’ll be ready to roll the dice on again though, at least not any time soon.
It’s been an awesome work truck for around my parents’ ranch (it’s another definitely not street-legal situation), though I’ve had to make a few upgrades like adding off-road tires (which weren’t on yet in the image below).
While I wait for my electric pleasure boat to arrive on the slow boat from China, I’ll ponder the missed opportunity of buying a bright orange mini safari truck. Maybe I’ll regret it, but there’s always next summer.
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More than 100,000 home batteries across California stepped up as a virtual power plant last week in a scheduled test event, and the results were impressive, according to new analysis from The Brattle Group.
Sunrun was the largest aggregator, Tesla was the largest OEM, and most of the batteries were enrolled
in California’s Demand-Side Grid Support (DSGS) program.
Sunrun’s distributed battery fleet delivered more than two-thirds of the energy during a scheduled two-hour grid support test on July 29. In total, the event pumped an average of 535 megawatts (MW) onto the grid – enough to power over half of San Francisco.
The event, run between 7 and 9 pm, was coordinated by the California Energy Commission, CAISO (California Independent System Operator), and utilities to prepare for stress on the grid during August and September heat waves. And it worked.
Sunrun alone averaged over 360 MW during the two-hour window. The batteries kicked in right when electricity demand typically spikes in the evening, acting just like a traditional power plant, but from people’s homes.
Brattle’s analysis found that the battery output made a visible dent in statewide grid load, when the power is needed most. “Performance was consistent across the event, without major fluctuations or any attrition,” said Ryan Hledik, a principal at The Brattle Group. He called it “dependable, planning-grade performance at scale.”
Residential batteries, Hledik explained, don’t just help shave off demand during critical hours; they can reduce the need for new power plants entirely. “They can serve CAISO’s net peak, reduce the need to invest in new generation capacity, and relieve strain on the system associated with the evening load ramp,” he said.
This isn’t a one-off. Sunrun’s fleet already helped drop peak demand earlier this summer, delivering 325 MW during a similar event on June 24. The company compensates customers up to $150 per battery per season for participating.
Sunrun CEO Mary Powell summed it up: “Distributed home batteries are a powerful and flexible resource that reliably delivers power to the grid at a moment’s notice, benefiting all households by preventing blackouts, alleviating peak demand, and reducing extreme price spikes.”
Read more: The US’s largest virtual power plant now runs on 75,000 home batteries
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Hyundai’s new Elexio electric SUV, which is built in China, could be sold in overseas markets. The CEO of Hyundai Australia calls it “a promising vehicle” that could help the company regain market share from Tesla, BYD, and others.
Will Hyundai’s new Elexio SUV be sold overseas?
The Elexio SUV is the first dedicated electric vehicle from Hyundai’s joint venture with BAIC in China, Beijing Hyundai.
After unveiling it for the first time in May, Hyundai is preparing to launch the new Elexio in China in the next few weeks.
According to a new report, Hyundai’s new electric SUV could be sold in overseas markets, including Australia. Don Romano, the CEO of Hyundai Australia, told journalists (via EV Central) last week during the launch event for the new IONIQ 9 that the company has done a “terrible job” with its EVs so far.
“And the only explanation for that is that we haven’t put enough focus into it,” he explained. However, Romano promises the automaker will do better.
Hyundai plans to boost marketing and support its dealership network, which only began selling IONIQ EV models a little over a year ago.
In what mostly went under the radar, Romano also suggested the new Elexio SUV could arrive in Australia. “It’s under evaluation now,” he said, adding, “it’s definitely a promising vehicle.”
Despite this, it may have a few hurdles to clear. Hyundai’s Australian boss explained, “I still have work to do to ensure that it’s the right vehicle in the right segment at the right price for our market. And I have not reached that level yet.”
Romano told journalists that a final decision needs to be made “in the next 60 to 90 days,” and to check back in three months when he will have a definitive answer.
Hyundai Australia is also looking to launch the IONIQ 2, a smaller, more affordable EV to sit between the Inster EV and Kona Electric.
Romano said, “It’s a potential opportunity,” but didn’t provide any details. He said, at this point, he’s just glad Hyundai is producing it. “Now I just need to get the details and find out, will it fit into our overall product plan and create enough demand to where it becomes a viable option for us? So my initial thought is absolutely. Yep.” Hyundai Australia’s boss told journalists.
The new EVs would help Hyundai, which has been struggling to keep pace in the transition to electric, compete in Australia and other overseas markets.
As of June 2025, Hyundai has sold only 853 EVs in Australia. In comparison, Tesla has sold 14,146 electric vehicles, and BYD has sold over 8,300. Even Kia is selling more EVs in Australia, with 4,402 units sold in the first six months of the year.
Measuring 4,615 mm in length, 1,875 mm in width, and 1,673 mm in height, Hyundai’s electric SUV is slightly smaller than the Tesla Model Y.
It recently underwent three consecutive crash tests among several other global evaluations, consistently outperforming benchmarks. Based on Hyundai’s E-GMP platform that powers nearly all Hyundai and Kia EVs, the Elexio has a CLTC driving range of up to 435 miles (700 km)
Hyundai is set to launch it in China in the third quarter of 2025. Prices have yet to be announced, but it’s expected to start at around 140,000 yuan ($19,500).
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Time’s ticking for snagging a great EV lease deal. With the 25% tariff on imported EVs already in place and the federal tax credit disappearing on September 30, automakers are rolling out serious deals. If you’re thinking about going electric, now’s the moment. Here are some of the best August EV lease deals our friends at CarsDirect found.
2025 Honda Prologue lease from $159/month
Honda’s throwing down a wild lease deal on the 2025 Prologue if you’re in the right state. For a limited time, you can drive off in the all-electric SUV for the equivalent of just $200/month, but there’s a twist. Instead of monthly payments, Honda’s offering a rare One Pay Lease: you drop $4,800 upfront for a 24-month lease. That’s it. No monthly bills, and you save nearly 2% compared to standard rates.
If paying all at once isn’t in the cards, there’s still an option to pay $159/month for 24 months with $1,099 due at signing. Either way, the Prologue ranks among the cheapest new electric SUVs to lease right now.
There are some strings, though. These ultra-low prices are only available in California and other CARB states, and they include a $3,500 loyalty or conquest bonus, so you’ll need to be coming from a Honda lease or ready to ditch another brand.
These deals rely on the EV lease loophole to pass through the $7,500 tax credit. Once that disappears on September 30, expect prices to jump. At that point, buying might make more sense than leasing.
Click here to find a local dealer that may have the Honda Prologue in stock. –trusted affiliate link
2025 Volkswagen ID.4 lease from $129/month
Volkswagen just slashed the ID.4 lease – and it’s a big one. Right now, you can lease the 2025 ID.4 Pro RWD for just $129/month for 24 months with 10,000 miles a year. That works out to an effective cost of only $233/month, making it $264 less than it was before.
This isn’t just a good deal – it’s practically interest-free. The previous lease rate hovered around 1%, but now it’s basically 0%. On top of that, VW is stacking up to $9,250 in lease cash depending on which trim you pick. Even the base Pro RWD gets $7,500 in incentives. This deal only runs through August 31.
Click here to find a local dealer that may have the Volkswagen ID.4 in stock. –trusted affiliate link
2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 lease from $149/month
Hyundai just dropped one of the best EV lease deals of the summer. The refreshed 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 SE Standard Range is going for $149/month for 36 months (10,000 miles a year) with $3,999 due at signing. That brings the effective monthly cost to just $260 – a nearly $100 drop from July’s offer. This deal is available through September 2.
If you’ve got little wiggle room in your budget, the SE Long Range might be worth the upgrade at $189/month with the same upfront cost – only $40 more a month for a lot more range.
Click here to find a local dealer that may have the Hyundai IONIQ 5 in stock. –trusted affiliate link
2025 Hyundai IONIQ 6 lease from $169/month
The 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 6 SE Standard Range is going for $169/month for 24 months (12,000 miles a year) with $3,999 due at signing. That pencils out to an effective cost of $336/month, and with the current lease cash, it’s a solid bargain.
Hyundai is offering up to $11,750 in lease cash on the IONIQ 6, plus an extra $1,000 Inventory Coupon if you lease a car that’s been sitting on the lot for 180+ days. That’s even more than July’s offer.
These offers are good through September 2, so if sleek, efficient, and affordable is your vibe, the IONIQ 6 is a solid choice.
Click here to find a local dealer that may have the Hyundai IONIQ 6 in stock. –trusted affiliate link
2025 Subaru Solterra lease from $279/month
The 2025 Subaru Solterra just became one of the most affordable EVs to lease. It’s going for $279/month for 36 months with just $279 due at signing. That brings the effective monthly cost to just $287, an incredible deal for an all-electric SUV with an MSRP pushing $40,000.
To put it in perspective: the 2025 Honda CR-V Hybrid has an effective monthly cost of $486. So yeah, the Solterra wins this round. This offer’s available through September 2.
Click here to find a local dealer that may have the Subaru Solterra in stock. –trusted affiliate link
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