Weird Alibaba: Get a 3-person electric bike pedicab taxi for under $1,000!
It’s not everyday that the odd little EVs I find for the Awesomely Weird Alibaba Electric Vehicle of the Week are so cool that I’m tempted to buy them myself. But this week it’s going to be hard to pass up on this three-seater electric pedicab that you can own for a song!
Alright, so let’s dive in here. This is what we’re looking at: an electric trike with a pivoting front end that mounts a bench-style seat for two adults (or probably three kids squished shoulder to shoulder).
This 85 kg (187 lb.) electric rickshaw is the open-aired pedal minivan you’ve been looking for. Or maybe you haven’t been looking for it, but it found you anyway. Just look at the luck on you, my friend!
The electric pedicab comes with comfy cushions for the bench seat and backrest, diamond plate flooring, and even a set of wooden arm rests to keep your fares comfortable.
For the driver we’ve got a padded full-width handlebar and a six-speed transmission. Steering is accomplished by turning the whole front end of the e-trike, which is a dead simple way to offer the stability of a tadpole trike (two front wheels instead of two rear wheels) without the complexity of steering knuckles and articulating front wheels.
And of course the entire thing is electric, meaning you won’t have to pedal the 200 kg (440 lb.) payload capacity under your own strength, or at least not entirely by yourself.
Now I’ll be the first to say that the electric kit on this pedicab leaves a lot to be desired. It’s a simple 250W Dapu e-bike motor and controller. That means it’s not going to get rolling very quickly, and so it’s a good thing you’ve got a six-speed transmission that allows you to drop into low gear to help get things moving.
The bike includes a 36V 13Ah battery, which again, is not particularly large. But since this pedicab likely maxes out at around 25 km/h (15 mph), it’s not like you’re going to be burning up that much energy doing low-speed riding.
The company claims the e-rickshaw can handle a 35º hill, but that’s probably a fib taller than these handlebars. You’d have trouble walking up a 35º incline, let alone powering a heavy e-bike up one.
But we’ll let that slide since the bike seems to come with some pretty nice features. It even has hydraulic disc brakes plus a pair of storage compartments behind the seat! What’s not to like here?
You can see the major features in the video below. My favorite part is the tranquil music and the subtle narration.
But my favorite part of all of this is probably the price. The non-electric version of the pedidcab is priced at an amazingly affordable $685. If you want the electric pedicab, that’ll be a slightly higher but still more than reasonable $980.
And now you’re probably thinking that “sure, it’s cheap, but shipping is going to be the killer here.” And you’re right, sort of. I inquired about door-to-door shipping and the vendor told me that it’d cost over $1,000 to the US. So next I had the vendor check on LCL (less than container load) shipping to Miami port, which turned out to be a cool $280. Ka-ching!
If you’re on the West Coast then it’s probably going to be even cheaper, since you’ve got one less Panama Canal to navigate.
From there you’d still have other add-on charges, such as import duties, arrival duties, broker fees, and the responsibility of picking it up at port or trucking it yourself to your final destination. But you could probably be home free for less than $2,000 if you play your cards right. Is it going to be as nice as a $2,500 e-trike? No way. But can it carry more and give you a better story of how you got it to the US? Definitely.
And the best part is that this is all a write-off, since you’re definitely going to be starting a pedicab company with this thing, right?! I mean, why wouldn’t you? Charge $5 a ride and you’re just a mere 400 fares away from paying this bad boy off.
Realistically speaking, even if you’re not planning on bringing in 20 of these and becoming the next pedicab tycoon of your local beach town, this could still make a fun family vehicle. It’d be perfect for more than just Sunday rides with the kids. You could even use it for carpool duty during the week to drop those rug rats off at school or make a little cargo net for the front to turn the bench into a big trunk for grocery shopping.
When you own your own electric trike, the world is your oyster!
Now I just have to decide if I’m really going to get one of these. I don’t need it, but then again I didn’t need an electric boat or mini e-truck either, and I don’t regret those!
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Believe it or not, you can lease an EV for under $200 a month. New deals on models like the 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 and Kia EV6 are hard to pass up this month.
Electric vehicles have been all over the news lately, with the Trump administration threatening to end federal incentives and introducing new tariffs that are expected to lead to higher prices.
On the positive side, new EV models are arriving, giving buyers more options and driving prices down. Many automakers reported record US electric car sales in the first three months of 2024.
GM remained the number two seller of EVs behind Tesla after sales doubled in Q1 2025. With the new Equinox, Blazer, and Silverado EVs rolling out, Chevy is now the fastest-growing EV brand in the US. Ford’s Mustang Mach-E is off to its best sales start since launching, with over 11,600 models sold in the first quarter.
With the 2025 models rolling out and about 15 new EVs arriving this year, many automakers are introducing steep discounts to move vehicles off the lot.
EVs for lease for under $200 a month in April
Although the decade-old Nissan LEAF remains one of the most affordable this April at just $149 per month, there are a few EVs under $200 right now that are worth taking a look at.
The new 2025 Hyundai IONIQ might be the best EV deal this month, with leases as low as $199. Hyundai is currently promoting a 24-month lease deal with $3,999 due at signing.
Hyundai upgraded the electric SUV with a bigger battery for more range (now up to 318 miles), a sleek new look inside and out, and it now comes with an NACS port so you can charge it at Tesla Superchargers.
The offer is for the IONIQ 5 SE RWD Standard Range, which has a driving range of up to 245 miles. For just $229 a month, you can snag the SE RWD model, which has a range of up to 318 miles and a more powerful (225 horsepower) electric motor. It’s also a 24-month lease with $3,999 due at signing.
To sweeten the deal, Hyundai is offering a free ChargePoint Home Flex Level 2 EV charger with the purchase or lease of any 2024 or 2025 IONIQ 5. If you already have one, you can opt for a $400 public charging credit.
After slashing lease prices this month, the 2025 Nissan Ariya is actually cheaper than the LEAF in some regions. In Southern California, the 2025 Nissan Ariya Evolve AWD is listed at just $129 per month. The AWD model has a range of up to 272 miles.
The deal is for 36 months, with $4,409 due at signing. In April, Nissan cut Ariya lease prices to around $239 in most other parts of the country.
Kia has a few EVs available to lease for under $200 a month in April. The 2025 Kia Niro EV Wind is listed at just $129 for 24 months, with $3,999 due at signing. Kia’s crossover SUV has EPA-estimated range of 253 miles.
The 2024 EV6 may be worth considering at just $179 for 24 months ($3,999 due at signing). In California, the EV6 Light Long Range RWD is only slightly more than the Niro Wind.
In most other parts of the country, you can still find the EV6 for under $200 a month. The Light Long Range RWD trim offers up to 310 miles of EPA-estimated range.
| Lease Price | Term (months) |
Amount Due at Signing | Driving Range | |
| 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 SE RWD Standard Range | $199 | 24 | $3,999 | 245 miles |
| 2024 Kia EV6 Light Long Rang RWD | $179 | 24 | $3,999 | 310 miles |
| 2024 Kia Niro EV Wind | $129 | 24 | $3,999 | 253 miles |
| 2025 Nissan Ariya Evolve AWD | $129 | 36 | $4,409 | 272 miles |
| 2025 Nissan LEAF S FWD | $149 | 36 | $2,629 | 149 miles |
| 2024 Fiat 500 INSPI(RED) | $199 | 24 | $2,999 | 149 miles |
And don’t forget the 2024 Fiat 500e, which is now listed at just $199 for 24 months with $2,999 due at signing. The electric hatchback offers a range of up to 149 miles.
If you are looking to spend a little more, check out our list of EVs you can lease for under $300 a month.
Ready to snag the savings while they are still here? At under $200 a month, some of these EV lease deals are hard to pass up right now. Check out our links below to find deals in your area.
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![The US’s first solar panels over canals pilot is now online [video]](https://i0.wp.com/electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/Project-Nexus-solar-canal.jpg?resize=1200,628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1)
Project Nexus, the first solar panel canopies over irrigation canals in the US, is now online in California, and there are plans to expand the project to other areas.
Project Nexus is a $20 million pilot in central California’s Turlock Irrigation District launched in October 2022. The project team is exploring solar over canal design, deployment, and co-benefits using canal infrastructure and the electrical grid.
India already has solar panels over canals, but Project Nexus is the first of its kind in the US.
The Turlock Irrigation District was the first irrigation district formed in California in 1887. It provides irrigation water to 4,700 growers who farm around 150,000 acres in the San Joaquin Valley.
Project Nexus will explore whether the solar panels reduce water evaporation as a result of midday shade and wind mitigation, create improvements to water quality through reduced vegetative growth, reduce canal maintenance as a result of reduced vegetative growth, and, of course, generate renewable electricity.
The California Department of Water Resources, utility company Turlock Irrigation District, Marin County, California-based water and energy project developer Solar AquaGrid, and The University of California, Merced, are partnering on the pilot. Project Nexus originated from a 2021 research project led by UC Merced alumna and project scientist Brandi McKuin.
Solar panels were installed at two sites over both wide- and narrow-span sections of Turlock Irrigation District canals in Stanislaus County, in various orientations. The sections range from 20 feet wide to 100 feet wide. University of California, Merced has positioned research equipment at both sites to collect baseline data so the researchers can decide where solar will work and where it won’t.
In February 2023, Project Nexus announced it would also deploy long-term iron flow battery storage in the form of two ESS 75kW turnkey “Energy Warehouse” batteries.
You can learn more about Project Nexus here:
Read more: In a US first, California will pilot solar-panel canopies over canals
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