There’s a lesson to take from China’s abandoned electric cars
There’s a lesson to take from China’s abandoned electric cars that are going viral right now, and it’s not that EVs won’t work.
Over the last month or so, you might have seen many videos and articles about “thousands of abandoned electric vehicles in China.”
EV naysayers have used those stories to argue that electric vehicles will fail. However, that’s not really the lesson to take away from this unfortunate situation.
First off, it’s true that there are thousands of electric vehicles abandoned in fields around cities in China – possibly tens of thousands. However, almost all of them are electric vehicles that were part of car-sharing or ride-hailing services that have failed in the country.
Inside China Auto recently posted a video showing one of those so-called “Chinese EV graveyards.”
Sure enough, this particular “Chinese EV graveyard” was full of Neta V and BAIC BJEV EC3 electric vehicles, which were almost entirely used by ride-hailing and car-sharing services.
Over the last few years, several car-sharing companies have folded after deploying thousands of low-range EVs in cities – leaving those cars in limbo.
Some have suggested that those abandoned vehicles are brand-new and are examples of companies trying to take advantage of government subsidies for electric vehicles.
At least in this example, it doesn’t seem to be the case, as most of those vehicles appear to have been used. Some are actually badly damaged, which could be due to the fact that they weren’t very well taken care of while being in car-sharing programs.
It’s also what likely make them hard to sell.
Similar sights have been spotted in about half a dozen cities around China.
Electrek’s Take
So what is the lesson? It’s certainly not that EVs will fail. For starters, we are talking about fewer than 20,000 EVs in a country that has millions of electric vehicles.
Secondly, this is a story about subpar EVs failing. Most of those vehicles have less than 100 miles of range – many of them have less than 50 miles of range.
Car-sharing companies thought they could flood cities with these and they would get used, but it wasn’t the case. Their low cost didn’t compensate for their poor performance and experience – especially when using public transport would generally get you to where you need to go faster in those cities.
Therefore, I think the lesson here is that EVs will succeed by being better vehicles than internal combustion vehicles – not inferior products like these. Also, using them with car-sharing or ride-hailing services doesn’t compensate for the product not being good.
The saddest thing about this whole situation is the fact that those vehicles are not being recycled and are just sitting there. Someone should get on that.
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![Kia's electric van spotted in two surprising new versions [Video]](https://i0.wp.com/electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/11/Kia-PV5-versions.jpeg?resize=1200,628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1)
Is it an electric van? Pickup truck? The PV5 can do it all. Kia’s electric van was caught with two new body types for the first time.
What PV5 version is Kia planning to launch?
The PV5 is more than just a futuristic-looking electric van. It’s what Kia calls “the world’s most useful electric mobility vehicle.”
It’s the first from its new Platform Beyond Vehicle (PBV) business, which will offer a wide range of customizable EVs, advanced software, and much more.
During its PV5 Tech Day event in July, Kia revealed plans to introduce seven PV5 body types, ranging from a light camper to an open-bed truck.
The PV5 Passenger and Cargo, built for personal and business use, are already rolling out in Europe and South Korea. The Cargo Compact (available in 3- and 4-door configurations) and the Cargo High Roof are also available.
New variants will include an open bed, a light camper, a luxury “Prime” passenger, a built-in truck, and a refrigerated truck.
The refrigerated truck was captured driving in public for the first time in South Korea, offering a closer look at what’s coming soon. Kia will launch three PV5 refrigerated truck models: low, standard, and high.
The video from HealerTV reveals the standard and high versions. In person, the reporter noted that the high version definitely appeared taller than the standard version.
Although the front looks like the PV5 Passenger and Cargo, the back is redesigned for the refrigerated unit. Kia has yet to reveal a launch date, but it’s expected to be by the end of 2025.
Another PV5 variant, the open-bed version, was recently spotted in public in South Korea. Although we’ve seen it a few times before, the new video, also from the folks at HealerTV, offers our best look at the truck-like variant from all angles.
Meanwhile, the PV5 Cargo just set a new Guinness World Record after driving 430.84 miles (693.38 km) on a single charge, while carrying a full load.
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The new 2026 Nissan LEAF has an EPA-estimated driving range of up to 303 miles, but real-world tests suggest it can go even further.
New 2026 Nissan LEAF beats range estimates
Nissan upgraded its iconic electric hatch for its third generation, bringing a new style, faster charging, and over 300 miles of driving range.
The 2026 LEAF boasts 25% more driving range than the outgoing model with an official EPA rating of up to 303 miles. That’s a pretty big difference from the up to 212-mile rating on the 2025 LEAF SV Plus.
In the real world, it will likely drive even further. According to Edmunds, the new LEAF “far exceeded its official EPA estimate” in early tests.
The 2026 Nissan LEAF Platinum+ was just put through the Edmunds EV Range Test, traveling 310 miles on a single charge. That’s for the Platinum+ trim, which has an official EPA-estimated driving range of just 259 miles. The SV+ is rated with 288 miles, while the base S+ has 303 miles.
Based on early tests, Edmunds expects all new LEAF trims to offer significantly more driving range than their ratings indicate.
Nissan’s new LEAF also topped the EPA’s efficiency expectations. The 2026 LEAF achieved an energy consumption of 27.8 kWh per 100 miles during the test, compared to the EPA estimated 33 kWh per 100 miles. That’s a nearly 16% improvement.
The Edmunds EV range test offers a more accurate estimate of a vehicle’s real-world range. It’s made up of 60% city and 40% highway with an average speed of 40 mph. The car stays within 5 miles of the posted speed limit, is set at its most efficient setting, and the climate control is set on auto at 72 degrees.
| 2026 Nissan LEAF trim | Starting Price | Driving Range (EPA-estimated) |
| LEAF S+ | $29,990 | 303 miles |
| LEAF SV+ | $34,230 | 288 miles |
| LEAF Platinum+ | $38,990 | 259 miles |
Starting at $29,990, the 2026 Nissan LEAF is poised to challenge the Chevy Equinox EV on price and driving range.
The Chevy Equinox EV LT delivered 356 miles of range and an energy consumption of 28.9 kWh per 100 miles during the Edmunds EV Range Test.
The electric Equinox is currently the third-most-popular EV in the US, trailing only the Tesla Model Y and Model 3. Will the upgrades be enough for the LEAF to make a comeback?
Ready to test drive one to see for yourself? You can use our links below to find Nissan LEAF and Chevy Equinox EVs closest to you.
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We’re getting the first batch of Tesla registration data out of Europe for October 2025, and it confirms the worrying trend we’ve been tracking: Tesla’s demand is in a steep decline.
Based on data from 9 key markets that have reported so far, Tesla’s registrations fell 36.3% year over year (YoY).
Just 4,170 units were registered in these countries (including Norway, France, Sweden, and the Netherlands) compared to 6,549 in those same exact markets in October 2024.
Here are the markets that reported October 2025 data so far:
- 🇫🇷 France: 83.7% Growth (1,784 vs 971) 📈
- 🇪🇸 Spain: 30.6% Decline (393 vs 566) 📉
- 🇮🇹 Italy: 47.1% Decline (256 vs 484) 📉
- 🇳🇱 Netherlands: 47.9% Decline (645 vs 1,238) 📉
- 🇳🇴 Norway: 50.2% Decline (671 vs 1,348) 📉
- 🇵🇹 Portugal: 58.7% Decline (144 vs 349) 📉
- 🇦🇹 Austria: 64.5% Decline (97 vs 273) 📉
- 🇫🇮 Finland: 67.6% Decline (47 vs 145) 📉
- 🇸🇪 Sweden: 88.7% Decline (133 vs 1,175) 📉
The only positive in October for Tesla was the French market, which saw significant growth due to a new EV incentive program for low- to middle-income people.
The rest was disastrous.
While some analysts are trying to push the idea that Tesla’s European sales have now bottomed after two years of decline, most reporting markets in October are showing the worst month of Tesla registrations this year. That includes even months before the availability of the Model Y refresh.
It also includes Norway, which has been one of Tesla’s healthiest markets amid its decline in Europe.
Looking at the year-to-date (YTD) figures for all of Europe, Tesla’s total registrations are down over 30% through the first ten months, falling from over 255,000 units by this time in 2024 to just 177,000 this year.
Electrek’s Take
I truly wonder when Elon or the board is going to do something about this. I know that their idea is that FSD is coming to save the day at some point, but that sounds ridiculous. At a 12% take rate, even once it becomes available in Europe, I doubt it will have a significant impact.
Tesla’s issues in Europe come from two main things: brand damage due to Elon Musk and competition.
Unlike in the US where Tesla has limited competition, the EV market is significantly more competitive in Europe, where some Chinese automakers are already esthablishing a presence and where European, Korean, and Japanese legacy automakers are making more EV models avialable.
Tesla needs a fresh EV lineup in Europe. And eslewhere for that matter.
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