How my love of weird electric vehicles landed me on 100 million Chinese TVs
A fascination with electric vehicles isn’t anything new. These days, everyone and their brother seems to have an EV. But I’m not one of the “normal” electric vehicle enthusiasts. I’m drawn to the more oddball designs. And that zeal has seen me end up in some weird places. Most recently, it had me end up on a hundred million TV screens across China.
In addition to my day job/passion of being one of the most prolific propagators of electric bike news and reviews on the internet, I moonlight as a broader lover of weird Chinese electric vehicles. You may have even seen my weekly column, the Awesomely Weird Alibaba Electric Vehicle of the Week.
It mostly started as a lark, the inevitable result of my publisher and I trying to best each other at who could find the weirdest cars on China’s massive shopping website, Alibaba.
Inevitably, they’re almost all electric due to the simple fact that China has quietly led the world in the development and adoption of EVs. Their range of EVs, both the realistic and the fanciful, is nothing short of awe-inspiring. Norway may lead the world in adopting electric vehicles, but frankly, anyone can buy an EV. It’s China that leads the world in designing and producing them.
So there we were, my publisher and I chuckling at just how many fun and sometimes bizarre EVs we could find that were produced in China.
I’d toss him an electric replica of a horseless carriage that looked like it belonged in a live-action Cinderella movie. He’d follow up with an electric mini-truck with fold-out solar panel wings. I’d try to top it with a food truck built on the back of an electric bicycle.
After discovering just how deep the rabbit hole to China went, I was hooked. And I had a sneaky suspicion that the rest of the world just might be as interested in the madness as me.
It became a recurring theme each week in the column. And having our talented graphics guy Michael Bower magically transplant me into every vehicle each week certainly helped.
Over the last few years of hunting down the weirdest electric vehicles in the world, I’ve come across some real doozies. The three-wheeled electric RV was a top contender for a while, though who could pass up your own fully functional electric submarine for exploring the ocean’s depths? And where would we be as a society without the world’s tiniest electric police car?
But I also soon discovered something interesting. In addition to super-weird offerings on Alibaba, I was also finding electric vehicles that I actually wished I could own.
How could I resist a bare-bones electric snowmobile or a one-seater speedboat?
When I eventually came across a $2,000 electric mini-truck that looked like a knock-off Ford F-150 that took an unintended trip through the washing machine and dryer, that’s when things changed. It went from “Man, it’d be funny to buy one of these…” to “Uh oh, I think I need to buy this thing.”
I spent months working out the details with the Chinese factory, finding the right customs brokers, getting the paperwork done, and then eventually getting the mini-truck on a boat and headed to the US.
After what felt like an eternity, it finally arrived. And I was immediately in love. What was unobtainable in the US was suddenly driving around my parent’s ranch in Florida. I had an electric mini-truck, complete with air-conditioning and a hydraulic dump bed, that had traveled halfway around the world from China to my fingertips. I was giddy.
And as it would turn out, I wasn’t done. In fact, I was just getting started.
The more I found weird electric vehicles from China, the more I wanted to add to my collection.
Unfortunately, a little thing called economics (or more colloquially known as convincing one’s wife that purchasing something stupid is actually a great idea) made this endeavor more difficult. There was a lot of weird stuff out there, but I had to be picky. I couldn’t afford not to. So I focused on the stuff that seemed the most useful to me.
That’s how just a year later I wound up with a five-seater electric boat slowly puttering its way around the local lake. And more recently, I became the proud new owner of electric construction equipment, including an electric mini-excavator and an electric loader.
Along the way, people started to take notice. I made videos of my escapades, and they began going viral. That electric boat found over 3 million views on YouTube. And remember my electric mini-truck from above? Over 10 million views. I wasn’t the only one enjoying these things anymore.
In fact, the news had gone full circle, landing back in China. A maker of electric micro-cars in China (known locally as “happy grandpas” based on their typical users) wanted me to check out their newest model and sent one to me for an unboxing.
A few months later there was a massive wooden crate in my family’s driveway. It was wild.
The word continued to spread. One morning, I awoke to an email from someone saying they represented a news channel in China, something called “CCTV”, and asked if they could do a story on me. The name didn’t mean much to me, so I asked a Chinese friend of mine if they had heard of the news station. “That’s… the biggest channel in the country,” he said. “You should do it.”
As it turns out based on what Wikipedia told me, China Central Television, or CCTV, claims to have a regular viewership of over 500 million people. Those are the figures from their own survey, but I believe it. Why? Because all local news stations in China are required to run CCTV’s daily news broadcasts in addition to their own programming. That’s state media, for you.
Any potential issues with that aside (and there are many), I was curious to see what Chinese state media would think of me, a Westerner who has a weird fixation with procuring odd Chinese vehicles.
As someone who has once or twice been referred to as a journalist himself, I figured there’d soon be an interview. They’d ask me a few questions. Maybe I’d share some fun stories. We’d all crack a fortune cookie and laugh about my quirky antics.
Nope.
Apparently, they had all they needed from my YouTube videos. The exact story wasn’t important, not when they could read between the lines.
A week or so later, there was my goofy face smiling out to half a billion charmingly confused Chinese people.
The news show had basically just taken several of my YouTube videos, cut out a few select clips of me showing off the features of my electric boat, then added some voiceover.
With the help of a translator app and a friend who speaks Mandarin, I was able to piece the story together.
Basically, they made a cute little puff piece about Chinese products being bought by randos on the internet. Case-in-point was me and my electric boat, to which the adorable presenter directed the audience’s attention.
They showed me unboxing my boat, followed by demonstrating its features and testing it out along with my dad in the local lake.
It was a surreal experience, watching myself show off my electric boat and other electric mini-vehicles on Chinese state media. To be fair, they actually put me on CCTV2, a more business/economics-focused sub-channel. But it’s not like we’re talking ESPN8 “The Ocho” here – I still got some prime-time placement.
And while part of me feels like I was a bit useful for borderline propaganda, there’s no denying the fact that everything I said about these products, and especially that boat, was true. I’d never be able to find a $1,000 fiberglass electric boat like this in the US, and the one I received was quite well manufactured. So if Chinese state media is going to use me to show their own citizens that a local factory built a good boat, then… they’re basically correct.
I even had the chance to video chat with the nice guy who runs the factory and who showed me my boat during the production process. As much as the naysayers would like to imagine a child labor sweatshop, that just wasn’t the case. I was watching skilled boatbuilders building fiberglass and aluminum boats. In fact, on one day that I chatted with him, he explained that the factory was mostly empty because it was so hot that day that he sent the workers home. It was the literal antithesis of a sweatshop.
That’s not to ignore a long list of other problems in the country, but building electric boats isn’t one of them.
So in a nutshell, that’s how I ended up on Chinese state TV. I enjoy strange electric vehicles, and I’ve since followed several of them all the way to the source. That strange journey resulted in me ending up with a weird collection of EVs that eventually caught the attention of the national TV station in China.
Ever since, I take it day by day. I try not to let my newfound 1 minute and 46 seconds of fame and glory go to my head. But some days it’s difficult not to. I imagine by this time next year, I’ll surely be plastered all over kids’ lunch boxes in China, second in popularity only to the great panda. There are rumors that I’ll be included at the next five-year congress meeting. They may even make a national holiday for me.
And it’s true, they may not truly get me or my weird vehicles back here in the West. But I at least hope that somewhere, when someone worriedly asks “What’s the deal with that guy?”, the response will be something to the effect of “I don’t know. I guess he’s big in China?”
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What would you get if you created the illegitimate love child of a Mercedes G-Wagon and a Brinks armored truck (and perhaps if the Mercedes chain-smoked through the pregnancy)? I think you’d wind up with something like the wacky-looking electric cart that has earned the dubious honor of being named this week’s Awesomely Weird Alibaba Electric Vehicle of the Week!
I’m not sure this is exactly an armored golf cart, so I wouldn’t invite any unnecessary potshots while cruising your hood, but I’m at a loss of how else to describe it.
It’s definitely not a “real” car, as evidenced by its US $6,999 price tag and the 30 km/h (18 mph) top speed. If you ask me though, that speed goes in the ‘advantages’ column. When you drive something that looks this good, you want to be going slow enough to give people a good, long look.
A vehicle like this is designed to send a statement. Unfortunately, I think that statement might be, “I wanted a Jeep but my spouse wanted to remodel the kitchen.”
So if it’s not a real car, then what is it?
Measuring a stubby 306 cm long (an entire half inch over 10 feet), this four-seater mini-SUV is less G-Wagon and more “Oh, gee” wagon. It can supposedly carry up to 370 kg (815 lb) in passengers or cargo, but there’s no telling how much of a dent that puts in the already challenged top speed.
Safety might also be a passing concern. It doesn’t have any seatbelts, but the tires look like they just about extend out past the front and rear, so at least you’ve got some nice shock-absorbent bumpers built into the design.
The advertisement claims a maximum range of up to 80 km (50 miles) per charge, which seems like several more miles than anyone needs from something like this.
There’s no word on battery technology, which means I’m assuming either features older lead acid tech or there’s a frunk full of lemons and a bunch of loose wires running through the firewall.
I’m glad to see that the roof rack is at least equipped with enough LED lights to make an airport runway jealous, just in case I find myself stuck in the wilds of my backyard after dark. And that roof rack even looks pretty heavy-duty, though since the cart is considerably taller than it is wide, tight turns with a heavily-loaded roof rack should probably be avoided.
As much as I love this thing, I don’t think I’ll be whipping out my credit card any time soon.
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve bought plenty of bad ideas on Alibaba before. But since my $2,000 electric truck ending up costing me nearly 4x that much by the time it landed in the US, I’m a bit worried what the final price tag on a $6,999 Mini-MegaOverlander would become.
I don’t recommend anyone actually try buying this cute little TinyTrailblazer either, and I’m certainly not vouching for the vendor, who I discovered by chance while scrolling through Alibaba to procrastinate real work. Keep in mind that this is all part of a tongue-in-cheek column I write, diving into the depths of Alibaba’s weird and funny collection of awesome electric vehicles.
But hey, if someone does go that route, it wouldn’t be the first time my advice has been ignored and some awesome photos have landed in inbox several months later. Just don’t say I didn’t warn you if it turns out some Nigerian prince has your last paycheck and you’re up a creek with no MicroMudder to come bail you out!
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Yup, Mullen Automotive [Nasdaq: MULN] is still here! And the EV company is defying the naysayers, reporting progress in EV sales, and reducing its monthly burn rate. Following Mullen Automotive’s significant strides in expanding its EV presence and improving its financial health in the last few weeks, Electrek caught up with David Michery, CEO and chairman of Mullen Automotive, who told us what trends he thinks 2025 will see for EV owners and others in the EV market.
After 2024 saw breakthroughs in tech, affordability, and adoption, Michery predicts this year will see even more disruption, transforming transportation and logistics on a massive scale. Here’s what to watch for this year.
EV total cost of ownership falls sharply
“Even if the federal EV tax credit from the Inflation Reduction Act is repealed, EVs will become more affordable through state-level incentives, manufacturer subsidies, and private partnerships. The investment case for electrification is simply too strong for the private sector to ignore.
“Reduced battery costs, cheaper maintenance, and lower energy expenses will make EVs increasingly attractive to businesses and consumers. Charging infrastructure programs and fleet retrofitting will also help organizations navigate the upfront costs with the goal of long-term savings.
“The result is a financial tipping point: EVs will no longer just be environmentally compelling – they will also be the most cost-effective choice.”
Commercial EVs expand their use cases
“If 2024 was any indication, 2025 will bring new use cases for EVs. Transportation and delivery will likely continue to reign supreme, but the customizable nature of EVs means that we can expect more specialized use cases such as airport shuttles, university campus logistics, home services, and refrigerated delivery.
“Airports will adopt EV cargo vans for quieter, cleaner transit and delivery between terminals, while universities will electrify campus logistics to align with sustainability goals. Innovations in temperature-controlled EVs will expand the reach of refrigerated deliveries, cutting emissions in cold-chain logistics. And this is cause for celebration.
“New use cases mean more widespread adoption – and recognition that electrification is the best way forward.”
(Editor’s note: This is the business that Mullen Automotive is in, and he’s not wrong.)
2025 will be the year of the battery
“EV batteries are poised for immense improvement in the coming year. Solid-state polymer batteries – an innovation that significantly expands battery lifespan and thus widens range – are currently in road testing.
“Offering higher energy density and faster charging, these new batteries will make EVs more reliable and competitive with internal combustion vehicles as compared to other electric alternatives.
“Plus, better range and more efficient energy consumption will undoubtedly translate to lower maintenance costs for fleet owners.”
Read more: Mullen scores a solid, 3,000-unit electric truck order from Volt Mobility
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Environment
Toyota is still lagging behind EV rivals in the US as bZ4X sales finally start to pick up
Although Toyota bZ4X sales nearly doubled last year, the auto giant is still falling behind in the US EV market. Overseas rivals like Hyundai and Kia are lapping Toyota. Even other Japanese automakers, including Honda and Nissan, are selling more EVs in the US than Toyota.
Toyota bZ4X sales lagged behind US EV rivals in 2024
Toyota boasted that its 2024 electrified vehicle sales reached over 1 million in the US in 2024. However, that’s primarily thanks to its hybrid models.
With just 1,854 bZ4X models sold in December, Toyota’s 2024 total reached 18,570. Although that number is up 99% from the 9,329 sold in 2023, it’s still far behind the competition.
To put it in perspective, Honda, which began delivering its electric Prologue last March, sold over 33,000 models last year. In December, Honda sold nearly 7,900 Prologues alone. During the second half of 2024, Honda sold an average of over 5,000 electric SUVs per month.
Nissan also outsold Toyota with nearly 19,800 Ariya electric SUVs sold last year. Nissan’s decade-old LEAF secured another 11,226 sales in the US in 2024, up 57% year-over-year.
Kia’s first three-row electric SUV, the EV9, outsold the bZ4X last year despite a +$10,000 higher MSRP. After deliveries began in late 2023, Kia sold over 22,000 EV9 models in the US last year.
After setting new US sales records last year, Hyundai and Kia are aggressively aiming for more EV market share in 2025. Hyundai began production at its massive new EV plant in Georgia, where it will produce new EVs like the upgraded 2025 IONIQ 5 and three-row IONIQ 9.
With Kia building EV9 models at its West Point plant and the Genesis Electrified GV70 built in Alabama, Hyundai Motor has five EV models that qualify for the $7,500 federal tax credit for the first time, which should boost demand further.
Toyota slashed 2025 bZ4X prices by $6,000 to make it more competitive. Starting at $37,070, the 2025 bZ4X undercuts the 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 ($42,500) and Nissan Ariya ($39,770).
Although Honda has yet to release 2025 Prologue prices, it’s expected to start much higher. The 2024 Honda Prologue starts at $47,400.
Electrek’s Take
Like several others, Toyota pushed back major EV projects, including its first three-row electric SUV. The delay gave overseas rivals, like Hyundai and Kia, an opportunity, which they gladly took advantage of.
Toyota also scrapped plans to build new Lexus electric SUVs in North America. Instead, the new Lexus EV models will be imported from Japan.
The company is preparing to start battery production at its new $13.9 billion facility in NC, which should help ramp up EV sales. In the first half of 2026, it will also begin building the larger electric SUV at its Georgetown, Kentucky, plant.
The Japanese auto giant is still promising advanced new EV batteries are coming soon with significantly more range and faster charging at a lower cost. But when will they actually hit the market?
Toyota has been vowing to launch new EV battery technology for years. By 2027, the company plans to launch a pair of new Performance and Popularized batteries, which will enable a nearly 500-mile (800-km) WLTP range. In 2028, Toyota plans to launch solid-state EV batteries with mass production in 2030.
Will it be enough? Or is Toyota already too late to the party? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
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