Remember that $2,000 electric mini-truck I bought from China? Now they’re down to $1,000
In what could either be a sign of the times or perhaps the start of a terrible decision-making chain, that famous $2,000 electric mini-truck I bought from China several years ago has somehow gotten even cheaper.
If you aren’t already familiar with the story, here’s a quick summary. Back in 2021, I ordered an electric mini-truck from China. I paid the factory $2,000 for it, held my breath for months, and then against all odds, it showed up one day in my family’s driveway in the US.
I made a few videos about my Chinese mini-truck that got tens of millions of views, famous YouTubers like Whistlin’ Diesel and Supercar Blondie reached out to me to try to get me to help them rip off my video on their own channels, and the story seemed to circle the world several times over. I even wound up on the state-sponsored news in China – a profoundly strange accomplishment that I probably won’t be adding to my CV anytime soon.
For those wondering, yes, my electric mini-truck is still going strong over three years later. Nothing has broken and my modifications have only made it better.
But the strangest part of all might be that, despite the current trends of rapid inflation and a climate of rising costs mixed with antagonistic tariffs, this electric mini-truck has only become more affordable.
When I bought mine, I paid around US $2,000 to the factory. I’m known to occassionaly peruse Chinese vehicle sites in search of good deals I would be ill-advised to take, and recently I’ve seen prices walking downwards on these little trucks. Now you can buy one for barely over $1,000!
A BIG CAVEAT BEFORE CONTINUING: Dear reader, please note that I am not advising anyone to actually buy one of these. It is a really bad idea. First of all, the Chinese factory price is only the first part of the story. As I described previously, I had to pay around $6,000 in additional costs at various stages before a working truck landed in the US, covering everything from customs to tariffs to US-side transport to a big lithium battery and more. The 400% price increase compared to the Alibaba price that I experienced here is a common real-world landed price estimator, but even that can vary wildly depending on the product. Then there’s the next big issue, that these things are questionably legal. I always advise people against doing what I did, and unfortunately, I’ve still heard from a few readers who reached out to tell me that US Customs seized their mini-truck when they tried to import one like mine. These are 100% not street-legal according to federal motor vehicle laws, and if CBP makes the arbitrary decision that it is “intended” for street use (which is a fair argument to make considering they usually come with turn signals, street tires, and other road-ready features), they can simply seize it at the port. Lastly (as if this bad idea needed more support), you have no guarantee that it will even ever ship to you since many of these vendors are unknown entities that offer almost zero legal recourse from half a world away. So please, please, please don’t read this article and leave with the impression of “Wow, I’m going to buy a cheap $1,000 truck,” because you’re not. You’re either going to get scammed, robbed by customs, or end up with a very expensive “$1,000 truck.” Treat the words in this poor excuse for journalism as educational only, because that’s what it is, if you can even call it that.
Ok, so warnings and disclaimers aside, let’s take a look at what these $1,000 trucks offer.
There are many different vendors for these things in China, and most aren’t even the real factory. It’s hard to determine who is really behind the ads selling these things, but most are trading companies that act as middlemen between the Chinese-speaking factories that don’t have a way to serve foreign customers and the rest of the world. Keep in mind, these mini-trucks aren’t meant for export. They’re primarily designed for use in rural parts of China as an upgrade over the tuk-tuk style electric three-wheelers that have been popular for decades.
Most of these electric mini-trucks feature styling ripped off from Western truck companies. Mine seems to have a Silverado-like front end and an F-150ish rear, based purely on styling. A lot of folks like to call mine an F-50. I think that’s being generous.
These are also often fairly barebones affairs. Several of the features you see in the pictures of my truck are things I upgraded myself. I added that tow hitch, the roof-mounted solar panel, the mud tires, and several other features. The truck did come with factory-standard air conditioning and a dump bed, which I had to pay extra for, but those were basically the only extra features I could find.
These are also fairly low performance. The top speed is barely 25 mph (40 km/h) from its 3,000W rear axle-mounted motor. I don’t know what the true range is (because lord help me if it ever dies too far from a plug). With a massive 60V 100Ah battery in it that I paid extra for, it should theoretically have around 60 miles (100 km) of range, but I doubt it would go that far. And anyway, we just use it around my parents’ homestead as a work truck. Since it’s not street-legal, it doesn’t spend a lot of time on the road.
So despite being around a half to two-thirds scale compared to a full-size electric pickup truck, its performance is significantly lower. That’s fine for the type of general “around the property” use we get out of it, but this is far from a highway vehicle.
I’ve been pleased as punch with my Chinese electric mini-truck, and it has served my family well for over three years. But that isn’t always the case for everyone who gets one of these.
As you can imagine, a truck that costs barely US $1,000 isn’t going to be the most advanced vehicle. Quality isn’t going to match what you’d expect of nicer machines, and there are basically zero options for service and support. I’ve gotten lucky that nothing has gone wrong on mine, but I also went into this knowing that I’ve got a decade or more of light electric vehicle experience and a mechanical engineering degree to fall back on, in case something ever does go wrong with mine.
Others aren’t so lucky. Case in point: a set of four of these Chinese electric mini trucks imported by Hinds Community College for their campus police to use recently went up for auction in non-functioning status. Based on the description, it looks like the college bought four of these, then they all broke and would no longer turn on. The college couldn’t fix them and so they ended up selling the four of them “as-is” for just over $6,000 total. Maybe the 72V batteries were dead. Maybe the motors had burned out. Maybe they had fried their motor controllers. Or perhaps some wiring connection had merely shaken loose and needed to be reconnected. Who knows? Perhaps the guy who wound up with four non-functional mini-trucks. But the point is, there are not a lot of options for fixing these things yourself without some electrical know-how and a healthy disregard for high-voltage electrical safety.
The spread of these interesting and useful electric mini-trucks is evidence of demand for these types of low-cost, low-impact, yet highly useful tools. However, the incredibly low prices seen advertised on Chinese shopping sites don’t tell the entire story.
So while it’s cool to see prices dropping as low as $1,000 to roll one out of the factory, keep in mind that the true cost is likely to approach five figures, and that doesn’t include the potential for issues down the road. Or I should say, down the trail. Remember, these aren’t street legal… unless you happen to be a community college police department, I guess.
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Pentagon to become largest shareholder in rare earth magnet producer MP Materials; shares surge 40%
Porsche is rolling out three new Taycan Black Edition models. The 2026 Porsche Taycan Black Edition brings more than just a sporty new look. All three are equipped with Porsche’s Performance Battery Plus, delivering more power and a longer driving range.
Meet the 2026 Porsche Taycan Black Edition
With the new electric Macan stealing the show, Porsche is introducing new Taycan variants for the 2026 model year.
Porsche has already introduced significant upgrades for the 2025 model year, adding more driving range, faster charging, higher performance, and a sleek new design.
The new Black Edition variants will be available for the 2026 Porsche Taycan, Taycan 4, and Taycan 4S models.
Featuring its SportDesign package, the new models include high-gloss black exterior accents on the window trims and mirrors.
Other standard design elements include a rear light strip with an illuminated, blacked-out Porsche logo. Inside, the new variants include Porsche’s black interior accent package, storage package, and black brushed illuminated door sill guards.
All three Black Edition models are equipped with the larger Performance Battery Plus, which is typically offered as an option.
With a gross energy capacity of 105 kWh, Porsche says the new variants offer a longer driving range and more power. The 2025 Taycan, with the Performance Battery Plus pack, offers an EPA-estimated range of 318 miles.
On the European WLTP scale, the 2025 Porsche Taycan with the Performance Plus battery is rated with up to 679 km (421 miles) range.
The new Black Edition models are loaded with added features. Highlights include Lane Change Assist, Surround View, including Active Parking Assist, 21″ wheels with center caps featuring the full-color Porsche crest, and HD-Matrix Design LED headlights. There are even puddle light projectors that show the Porsche logo when the doors open.
On the inside, the premium features continue. The Black Edition interior features 14-way comfort seats with a memory function, a Porsche crest on the headrests, and a BOSE Surround Sound System, including Dolby Atmos, to create an immersive sound experience.
You’ll also get Porsche Electric Sport Sound, a Storage package, and the Porsche crest stitched into the leather trim. To top it off, there’s an added “Black Edition” badge in the center console, exclusive to the new variants.
Although it’s called the Black Edition, you can choose from several different colors, such as Jet Black Metallic, Volcano Grey Metallic, Dolomite Silver Metallic, and Ice Grey Metallic, at no extra cost.
Porsche will reveal prices for the 2026 Taycan Black Edition models “in due course.” Deliveries in the US are expected to begin in Fall 2025.
What do you think of the new blacked-out Taycan variants? Do you dig it? Drop us a comment below and let us know your thoughts.
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Aventon is giving its popular fat tire e-bike a serious upgrade. The company just unveiled the Aventure M, a new mid-drive version of its best-selling Aventure model. With more torque, smarter shifting, and a boost in connectivity and control, Aventon says this is the “most advanced” bike it has ever produced.
The new Aventure M swaps out the rear hub motor for a 100 Nm mid-drive motor, offering more efficient power delivery and a more natural ride feel thanks to its double-sided torque sensor. And in case that 100 Nm doesn’t exactly place it for you, just know that we’re talking about more power (or more accurately, torque) than nearly any other e-bike in this class.
The Aventon A100 motor, which is rated at 750W and runs on a 36V system, takes full advantage of its Class 3 category with pedal assist speeds up to 28 mph (45 km/h) and a throttle top speed of 20 mph (32 km/h). The throttle is sold separately, probably as a nod to being even more compliant with California’s new stricter laws regarding Class 1 and Class 3 e-bikes, which can’t have mounted throttles.
Aventon also gives riders the option to set the bike to Class 1 or 2 limits using the companion app. We’ve always been pretty impressed with Aventon’s app, as it’s quite easy to use and makes it simple to control those types of modifications to the bike.
That app pairs with Aventon’s newly developed ACU (Aventon Control Unit), a custom IoT system that adds a wide range of smart features. Riders get GPS tracking, theft detection, geofencing, remote locking, and over-the-air (OTA) firmware updates. Aventon even built in a passcode-locked on-switch for added security, as well as a physical rear-wheel lock and alarm.
We’ve previously seen Aventon use that OTA update system to give its e-bike more power via a boost feature, so the company doesn’t appear shy about pushing out new features when they’re ready.
But it’s not just about motor placement and connectivity. The Aventure M introduces electronic shifting, powered by a 10-speed Shimano CUES drivetrain and paddle shifters. Riders can shift manually or let the system take over with Auto Shift, Aventon’s torque and cadence-sensing automatic shifting mode. A new Uphill Start Assist feature gives riders an extra torque boost when starting from a stop on steep grades –perfect for off-road adventures or fully loaded cargo rides.
As for range, Aventon claims up to 85 miles (137 km) from the removable 36V 20Ah (720 Wh) battery, which itself weighs around 8.7 lbs (3.9 kg). That figure is in the lowest power level, and real-world range will depend heavily on terrain and assist level, but riders can likely expect something in the 40–60 mile (65-100 km) ballpark under typical pedaling usage when enjoying moderately higher power levels, and a bit less if leaning hard into that optional throttle.
Rounding out the build are 4-inch wide fat tires, a suspension seatpost, and an 80 mm front suspension fork. The total weight of the bike is around 73 lbs (33 kg), which is actually surprisingly reasonable for a full-featured fat tire e-bike with a mid-drive, believe it or not. Hey, these are heavy bikes when you stuff all that power, range, and tech in there.
The price at launch is US $2,899, which places the Aventure M above the hub motor version of the company’s existing Aventure model but below some other mid-drive fat tire options on the market. Aventon is clearly positioning this as a higher-performance alternative that’s still (hopefully) accessible to the average rider. It’s available now online and through Aventon’s network of over 1,800 partner dealers across the U.S.
Electrek’s Take
It’s about time we saw a major direct-to-consumer brand bring a smart tech, mid-drive fat tire e-bike to market that doesn’t require taking out a second mortgage. The Aventure M feels like a natural progression for Aventon – taking what made the Aventure 2 so popular and layering on meaningful performance and tech upgrades. The mid-drive motor brings real climbing power and smoother pedal assist, and features like auto shifting and built-in GPS tracking give this bike some serious smart credentials.
Of course, at nearly $3,000, this isn’t exactly budget territory anymore. But considering the Aventure M includes high-end components, a full-fat-tire adventure build, and an impressive level of integration, it still looks like a solid value for someone who wants their e-bike to go above and beyond the basic level of componentry and features. If the real-world range holds up and the automatic shifting works smoothly, this could easily become a category leader for anyone wanting an all-terrain e-bike that feels as refined as it is rugged. Aventon of course didn’t reinvent the wheel here — they just made a smarter, better one. I look forward to getting on one soon for a review and letting you know what I think of the ride.
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