I went to China to test drive Yadea’s electric scooters, e-bikes, and A LOT more!
I recently took a trip to China to visit Yadea’s sprawling Anhui factory, which is just one of the company’s eight worldwide manufacturing centers. Together, they produced over 16 million electric vehicles last year, more than all of the big electric car manufacturers combined.
Since these pint-sized electric vehicles are so massively popular, I wanted to go there and try them myself and see what all the fuss was about. As it turns out, there’s a good reason why these are the best-selling little EVs in the world! And now that several of the models are coming to Europe and North America, Yadea’s lineup is looking even more interesting.
This is Part II of this series, which follows my visit to the manufacturing facilities inside Yadea’s Anhui factory. To see how these e-bikes, e-scooters, e-three wheelers, and other popular micromobility vehicles are made, check out Part I of the series here.
If you’ve already checked it out (or you just want to jump right into the test drives), then keep on reading below. Or check out my video here, which covers both the factory tour and the test drives.
After finishing up the factory tour, where I had the chance to see how and where Yadea’s vehicles are produced, I was fortunate enough to spend the rest of the day test-driving many of the vehicles I had just watched rolling across the assembly line.
At the company’s test track, Yadea’s team prepared for me a lineup of electric mopeds, electric kickscooters, electric bicycles, and a couple really fun-looking electric three-wheelers.
I call it a test track, but I think a more accurate term would be torture track. The course starts with a dive into a shallow water pool to simulate riding through flooded roads (yes, what feels like it should be the grand finale is just the start!). A steep exit ramp from the standing water pool takes you across a washboard section simulating rutted-out roads. Then it’s uphill from there, literally, as a massive ramp takes you up and then back down the other side, launching you immediately into a cobblestone section. From there, you hit not just one but 26 speed bumps in rapid succession. It’s an HOA president’s fantasy come to life.
And if that wasn’t enough to cover just about every torturous terrain possible (and scramble your brain a bit from the few dozen speed bumps you just traversed), the course finishes off with a coup de grâce of a loose gravel section. It’s surely there to test the bikes’ abilities on gravel roads, but it’s so deep that it’s less like riding on a gravel road and more like riding on a gravel pit, so it also ends up being a test of your own riding skills.
Oh, and the entire scooter obstacle course is walled in by a fence, meaning once you’ve started, you aren’t getting back out until you’ve finished the course. Apparently, you either clear it or die trying.
I am proud to say that I completed the torture test on a couple of the electric mopeds as well as on their Cocoa electric utility bike, both of which were more than up to the task.
The moped climbed the ramp surprisingly quickly and then gave me a chance to test out the regenerative braking on the steep descent. On the descent I didn’t even need to touch the brake levers.
I declined to take the three-wheelers down the torture test course. Still, I saw multiple other Yadea three-wheelers run the gauntlet with Yadea employees at the helm since it’s part of the standard verification testing for vehicles to ensure they can handle such varied terrain. They were either braver than me, or they do this so many times a day that it’s a cakewalk for them at this point.
When it came time to test the standing scooters, I found three different full-suspension models laid out in front of me. The Yadea Artist was the lightest, yet still impressively powerful with a 600W motor. Two larger and progressively higher performance models, the Yadea Elite Max and Yadea Elite Prime, have even longer travel suspension, larger batteries, and faster speeds.
But they all still share many features like convenient folding designs, built-in handlebar turn signals that face both forwards and rearwards, and companion apps for more settings and control.
I was curious how well the scooters could handle the torture test, but wasn’t sure if I had the skills to make it myself. That’s when Joy, who comes from the scooter marketing division, volunteered to simultaneously emasculate me and show me how it was done. For reference, picture the adorable 90-lb-looking Joy flying down the course as she somehow sailed over that long gravel pit without a care in the world. Not wanting to lose face, I tried to recreate it afterward, yet I definitely had to put a foot down twice across the same gravel section. Looks like I’ll be taking off-road riding tips from Joy for now on.
Needing to save face, I told Joy I could surely tackle that massive ramp on the Elite Prime scooter. It’s the most powerful of the three full-suspension scooters, and perhaps worried about my safety, she showed me how to do it first. She flew up the ramp even more carefree than when she traversed the gravel pit, though I noticed she slowed near the top and put a foot down before leveling out.
Aha! My turn to show her up! I took the bars and went full speed into that ramp, hoping to finally win at something here. And as I shot up that massive ramp, I soon realized why she had pulled her punches at the end. The scooter is so powerful that I just kept going! I flew over the top of the ramp, continued across the tabletop, and headed down the other side before I managed to bring myself to a wide-eyed stop. Fortunately, no one saw my near launch into orbit as I was safely hidden on the far side of the ramp, giving me a chance to steady my heartbeat and ride back down as if everything had gone according to plan.
The takeaway point is this: these electric scooters can handle just about anything, but the real question is whether YOU can handle it.
The Cocoa electric utility bike was next on my list, and I instantly fell in love with the design. I like bright colors, and it’s cool to see the Yadea orange integrated into the racks, which are included as part of the bike and, fortunately, not held back behind a paywall as add-on accessories.
Yadea will also have several other accessories available in the future as they expand their line of cargo carriers, child seats, and other utility-oriented optional accessories. In the meantime, though, they’ve designed the bike to be fairly universal so that riders can either make their own add-ons or use third-party accessories as well.
The bike also rides beautifully, even without suspension. It’s got a huge, 5.5 inch color screen and offers a rear passenger bench option for carrying a second rider with you. I know many people won’t look at an e-bike without suspension, but I can tell you that the large tires helped it handle everything along the torture test quite well, at least until hitting the speed bump section too fast. That resulted in a rather rough ride, serving as a good reminder to slow down the next time you hit a series of 26 speed bumps in a row.
With a torque sensor, 7-speed drivetrain, and hydraulic disc brakes, the Yadea Cocoa has most of what most American riders are looking for. The 500W motor peaks at 740W, putting it near the upper limit for Class 2 e-bikes, even if it’s not exceeding the limit like many US-based electric bikes. It certainly felt plenty powerful to me, and I had no problem climbing the steep hill in the proving grounds’ torture test course.
The last vehicles to test were also the largest. Yadea had two of their three-wheelers set up for me to test. The first was the Yadea C16 electric trike, which comes in either a covered or open-top configuration. I tested the covered version, which felt essentially like a golf cart. It even started raining a bit, giving me the chance to test out the wipers on the windshield as well.
The motor is only listed as around 1,400 watts, but it’s weirdly powerful. Chinese companies often use the continuous power rating of the motor, while in the US we are used to local companies advertising the more impressive peak wattage. So don’t be fooled by the 1.4 kW rating, the true peak power of this thing is much higher. It was even quite powerful in reverse, so hill climbing in either direction won’t be a problem.
The front seat is basically meant for a single operator, though you could likely fit a small child on there with you. The rear has room for two healthy adults or perhaps three kids if they don’t bicker in close quarters.
The production quality is quite good, with everything having a cute and rounded, bubbly appearance. These types of vehicles are common for grandparents to use in China, often as a way to shuttle kids around or pick them up from daycare. The family-friendly design theme works well and is visible throughout the vehicle, giving it a higher level of approachability. It might look a bit foreign to us as Westerners, but I bet most people would see one on the street and want to give it a test ride – I certainly did!
The second three-wheeler I tested was the ET152 electric cargo tricycle, which is basically the pickup truck of China. These are hugely popular all over rural areas and are commonly seen both on farms for agricultural work, and on the shoulder of major roads in rural areas where they serve a utility role.
This one was loaded down with 15 jugs each carrying 25 liters of water, or around 55 pounds. That’s over 800 pounds of load, which it carried without even noticing since its actual payload capacity is actually 1.5 metric tons, or 3,300 pounds.
To kick things up a notch, I asked some of my new friends to go for a ride with me, getting six more humans worth of weight on the trike, but that barely even got us to half of its rated capacity. To put this into perspective, this electric cargo trike is rated to carry just as much load as an F-150 and more than many smaller pickup trucks in the US.
To put it lightly, I tested a pretty wide range of light electric vehicles at the Yadea factory, and that barely scratched the surface of the various models they offer.
I’m excited to see that more and more of the company’s lineup is starting to enter the European and North American markets. As the world’s largest electric vehicle maker, Yadea is well positioned to leverage its market leader position to combine technological innovations and high-quality manufacturing processes to bring some impressive new EVs to global markets.
As much fun as I had riding the vehicles on display, I can’t wait to see even more of Yadea’s offerings spread around the world.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
The new John Deere Z370RS Electric ZTrak zero turn electric riding mower promises all the power and performance Deere’s customers have come to expect from its quiet, maintenance-free electric offerings – but with an all new twist: removable batteries.
The latest residential ZT electric mower from John Deere features a 42″ AccelDeep mower deck for broad, capable cuts through up to 1.25 acres of lawn per charge, which is about what you’d expect from the current generation of battery-powered Deeres – but this is where the new Z370RS Electric ZTrak comes into its own.
Flip the lid behind the comfortably padded yellow seat and you’ll be greeted by six (6!) 56V ARC Lithium batteries from electric outdoor brand EGO. Those removable batteries can be swapped out of the Z370RS for fresh ones in seconds, getting you back to work in less time than it takes to gravity pour a tank of gas.
And, because they’re EGO batteries, they can be used in any 56V-powered EGO-brand tools and minibikes for unprecedented cross-brand interoperability. Tools and minibikes that, it should be noted, can be purchased at John Deere dealers across the country.
The upsell scripts write themselves, kids. And when you start your dialing, tell your prospective customers their new Z370RS Electric ZTrak electric mower lists for $6,499, and if you order now we can bundle it with EGO minibike for the kiddos – just in time for the holidays!
Electrek’s Take
When John Deere launched the first Z370R, Peter Johnson wrote that electrifying lawn equipment needs to be a priority, citing EPA data that showed gas-powered lawnmowers making up five percent of the total air pollution in the US (despite covering far less than 5% of the total miles driven on that gas). “Moreover,” he writes, “it takes about 800 million gallons of gasoline each year (with an additional 17 million gallons spilled) to fuel this equipment.”
It should go without saying, then, that states like California, which are banning small off-road combustion engines, have the right idea.
SOURCE | IMAGES: John Deere.
If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
![Daimler CEO just dropped some pretty WILD pro-hydrogen claims [update]](https://i0.wp.com/electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/09/hydrogen_semi.jpg?resize=1200,628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1)
Daimler Truck AG CEO Karin Rådström hopped on LinkedIn today and dropped some absolutely wild pro-hydrogen talking points, using words like “emotional” and “inspiring” while making some pretty heady claims about the viability and economics of hydrogen. The rant is doubly embarrassing for another reason: the company’s hydrogen trucks are more than 100 million miles behind Volvo’s electric semis.
UPDATE 22NOV2025: Daimler just delivered five new hydrogen semis for trials.
While it might be hard to imagine why a company as seemingly smart as Daimler Truck AG continues to invest in hydrogen when study after study has shut down its viability as a transport fuel, it makes sense when you consider that the Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA) holds approximately 5% of Daimler and parent company Mercedes’ shares.
That’s not a trivial stake. Indeed, 5% is enough to make KIA one of the few actors with both the access and the motivation to shape conversations about Daimler’s long-term technology bets, and as a major oil-producing country whose economy would undoubtedly take a hit if oil demand plummeted, any future fuel that’s measured molecules instead of electrons isn’t just a concept for the Kuwaiti economy: it’s a lifeline.
What’s more, Kuwait’s “Oil Strategy 2040” includes plans to nearly double crude oil production and invest billions of dollars in new oil extraction projects and downstream refining facilities, even as the rest of the world rushes to decarbonize.
In that context, the push to make hydrogen seem like an attractive decarbonization option makes more sense. So, instead of giving Daimler’s hydrogen propaganda team yet another platform to try and convince people that hydrogen might make for a viable transport fuel eventually by giving five Mercedes-Benz GenH2 semi trucks to its customers at Hornbach, Reber Logistik, Teva Germany with its brand ratiopharm, Rhenus, and DHL Supply Chain, I’m just going to re-post Daimler CEO Karin Rådström’s comments from Hydrogen Week.
Earlier this month, Daimler Truck AG issued a press release entitled, “Five and a Half Times Around the World: Daimler Truck Fuel Cell Trucks Successfully Complete More Than 225,000 km (~139,000 miles) in Real-World Customer Operations.” Don’t bother looking for it on Electrek, though. I didn’t run it. And I didn’t run it because, frankly, a fleet of over-the-road semi trucks managing to cover a little over half the number of miles that David Blenkle put on his single Ford Mustang Mach-E isn’t particularly impressive.
In the meantime, Daimler competitors like Volvo, Renault, and even tiny Motiv are racking up millions and millions of all-electric miles and MAN Truck CEO Alexander Vlaskamp is saying that it’s impossible for hydrogen to compete with batteries. Heck, even Daimler’s own eActros BEV semi trucks are putting up better numbers than those hydrogen deals.
So, why then is Rådström pouring on the hydrogen love over at LinkedIn?
For some reason – posts about hydrogen always stir up emotions. I think hydrogen (not “instead of” but “in parallel to” electric) plays a role in the decarbonization of heavy duty transport in Europe for three reasons:
- If we would go “electric only” we need to get the electric grid to a level where we can build enough charging stations for the 6 million trucks in Europe. It will take many years and be incredibly expensive. A hydrogen infrastructure in parallel will be less expensive and you don’t need a grid connection to build it, putting 2000 H2 stations in Europe is relatively easy.
- Europe will rely on import of energy, and it could be transported into Europe from North Africa and Middle East as liquid hydrogen. Better to use that directly as fuel than to make electricity out of it.
- Some use cases of our customers are better suited for fuel cells than electric trucks – the fuel cell truck will allow higher payload and longer ranges.
At European Hydrogen Week, I saw firsthand the energy and ambition behind Europe’s net-zero goals. It’s inspiring—but also a wake-up call. We’re not moving fast enough.
What we need:
- Large-scale hydrogen production and transport to Europe
- A robust refueling network that goes beyond AFIR
- And real political support to make it happen – we need smart, efficient regulation that clears the path instead of adding hurdles.
To show what’s possible, we brought our Mercedes-Benz GenH2 to Brussels. From the end of 2026, we’ll deploy a small series of 100 fuel cell trucks to customers.
Let’s build the infrastructure, the momentum, and the partnerships to make zero-emission transport a reality. 🚛 and let’s try to avoid some of the mistakes that we see now while scaling up electric. And let’s stop the debate about “either or”. We need both.
Commenters were quick to point out that Daimler recently received €226M in grants from German federal and state governments to build 100 fuel cell trucks – but, while Daimler for sure doesn’t want to give back the money, it’s also pretty difficult to believe that Rådström’s pro-hydrogen posturing is sincere.
Especially since most of it seems like nonsense.
We’re not doing any of that
At the risk of sounding “emotional,” Rådström’s claims that building a hydrogen infrastructure in parallel will be less expensive than building an electrical infrastructure, and that “you don’t need a grid connection to build it,” are objectively false.
Further, if her claim that “putting 2,000 H2 stations in Europe is relatively easy” isn’t outright laughable, it’s worth noting that Europe had just 265 hydrogen filling stations in operation in 2024 (and only 40% of those, or about 100, were capable of serving HD trucks). At the same time, the IEA reported that there are nearly five million public charging ports already in service on the continent.
Next, the claim that, “Europe will rely on import of energy, and it could be transported into Europe from North Africa and Middle East as liquid hydrogen” (emphasis mine), is similarly dubious – especially when faced with the fact that, in 2023, wind and solar already supplied about 27–30% of EU electricity.
I will agree, however, with one of Rådström’s claims. She notes that, “some use cases of our customers are better suited for fuel cells than electric trucks – the fuel cell truck will allow higher payload and longer ranges.” That’s debatable, but widely accepted as true … for now. Daimler’s own research into lighter, more energy-dense, and lower-cost solid-state battery technology, however, may mean that it won’t be true for long, however.
Unless, of course, Mercedes’ solid-state batteries don’t work (and she would know more about that than I would, as a mere blogger).
Electrek’s Take
As you can imagine, the Karin Rådström post generated quite a few comments at the Electrek watercooler. “Insane to claim that building hydrogen stations would be cheaper than building chargers,” said one fellow writer. “I’m fine with hydrogen for long haul heavy duty, but lying to get us there is idiotic.”
Another comment I liked said, “(Rådström) says that chargers need to be on the grid – you already have a grid, and it’s everywhere!”
At the end of the day, I have to echo the words of one of Mercedes’ storied engineering partners and OEM suppliers, Mahle, whose Chairman, Arnd Franz, who that building out a hydrogen infrastructure won’t be possible without “blue” H made from fossil fuels as recently as last April, and maybe that’s what this is all about: fossil fuel vehicles are where Daimler makes its biggest profits (for now), and muddying the waters and playing up this idea that we’re in some sort of “messy middle” transition makes it just easy enough for a reluctant fleet manager to say, “maybe next time” when it comes to EVs.
We, and the planet, will suffer for such cowardice – but maybe that’s too much malicious intent to ascribe to Ms. Rådström. Maybe this is just a simple “Hanlon’s razor” scenario and there’s nothing much else to read into it.
Let us know what you think of Rådström’s pro-hydrogen comments, and whether or not Daimler’s shareholders should be concerned about the quality of the research behind their CEO’s public posts, in the comments section at the bottom of the page.
SOURCE | IMAGES: Karin Rådström, via LinkedIn.
If you drive an electric vehicle, make charging at home fast, safe, and convenient with a Level 2 charger installed by Qmerit. As the nation’s most trusted EV charger installation network, Qmerit connects you with licensed, background-checked electricians who specialize in EV charging. You’ll get a quick online estimate, upfront pricing, and installation backed by Qmerit’s nationwide quality guarantee. Their pros follow the highest safety standards so you can plug in at home with total peace of mind.
Ready to charge smarter? Get started today with Qmerit. (trusted affiliate link)
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Audi embraced its future in China with the launch of a new Chinese market electric sub-brand called AUDI that ditched the iconic “four rings” logo in favor of four capital letters – but one thing this latest concept hasn’t ditched is the brand’s traditionally teutonic long-roof design language.
Co-developed with Audi’s Chinese production partner, SAIC, the all-new AUDI E SUV concept is based on the PPE (Premium Platform Electric) skateboard, and is only the second model introduced by the company’s domestic sub-brand — which was all-new itself just one year ago.
“The AUDI E SUV concept celebrates the new AUDI brand’s first anniversary following the E concept’s debut in Guangzhou (2024),” said Fermín Soneira, CEO of the Audi and SAIC cooperation, at the E SUV’s unveiling. “It showcases an unmistakable AUDI design language that gives the SUV a prestigious, progressive stance — with no compromise between sporty aesthetics and interior roominess or versatility. This concept embodies our vision for premium electric mobility by fusing Audi’s engineering heritage with digital innovation to fulfill our commitment in China.”
As a vehicle, the AUDI E SUV concept promises to handle “like an Audi,” and is powered by a pair of electric motors good for a combined 500 kW (~670 hp), good enough to get the big crossover from 0-100 km/h (62 mph) in about five seconds. Those efficient motors are fed electrons by a 109 kWh battery riding on AUDI’s 800V Advanced Digital Platform system architecture, and can allegedly add 320 km (~200 miles) of range in under 10 minutes at a high-powered DC fast charging station.
If you’re a fan of self-driving tech, the AUDI 360 Driving Assist System is the AUDI E SUV concept is for you, with features that, “enable a relaxed and safe driving experience – on highways, in dense city traffic, and during assisted parking.”
No word yet on pricing, but it likely won’t matter. As successful as the AUDI sub-brand has been, it’s still a long shot that we’ll ever get these Stateside, no matter what Canada does.
AUDI E SUV concept
SOURCE | IMAGES: Audi.
If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
-
Sports2 years agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports2 years agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports3 years agoButton battles heat exhaustion in NASCAR debut
-
Sports3 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment3 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment1 year agoHere are the best electric bikes you can buy at every price level in October 2024