Weird Alibaba: A $5,000 electric ice cream truck that you’ll want to drive everyday
Remember the good ol’ days of hearing the ice cream truck’s jingle coming down the street and running outside with a fistful of quarters to grab your favorite tasty treat?
Yea, me neither, as I’m in my early 30’s and that stuff was mostly phased out by the time we were kids. Why pay a stranger in a questionably shady truck when your mom can just pick up ice pops at Krogers?
But that doesn’t mean I can’t lay on the fake nostalgia for a bygone era that had officially gone by before I came around.
And the best way to relive the romantic ice cream truck period yourself is to step right up and own your very own ice cream truck. Err, well, ice cream trike. This confectionary cart is a three-wheeler. A tasty treat tuk-tuk, if you will.
It’s a vehicle so weird and awesome that it has rightfully earned this week’s title of Awesomely Weird Alibaba Electric Vehicle of the Week.
And it’s electric, so that’s kind of a steep departure from the original as well. Though I imagine that can only be an improvement. I’ve never heard of someone who enjoyed the taste of exhaust mixed in with their Mr. Sprinkles.
And with the price of gas these days, you could end up blowing your whole cone budget just on gas stops, so electric definitely seems like the way to go.
The cool thing about this ice cream trike too is that it’s basically a transformer.
The ice cream tent in back pops up when you’re parked and want to start slinging your frozen delights. But when it’s time to get back on the highway (or let’s face it, probably the sidewalk), the rear end closes back down for supreme aerodynamic performance.
And with a peppy 4,000W motor, you better believe that aerodynamics are going to come into play. The last thing you want is a drippy cone because you didn’t plan for wind resistance.
Ok fine, so it’s not terribly fast or powerful. But it could smoke some of other silly little EVs we’ve featured here before.
And while this is certainly not a family car, that doesn’t mean you can’t make use of it for more than one purpose.
Just think of how cool it would be (or mortifying) for you kid to get dropped off at school in an ice cream trike.
You’ve even got your own reward structure built right into the vehicle. “Thanks for picking me up from school, Dad. Can I have some ice cream?”
“Sorry, Junior. Ice cream is for kids that get straight A’s.”
At a price of $6,600 (or a mere $5,800 if you buy 10 ice cream trucks), this isn’t exactly an impulse purchase.
And keep in mind that you’ll likely have several thousand more dollars in shipping costs, customs fees, port fees and of course ice cream taxes.
But if you’ve been looking for a career change, a chance to make your own hours and a vehicle with a perpetually sticky floor, then you could do a heck of a lot worse than this awesome electric ice cream trike.
It may not be the most practical vehicle I’ve ever found on the internet, but it’s certainly one of the most charming!
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Subscribe to Electrek on YouTube for exclusive videos and subscribe to the podcast.
The Mockingbird Solar Center, Ørsted’s largest solar project globally, is now online, next to protected prairie donated by the renewable energy giant.
This massive 468-megawatt (MW) solar farm is set to power 80,000 homes and businesses, providing a major boost to the Texas grid.
But the launch of Mockingbird Solar isn’t just about clean energy – it’s also about restoring precious ecosystems. Ørsted has donated 953 acres of the Smiley-Woodfin Native Prairie Grassland, which sits next to the solar center, to The Nature Conservancy. The donated land is now the Smiley Meadow Preserve, a protected area for tallgrass prairie that’s home to more than 400 species of grasses and wildflowers.
Tallgrass prairies are some of the rarest ecosystems in the US, with less than 1% of Texas’ original tallgrass prairies still in existence. Tallgrass prairie does a lot of heavy lifting for the environment, including storing carbon, preventing floods, and providing crucial habitats for pollinators.
“Native prairies are the rarest landscapes left in Texas – so much so that many people have never seen one,” said David Bezanson, land protection strategy program director for The Nature Conservancy in Texas. He added that preserving Smiley Meadow will not only conserve one of the best prairie remnants left but also help restore other prairie habitats and boost regional biodiversity.
The Mockingbird Solar Center, a half-billion-dollar project, is part of Ørsted’s $20 billion push to expand renewable energy production across the US. Beyond generating electricity, it will inject $75 million into local property taxes, benefiting schools and other public services. The project also created over 550 construction jobs and will continue to be supported by operations staff moving forward.
Ørsted worked with US companies, including First Solar, for solar panels and partnered with local businesses like Drake Construction and Pfifer Farms for construction materials. It also gave more than $50,000 to local volunteer fire departments in Roxton and Brookston.
With Mockingbird Solar now up and running, Ørsted has more than 6 gigawatts of onshore wind, solar, and battery storage projects either in operation or being built across the US.
Read more: Ørsted got a huge Tesla battery storage system for the world’s single-largest offshore wind farm
If you live in an area that has frequent natural disaster events, and are interested in making your home more resilient to power outages, consider going solar and adding a battery storage system. 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. They have 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 Advisers to help you every step of the way. Get started here. –trusted affiliate link*
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Jeep’s first global luxury electric SUV will arrive at US dealerships any day. Despite its $72,000 price tag, lease prices for the 2024 Jeep Wagoneer S EV start at just $599 per month.
2024 Jeep Wagoneer S EV lease prices
After unveiling its first global electric SUV, Jeep’s CEO said the Wagoneer S “marks a new chapter” in its storied history.
Jeep claims the Wagoneer S packs “exhilarating performance.” With 600 hp and 617 lb-ft of torque, the big-body SUV can sprint from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.4 seconds. Its 100 kWh battery pack also gives it a driving range of over 300 miles.
The electric SUV is unmistakably still a Jeep, but it did get several upgrades to distinguish it as an EV. The grille is now enclosed without the need to cool a massive engine, giving it a sporty, more modern look.
Jeep revamped its design with a new illuminated seven-slot grille with ambient cast lightning. It also fine-tuned its profile, adding flush door handles, a rear wing, and integrated fins for better airflow.
The first Jeep Wagoneer S Launch Edition models get exclusive dark accent design elements like 20″ Gloss Black Wheels.
Inside, the electric SUV is loaded with the latest tech and connectivity, including a best-in-class 45″ of usable screen space. The setup includes a 12.3″ center screen and an exclusive 10.25″ interactive front passenger screen.
Jeep already announced that the 2024 Wagoneer S EV will start at $71,995, but now the company has revealed lease prices for the first time.
According to Jeep, the 2024 Jeep Wagoneer S Launch Edition can be leased for $599 per month for 36 months (10,000 miles per year). The deal includes $4,999 due at signing and a $7,500 EV incentive. However, you may want to act fast, as Jeep’s offer is only good until December 2, 2024.
| Jeep Wagoneer S vs Tesla Model Y | Starting Price | Range | Lease Price |
| Jeep Wagoneer S Launch Edition | $71,995 | +300 miles | $599/mo |
| Tesla Model Y RWD | $44,990 | 320 miles | $299/mo |
| Tesla Model Y AWD | $47,990 | 308 miles | $399/mo |
| Tesla Model Y AWD Performance | $51,490 | 279 miles | $599/mo |
In comparison, Tesla Model Y RWD lease prices start at $299 for 36 months with $2,999 down (10,000 miles). The Performance AWD model starts at $599 per month. In an end-of-year promo, Tesla also offers 3 months of free Supercharging and Full Self-Driving.
Ready to drive off in your new electric SUV? We can help you get started. You can use our links below to view offers on the Jeep Wagoneer S and Tesla Model Y at a dealer near you.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
-
Sports2 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports8 months agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports1 year agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports3 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike
-
Business2 years agoBank of England’s extraordinary response to government policy is almost unthinkable | Ed Conway