I have absolutely no idea what I’m seeing, and yet I already know I’m in love with this fun little electric car from Alibaba.
Last week’s entry in the Awesomely Weird Alibaba Electric Vehicle of the Week may have scared me, but this week’s little electric car thing tickles, “Why don’t I have this in my life?” Part of my brain that my wife hasn’t gotten out of me could train out.
I’m not entirely sure what to call this Xi’an Lingstar Imp electric car. & Exp. Co., Ltd.
Technically, the product name is listed as “EEC Hot Sell 2Seats Car Electric Adult Prowl Patrol Sightseeing Police Golf Cart Made in China For Sale”.
But that seems a bit mouthful.
The model number is M15 so we’ll stick with it.
The Lingstar M15 might not be the sexiest car on the road, but it has some charm that I think can work for me.
You can show off your electric sports car. I’ll pick up the ladies in my short electric car.
If the bright yellow paint job doesn’t grab people’s attention, then creativity will for sure.
It looks like the designers transferred Frankenstein to us, cut the front end of a Miata to the back half of a Willys Jeep, and then tied it all together with the handrail of a swimming pool ladder.
And if you think the design is amazing (which of course you do, breathe) then just take a look at the interior. Things get even stranger when you walk inside.
There is no steering wheel; Instead, the M15 offers us a motorcycle-style handlebar.
You may laugh, but it’s a stone’s throw from a Tesla butterfly steering wheel from here. It’s even stalkless, just like Tesla’s wheel! That makes me an early adopter folks.
The hard plastic bucket seats look like they were made in an actual shovel factory. They seem as comfortable as an empty bathtub, but of course I wasn’t expecting luxury vegan leather.
And while it may not offer high-end upholstery, you can at least clean the inside of the car with a garden hose – so there is that.
The M15 has left-hand drive, just like God intended, but for some reason the seat belts are in reverse.
I guess I shouldn’t be complaining, and I should just be grateful that there are even seat belts. Considering a wall fell from a bumper car ride and one escaped, any real road safety gear would already be a long way off.
You have a racing stripe so I think it’s pretty obvious which one goes faster
That being said, this is definitely not just a toy car. It’s not one of those puny little electric cars that travel at 50 km / h that we often see on Alibaba.
No father, Bob! This drives up to 55 km / h.
Granted, the 4kW, rear-wheel drive electric motor would never cross the checkered flag, but that’s fine with me. If you have a car that looks this good, you should definitely slow down and let people see it as you roll by.
What the M15 lacks in engine power, it makes up for in battery capacity. My little yellow hot rod is hiding a big old 72 V 80 Ah lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 5.76 kWh. That’s not bad at all!
Lingstar claims a maximum range of 150 km, but with a crawling speed of 20 km / h. Even at full speed, it could give a used Nissan Leaf a run for its money.
With one of these AliExpress batteries, you can even double your range for barely a thousand dollars.
Check out this trunk too. It has more space than a Lincoln Continental!
I know this thing is only a two-seater, but you could bring a few passengers back there in a pinch.
The only downside to the M15 – OK, well, one of the few downsides to the M15 – is the price. This tiny EV costs a whopping $ 5,400. Ouch. At that price, I may have to stick to my $ 1,700 electric mini-jeep.
Or maybe this three-wheeled electric RV is holding me tight until I find my perfect Alibaba phone.
If you come across your own incredibly weird Alibaba electric vehicle, please send me a link (please see my author’s bio below for my contact information). It may be featured in a future issue of the Awesomely Weird Alibaba EV of the week!
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