Possible to get cheap Chinese cars?

[Hummina Shadeeba]

I’m looking for the cheapest electric car! I see cars on alibaba and also heard there’s Teslas only sold in china. I don’t need much range and hoping it could be updated later with a bigger battery later.

Maybe I need to do this before tariffs happen.

Maybe India or Japan are also making small cheap cars that are worth importing.

 

[99t4]

You could probably "get" one, sure, but how could you register it without it passing US safety regulations (presuming you are in the US)? Crash testing, lighting, etc.

 

[Hummina Shadeeba]

It seems a monster of logistics and tape. I’m just looking into it. There’s the 25 year rule for starters. Is there a distributor or someone who I can consult with?

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The 25 year rule seems insurmountable. I’m going to just look for old stuff

Search results: bus, 1984 - 2000,

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[fill]

Citroen ami?

 

[Hummina Shadeeba]

Citroen ami?

I imagine it would have the same trouble getting into USA as all other foreign vehicles. Right up my alley though

 

[Hillhater]

I’m looking for the cheapest electric car!

Then you should be looking at pre owned EVs, like the Leaf, Fiat 600e, etc….and avoud all the issues with importation, certification, registration, insurance, etc etc.
But if “Cheap” is a priority, then you should not be looking at EVs at all !

 

[Chalo]

The cheapest electric car is a conversion of the lightest cheapest dead ICE car. Geo Metro is a good candidate if you can find one.

 

[harrisonpatm]

The cheapest electric car is a conversion of the lightest cheapest dead ICE car. Geo Metro is a good candidate if you can find one.

Lots of people convert old sports cars like MGs (not terribly practical) or old VW beetles (more practical)

 

[PaPaSteve]

I’m looking for the cheapest electric car! I see cars on alibaba and also heard there’s Teslas only sold in china. I don’t need much range and hoping it could be updated later with a bigger battery later.

Maybe I need to do this before tariffs happen.

Maybe India or Japan are also making small cheap cars that are worth importing.

Micah Toll who writes for Electrek has purchased a bunch of "cheap" vehicles through Alibaba.
To read about his experiences look up his name in the Electrek search function and click on "Ailbaba"
He is an upbeat person with a good sense of humor and solid understanding of the inexpensive marketplace.

 

[Chalo]

Lots of people convert old sports cars like MGs (not terribly practical) or old VW beetles (more practical)

Those have the advantages of being light and mechanically simple (and free of electronic systems), but the disadvantage of being collectible.

I'd like to convert a kei van, but first I would have to want to own a car.

 

[99t4]

It seems a monster of logistics and tape. I’m just looking into it. There’s the 25 year rule for starters. Is there a distributor or someone who I can consult with?

I think you're up against-- what do we call it? There's a term, market capture? Where the monopolistic players are able to lobby the lawmakers to enact rules that make it hard or impossible for new competitors to enter the market. Like broadband connectivity. In most areas in US there's really only two choices. Near impossible for a new airline carrier to enter the market. I don't know how Tesla was able to enter the automobile market. The inertia is in the direction towards mergers and monopolies, and away from opening up for new competitors.

 

[PaPaSteve]

Browsing the Bay Area craigslist for Nissan Leafs shows a bunch of nice looking available.
Lowest price . . . $1800
We have a 2011 that is driven locally almost daily in a small beach town with the only 55mph road being HWY 101
A very different driving experience from Bay Area freeways
A decent car with proper safety equipment, airbags etc.
Bay Area must have a Leaf specialist repair shop ? ? ?

 

[Pilip]

Browsing the Bay Area craigslist for Nissan Leafs shows a bunch of nice looking available.
Lowest price . . . $1800
We have a 2011 that is driven locally almost daily in a small beach town with the only 55mph road being HWY 101
A very different driving experience from Bay Area freeways
A decent car with proper safety equipment, airbags etc.
Bay Area must have a Leaf specialist repair shop ? ? ?

Yes, the distance for electric transport is a very important point, well, the speed of the traffic flow on this road. I remember one video on YouTube about a guy in a Tesla driving from Kyiv to Odessa (about 500 km), the task was to drive without charging the battery, the road there pretended to be an autobahn, in general, all the way long loaded trucks overtook him and showed him the middle finger, this guy was very offended, but he kept within the 500 km promised by Tesla.

 

[Logic11]

There's a lot of: " I imported the cheapest Chinese car!" videos on YouTube, where they drive them around on public US roads.
Perhaps the process they followed is detailed in some of them.

I also saw one of these cheap chinese electric cars with a small genset under the bonnet.
That's nice as Lead Acid (you did say cheap) batteries aren't going to get you very far, and lose lifespan fast if used below 50% charge.

Another option is an electrified velomobile like forum member; The Toecutter's.
That gets you from A to B at city traffic speeds on the smell of an electron.

 

[Hummina Shadeeba]

Getting a broken van or bus from the junkyard and converting it seems cheapest and most fun and what I’m going to do. I figured I’d get two hub motors (from somewhere.?), some used lifepo4 from batteryhookup or greentecauto, and two 3shul controllers of some rating dependimg on how heavy it all is. If u have any advice I’m hoping to hear it.


I don’t need a car and actually just got my cali drivers license at 51. I bike or e-bike everywhere around and it works fine (just pedaled in the pouring rain from Sausalito to deep mission) but want to get something to travel in and not have to pay for hotels.

 

[neptronix]

How far do you want to travel?

Alternative option if you hit a range limit with today's technology: Prius V

 

[Hummina Shadeeba]

One requirement is ability for two people to lay flat to sleep. I have no plans for destination or distance and figure I could bring a long extension cord and charge often if need to.


I’ll be looking for a short school bus or van once I raise the bucks.

 

[PaPaSteve]

Conversions can be quite the project . . .
Nissan Leaf's are common part donors for conversions.
Might be easier and lower cost to alter the back half of a Leaf with some van body panels.
For inspiration :
Bay Area maker, Simone Giertz chopped her Tesla into a pickup.

 

[Hillhater]

Browsing the Bay Area craigslist for Nissan Leafs shows a bunch of nice looking available.
Lowest price . . . $1800

Yes, that would be the sensible option, …also look for those ex lease Fiat 600e‘s.
You can spend a LOT more than that converting an old ice .
a half decent battery pack alone, would be more than that .

 

[Chalo]

You can spend a LOT more than that converting an old ice .
a half decent battery pack alone, would be more than that .

Today, sure. But the deciduous consumer electronics in the factory EV will bring it to an expensive halt before long, and the converted car will be indefinitely maintainable at whatever cost level the owner opted into.

 

[Hummina Shadeeba]

a half decent battery pack alone, would be more than that

Do u consider these 90% capacity cells decent and can get 50 of them including shipping for $1000? Making a car as opposed to a bike weight n size aren’t much consideration. Could just lay them on the floor.

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Here’s some cheap hub I just found on alibaba.


I just found this on AliExpress: $610.00 | QS MOTOR 8000W V3 Single Shaft Electric Car Hub Motor

https://a.aliexpress.com/_mPKylzZ

And the price of controllers has plummeted in the last couple years.


I’d like to believe making it would be cheaper but there’s probably lots of surprises.. like how do u mount the wheel hubs. Other than that though it would hopefully just be wiring and I’m not discouraged. I’ve seen a lot of cheap broken “google” buses and school buses.

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[Hillhater]

Do u consider these 90% capacity cells decent and can get 50 of them including shipping for $1000?

They certainly are a bargain,…but they are only modules, not a working pack. No BMSs, no connections, etc.
and at 90% capacity,..limited life expectancy.
Those hub motors have been tried on car conversions before..with disapointing performance, especially in situations with any significant grade.
That type of project requires serious skills, electrical, mechanical, design , etc…..and much time.

 

[PaPaSteve]

Quite the evolution of thought !
From "possible to buy a cheap import" to a "DIY bus conversion"

 

[Hummina Shadeeba]

Quite the evolution of thought !
From "possible to buy a cheap import" to a "DIY bus conversion

Must go full speed till hit detour. I have no money for anything at this point and feeling around for what’s possible. bet I have a bus/van done this summer though.

 

[Chalo]

You can save a bundle on battery, motor, and controller if you look for the lightest weight vehicle that meets your criteria. Just as an example, some models of the VW Type 2 air cooled bus weighed less than 2100 lbs while having a payload rating over 2200 lbs. Sadly, getting even a non-running example of one of those won't be cheap.

For comparison, a Chevy Astro weighed about 4200 lbs empty, with a payload rating of only 1750 lbs. Go 'Murica! So you'd need about twice the power and energy for the same performance and range, and the larger battery would eat away at what was already a lower payload.

About the lightest thing that might be roomy enough for sleeping and purchasable for scrap value would be something like a Nissan Stanza Wagon. Only 2250 lbs empty. To be fair, I don't know how long the rear floor is with the seat folded down.

If you delete the fold down rear seat in a car with this layout, you could use the subfloor volume to hold more battery.

Alternately, an '80s Ford Ranger weighs about 2600 lbs empty and has a 6 or 7 foot bed. And it's likely to have a dead engine and/or tranny. Put a cap on it, and you have a camper.