California woman tries out $5,000 EV that feels fake and reveals why you can't buy it in the US

The Bestune Pony is a tiny Chinese EV that is challenging everything Americans think they know about cheap cars.

When California YouTuber Shelby Church discovered it costs just $5,000, she knew she had to see if it was actually usable in the real world.

So she grabbed a friend, hit the road, and treated the bubble shaped runabout like a full blown test subject.

While the car’s price tag may not inspire much confidence, the car turned out much better than many people expect.

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Most people are baffled at how much this EV actually costs

In her latest video, Church and a friend take the pint sized hatchback for a spin, poking around its surprisingly functional interior.

For a car that costs less than many used beaters, the Bestune Pony comes with cloth seats, air conditioning, power windows, physical buttons, and even two small displays.

There is a tiny back seat that technically fits two people, though calling it cozy might be generous.

The range sits at around 100 miles, which makes sense given that EV batteries alone can cost far more than the entire car.

On the road, the Pony feels, in Church’s words, a little ‘golf carty.’

Acceleration is modest, topping out at a claimed 62 mph.

That makes it fine for neighborhood errands or short city commutes, but a nerve wracking proposition on California freeways where traffic regularly cruises at 70 to 80 mph.

Still, the public reaction was overwhelmingly positive.

Many strangers couldn’t fathom the cost of the car, with guesses ranging from $20,000 to even $50,000.

When Church revealed the real number, jaws dropped.

Its cute, toy like proportions drew smiles everywhere from coffee drive throughs to big box store parking lots.

The bigger question is whether a brand new $5,000 EV beats a $5,000 used gas car (if you can even get your hands on one).

Church points out that most used vehicles at that price have well over 100,000 miles, and looming maintenance bills.

With the Pony, you get something new, though long term durability remains a mystery.

She even describes it as feeling like ‘fast fashion for cars,’ raising concerns about repair costs and crash safety in a country dominated by much larger vehicles.

US regulations make importing these cars difficult

Before you hop out of your seat and head towards your nearest dealership, here’s the bad news.

Currently, the Bestune Pony is out of reach for most American consumers.

In fact, almost every Chinese EV is not available for the general public.

But why?

For starters, steep US tariffs on Chinese made electric vehicles, currently at 100 percent, make importing them economically unrealistic.

On top of that, the Pony is not certified to meet US safety standards.

Built for dense cities with slower traffic and smaller cars, it might struggle to survive the regulatory and physical landscape of American roads.

For now, the Bestune Pony remains an intriguing glimpse at the kind of cheap car available overseas, and many are likely hoping for the day it shows up in US showrooms.

If you want to check out the full review, you can watch the video below:

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