American who bought one of the world’s cheapest electric vehicles on Alibaba fell in love with it and ended up buying nine more
- This YouTuber bought 10 of the world’s cheapest electric vehicles
- They were shipped from the Chinese factory of Alibaba
- But why did he buy so many?
Published on Dec 10, 2024 at 8:34 PM (UTC+4)
by Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones
Last updated on Dec 11, 2024 at 8:23 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Tom Wood
We’ve heard of getting more for your money – but 10 of the world’s cheapest electric vehicles from Alibaba is a veritable fleet.
Introducing the Chagli from online bargain Chinese marketplace, Alibaba.
It’s said to be one of the cheapest EVs on the planet.
According to this YouTuber from Utah, US, who owns a double-digit fleet: “You’d have a hard time not smiling when you are behind the wheel”.
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The Changli fleet
Describing them as both ‘fun’ and ‘toys’, Caleb Nelson of Electric Import Motors – who shared the story of his Changli habit to YouTube – said the ‘hawt new facelift’ of the 2021 model prompted his bargain spending spree.
“They have done an amazing job engineering this car,” he enthused, explaining why he ordered nine more direct from the factory in China.
That was the maximum number that could fit into a 40-foot shipping container to be transported from China to Long Beach, California, and then to Salt Lake City, Utah.
He described how the microcars were packed with all sorts of features – from a backup camera to a stereo, heat, and more.
Not bad for a factory price of $900 ($1200 with batteries and excluding shipping and import fees).
While Nelson admits that its ‘max speed isn’t that impressive’ he admits that ‘you’d have a hard time not smiling when you are behind the wheel of one’.
Here are some more of the stats that enticed him to acquire a fleet of 10 (before selling two).
By the way, you can also buy a ‘Ferrari’ 458 for $28K on Alibaba, just don’t expect to be able to drive it.
The cheapest electric car from Alibaba
The boxy micro EV is seen as an affordable alternative to a golf cart with better features for short commutes.
Compact and lightweight, most are designed to seat two or three people.
As Nelson said, they’re limited to low speeds of 30–40km/h (18–25mph) with a range of approximately 30–60 miles (50–100km) per charge depending on the model and battery option.
They can be plugged into standard household electricity, taking 6–8 hours for a full charge.
Want more? The Supercar Blondie team recently got a $4,000 fake Range Rover from Alibaba and had no idea what to expect.
They even raced it against the real thing.
We’ll let you find out for yourselves how that went.
London-based Amelia cut her journalistic teeth covering all things lifestyle, wellness and luxury in the UK capital. Fast-forward a decade and the experienced content creator and editor has put pen to paper for glossy magazines, busy newsrooms and coveted brands. When her OOO is on you can find her spending quality time with her young family, in the gym or exploring the city she loves.
