4 ms·

Panda Mini EV unveiled by Geely with 150km range price starts at USD5700

33 points by teleforce 4y ago

N19PEDL2 4y ago
Did they really copy the name of the Fiat Panda?
- tibbydudeza 4y ago
  Most of these small Chinese EV's are for domestic market only - lax regulation means you can drive these golfcart like cars around without needing safety features like airbags/seat belts or own a drivers license. Also Fiat does not sell the Panda in China so no trademark issues.
- fy20 4y ago
  For Americans: The Fiat Panda was a two door hatchback (five seats, but good luck...) launched in 1980. It was slightly longer than this at 3.3m. Not only was there a 4x4 option, but in 1990 an electric version was launched, which became one of the first mass produced car EVs - it weighed 1150kg and had a 14kW electric motor. The current version is a four door hatchback, and still quite popular in some European countries. Perfect for driving around small Italian streets.
  - brnt 4y ago
    Not just Italian streets: you haven't driven an Alpine pass if you haven't done it in a Panda.
  - benj111 4y ago
    *five door hatchback. The hatch is counted as a door. Also perfect for hooning around British B roads.
rfwhyte 4y ago
I shudder to think how poorly built all these new "Cheap" Chinese EVs must be. If my and the rest of the world's experiences with Chinese built e-bikes and e-scooters is anything to go by, we're soon going to be in the age of the "Disposable automobile." I had a friend who got 4 defective Chinese e-scooters in a row all brand new from the manufacturer... These cheap Chinese EVs all just going to end up getting scrapped in 3-5 years or less and the environmental impact from all the toxic materials used in these cars ending up in landfills is going to be a disaster. Personally I'd way rather spend substantially more money on an EV from a reputable brand (I tend to prioritize reliability first and foremost), as for anyone dumb enough to actually buy one of these lemons outside of China, good luck getting warranty support or after sales service or even parts for your broken car. Once your cheap new Chinese EV breaks (And it will) you won't be able to get it serviced, and it will just end up rotting away in a landfill leaching toxic chemicals into the earth.
- Meph504 4y ago
  I mean, you keep saying "cheap Chinese" have you seen the build quality of say Tesla lately, have tried to get one serviced? We are in an age of disposable everything, and it isn't just the Chinese with poor build quality, this reduction in quality is driven by the private equity acquisitions and quarter over quarter demands. And this attitude that is ruining production and produced goods in all markets. When you can't innovate or continue to grab more of the market, the only way to increase profits is to reduce cost of production. And you end up with a shit quality product.
  - constantcrying 4y ago
    It is so disgusting to see just limitless amounts of "products" that are made without any shred of care put into them. And it isn't just the cheap garbage infesting everything, even if you pay quite a bit of money the thing you get will still have obvious cut corners. Clearly the engineers are completely capable of better, but making something work more reliable is just the company loosing money on the margin and on spare parts. I have to say I am very glad that I am not working on consumer products.
- benj111 4y ago
  As a counterpoint to your sample. My phone was built in China and works. My last phone was built in China, and works. My laptop was built in China, and works. In fact quite a lot of the stuff I buy comes from China and it mostly works.
  - lostlogin 4y ago
    Designed in California and made in China, the quality is great.
- neuralRiot 4y ago
  Maybe in first world countries it makes sense to purchase a quality built EV instead, but do you have an idea how hard is to even buy a used scooter for some people in other places? This obviously is not aimed to replace Teslas in NY or Tokyo but it probably is a more environment-friendly alternative to old oil-burning cars in some places.
elkos 4y ago
For a while I thought it was about a FIAT Panda EV. I may have some fun memories in a bucket like that.
lnsru 4y ago
Ok, it’s a cousin of European Opel Rocks-e or it’s clone Citroën Ami. Never understood who are the buyers of such vehicles. Ideally it’s for cities. But cities normally already have public transportation. For countryside they are dangerously too slow.
- brnt 4y ago
  The Ami goes 60km/h, that's fast enough for short trips in the countryside. In fact, most nonurban roads around here are limited at 60 anyway.
- constantcrying 4y ago
  >But cities normally already have public transportation. Public transportation is slow, especially if you are living in the outer parts of a city using a car can easily cut commutes in half. Those cars clearly are for cities, but if you think public transport comes even close for convenience, speed, hygiene, you are not using public transportation.
  - prmoustache 4y ago
    Fact is public transportation is mostly slow due to cars. Remove all the cars, buses and tramway don't have to wait at traffic lights or behind cars, you can more easily increase their frequency and they end up only marginally slower than cars in a city free of traffic and faster than cars being operated in busy city and by drivers obeying rules. Especially if combined with other mode of transports (bicycle, scooters, skates...). All the things that slow us in an urban setting like traffic jams, speed bumps, traffic lights exist because of the huge flow of individual passenger cars.
    - chuckwolfe 4y ago
      Even the subway is slow, or it’s overcrowded, or it’s really late, or there’s crime issues. Tons of ways the commute can slow you down no matter what you do. It’s the people that are the problem, maybe I’m a bit of a hermit
    - 4y ago
fullark 4y ago
Lotus EV, Volvo EV, Benz EV, Panda EV

33 points by teleforce 4y ago

N19PEDL2 4y ago

Did they really copy the name of the Fiat Panda?

tibbydudeza 4y ago
Most of these small Chinese EV's are for domestic market only - lax regulation means you can drive these golfcart like cars around without needing safety features like airbags/seat belts or own a drivers license. Also Fiat does not sell the Panda in China so no trademark issues.
fy20 4y ago
For Americans: The Fiat Panda was a two door hatchback (five seats, but good luck...) launched in 1980. It was slightly longer than this at 3.3m. Not only was there a 4x4 option, but in 1990 an electric version was launched, which became one of the first mass produced car EVs - it weighed 1150kg and had a 14kW electric motor. The current version is a four door hatchback, and still quite popular in some European countries. Perfect for driving around small Italian streets.
- brnt 4y ago
  Not just Italian streets: you haven't driven an Alpine pass if you haven't done it in a Panda.
- benj111 4y ago
  *five door hatchback. The hatch is counted as a door. Also perfect for hooning around British B roads.

rfwhyte 4y ago

I shudder to think how poorly built all these new "Cheap" Chinese EVs must be. If my and the rest of the world's experiences with Chinese built e-bikes and e-scooters is anything to go by, we're soon going to be in the age of the "Disposable automobile." I had a friend who got 4 defective Chinese e-scooters in a row all brand new from the manufacturer... These cheap Chinese EVs all just going to end up getting scrapped in 3-5 years or less and the environmental impact from all the toxic materials used in these cars ending up in landfills is going to be a disaster. Personally I'd way rather spend substantially more money on an EV from a reputable brand (I tend to prioritize reliability first and foremost), as for anyone dumb enough to actually buy one of these lemons outside of China, good luck getting warranty support or after sales service or even parts for your broken car. Once your cheap new Chinese EV breaks (And it will) you won't be able to get it serviced, and it will just end up rotting away in a landfill leaching toxic chemicals into the earth.

Meph504 4y ago
I mean, you keep saying "cheap Chinese" have you seen the build quality of say Tesla lately, have tried to get one serviced? We are in an age of disposable everything, and it isn't just the Chinese with poor build quality, this reduction in quality is driven by the private equity acquisitions and quarter over quarter demands. And this attitude that is ruining production and produced goods in all markets. When you can't innovate or continue to grab more of the market, the only way to increase profits is to reduce cost of production. And you end up with a shit quality product.
- constantcrying 4y ago
  It is so disgusting to see just limitless amounts of "products" that are made without any shred of care put into them. And it isn't just the cheap garbage infesting everything, even if you pay quite a bit of money the thing you get will still have obvious cut corners. Clearly the engineers are completely capable of better, but making something work more reliable is just the company loosing money on the margin and on spare parts. I have to say I am very glad that I am not working on consumer products.
benj111 4y ago
As a counterpoint to your sample. My phone was built in China and works. My last phone was built in China, and works. My laptop was built in China, and works. In fact quite a lot of the stuff I buy comes from China and it mostly works.
- lostlogin 4y ago
  Designed in California and made in China, the quality is great.
neuralRiot 4y ago
Maybe in first world countries it makes sense to purchase a quality built EV instead, but do you have an idea how hard is to even buy a used scooter for some people in other places? This obviously is not aimed to replace Teslas in NY or Tokyo but it probably is a more environment-friendly alternative to old oil-burning cars in some places.

elkos 4y ago

For a while I thought it was about a FIAT Panda EV. I may have some fun memories in a bucket like that.

lnsru 4y ago

Ok, it’s a cousin of European Opel Rocks-e or it’s clone Citroën Ami. Never understood who are the buyers of such vehicles. Ideally it’s for cities. But cities normally already have public transportation. For countryside they are dangerously too slow.

brnt 4y ago
The Ami goes 60km/h, that's fast enough for short trips in the countryside. In fact, most nonurban roads around here are limited at 60 anyway.
constantcrying 4y ago
>But cities normally already have public transportation. Public transportation is slow, especially if you are living in the outer parts of a city using a car can easily cut commutes in half. Those cars clearly are for cities, but if you think public transport comes even close for convenience, speed, hygiene, you are not using public transportation.
- prmoustache 4y ago
  Fact is public transportation is mostly slow due to cars. Remove all the cars, buses and tramway don't have to wait at traffic lights or behind cars, you can more easily increase their frequency and they end up only marginally slower than cars in a city free of traffic and faster than cars being operated in busy city and by drivers obeying rules. Especially if combined with other mode of transports (bicycle, scooters, skates...). All the things that slow us in an urban setting like traffic jams, speed bumps, traffic lights exist because of the huge flow of individual passenger cars.
  - chuckwolfe 4y ago
    Even the subway is slow, or it’s overcrowded, or it’s really late, or there’s crime issues. Tons of ways the commute can slow you down no matter what you do. It’s the people that are the problem, maybe I’m a bit of a hermit
  - 4y ago

fullark 4y ago

Lotus EV, Volvo EV, Benz EV, Panda EV