Hasta La Ideas

What happens in Asia stays in Asia: Hollywood stars used to do embarrassing but well-paid commercials in Japan that they’d never do here in the ‘States.

Video of Bruce Willis for Daihatsu, and other unlikely pairings, here.

Similarly, car companies like GM produce cars in China that no U.S. dealer would be caught dead selling. Thanks to the internet, we are able to see both of these things. I was surprised to see that GM–the same company that produces those burly Heavy Duty pickups I learned to tow 14,000-pound trailers with–produces an electric microvan that’s less than half the length of a GMC 2500 HD.

22 feet long (GMC 2500 HD)

9.5 feet long (Wuling Hong Guang Mini EV)

Produced under the joint venture between GM and Chinese automaker Wuling, the Hong Guang Mini EV is a diminutive four-seater that launched last month in China. Just 9.5 feet long, you can fit two of these in a single parking space.

“Ideal for urban commuting and parking in tight spaces,” according to GM, the Mini EV plugs into a regular outlet, can hit 100 KPH (62 MPH) and has a range of 170 kilometers (106 miles).

Also diminutive is the sticker price: Just RMB 28,800 – 38,800 (USD $4,167 – $5,613). With costs that low, I’d say you could sell more than a few of these, at least in non-pandemic times, to urban businesses in America.

What we’d really like to see in the future: GM’s take on Chinese mini pickup trucks.

The Kaiyun Pickman