Kaiyun Motors offers new, cheap EV pickup for $8,950

Cheap new vehicles aren’t a new phenomenon in certain countries. But so far it’s only been wishful thinking for a few niche manufacturers in the United States — until now. Kaiyun Motors will soon arrive.

It will soon introduce the Pickman, an all-electric pickup in the U.S. It has a base price of $8,950. The price was listed mistakingly listed previously at $5,700, but it was for a non-street legal version of the truck not available in the U.S.

The Pickman has a 5.5 horsepower engine and a top speed of 35 miles per hour. It’s classified as a low-speed or neighborhood electric vehicle (LSV/NEV).

Kaiyun Motors Co Ltd. was founded in 2014 and is based in Xingtai, China. Kaiyun Motors Co., Ltd. operates as a subsidiary of CSG Industrial Design Co., Ltd.

“Mini-electric vehicles are more than enough to meet consumers’ daily needs,” Wang Chao, founder of Kaiyun, told Bloomberg News Service. “There is a huge market out there around the world.”

The base model in China sells for about $2,500. The more expensive model will be sold in Germany and Italy as well as the U.S. Kaiyun has offered no details on whether it has a dealer network planned for the American market or if the truck will be offered via direct sales.

According to the manufacturer, the Pickman is ideal for basic transportation as well as on construction sites, farm owners and in factories.

Operation regulations for the Pickman vary state to state. But the truck is street legal in some places. It has a range of 75 miles per charge.

Bloomberg reported the company plans to sell 10,000 of the vehicle in its first year. Options include air conditioning, heated seats and alloy wheels.

Kaiyun reports the rear-wheel-drive vehicle can carry up to 1,100 pounds on its fully independent suspension.

Mahindra, an Indian manufacturer, is also making inroads in the U.S. market with a low cost limited used utility vehicle, Roxor. It’s geared to off-road use and looks similar to a WWII Jeep.