Chinese Electric SUV Lands in the US

They said they were coming, and now they have arrived. The first batch of nine electric vehicles built in China and meant to be sold in the US have been delivered to a warehouse in California, where they will sit until the importer, Green Automotive Company Corporation, decides its next step.

A step which could be a major one for the Chinese on the US market. Once it enters the market, the Zotye electric SUV will be among the first of its kind available to the American consumer that craves for a big car and zero fuel consumption.

Of course, selling a Chinese product, especially a car, on the American market is not an easy feat, and some steps must be taken in order to insure that the product is properly perceived. To that end, Green Automotive already tapped Roush Industries to become the main quality and safety control officer for the products.

The Zotye, powered by a lithium-ion battery which sends the power to an electric motor, is capable of a top speed of up to 70 mph and a range of up to 150 miles. The model will retail in the US for $35,995, starting the second quarter of the year.

The price includes A/C & heating system, power windows and power locks, DVD audio system, integrated electric system monitoring screen and fast charging port. All these features, say Green Automotive executives, make for a model that, according to their data, “has a very high US consumer acceptance level.” Sales numbers a year from now will probably show if that's true or not.