A man from the United Kingdom has tested the Astraux AL7 Pro, a Chinese-made mini electric car priced at just $8,000, according to Supercar Blondie.
The test was carried out by the presenter of the YouTube channel Everything Electric APAC, who travelled to China to see how the miniature EV performs. He said the model is due to go on sale soon in Europe, where it will compete with the Citroën Ami, the Fiat Topolino and the Opel Rocks-e.
Compact size for city parking
The Astraux AL7 Pro measures just 2.3 metres long and 1.29 metres wide, making it easy to park and a strong option for crowded cities, the presenter said.
Features despite its small size
Despite its compact dimensions, the car has several "adult" features, according to the presenter. These include electric windows, multiple cameras, parking sensors, a touchscreen display, USB charging ports and storage compartments. Air conditioning comes as standard.
Battery, speed and range
The Astraux AL7 Pro is fitted with a 10kWh lithium iron phosphate battery and can reach a top speed of around 90 km/h. A cheaper version with a 5kWh battery is limited to about 45 km/h. Depending on the version, the claimed range is between 90 and 180 kilometres.
Driving impressions
The presenter said the car handled well and its brakes were fairly effective, though the accelerator pedal's response was not perfect, sometimes feeling slightly imprecise. The air conditioning also worked well, though he estimated that using it could cut the car's range by about 10 to 15 percent.
He added that the interior is not especially luxurious, with a lot of hard plastic, and that the seats are better suited to short trips. Still, he said this was not too bad for such a cheap model.
Hidden Tesla features
In a separate video, the presenter of the YouTube channel Everyday Chris recently highlighted a number of hidden features in Tesla electric vehicles that he said many drivers have likely overlooked.
He said Tesla cars have a safety lock that can delay the doors from opening if a car or cyclist is approaching from behind, designed to prevent accidents. He also said the car automatically switches to park mode if the driver unbuckles their seatbelt while stopped, and that drivers can access the vehicle's camera images using a button on the steering wheel.
