Construction of a new industrial enterprise to assemble compact electric cars from China-made components began this week in the city of Kokand, Uzbekistan. Local company Shaffof Omadli Sanoat is investing U.S. $6 million into it, while Silk Road Company China puts in another $24 million.
The EV may not be even named yet, but it is official that the company expects to sell it for as little as $3,000. Alan Enileev, who had an early test drive last fall (see video), reports that it has a low-yield engine rated at 10 horsepower (7.5kW) and can reach 80 km/h (50 mph) at most. The rest of the parameters stay undisclosed at the moment.
As far as the style is concerned, the cheap battery ride revels in mimicking Mercedes-Benz in every aspect. It even sports obviously fake seat adjustment controls on the driver’s seat. A notable departure from the chosen design comes in the shape of the gear selector, which is not a paddle shifter but rather a Jaguar-style rotary knob.