Geely Panda turns into a funky urban kart for China

Geely has unveiled the Go Kart Edition of its electric supermini called Panda. Prices in China start from a low 48,900 Yuan (under $5,000).

Just like the regular Panda (see video), the Go Kart Edition is tiny – 3,150 mm long, 1,540 mm wide and 1,685 mm tall (inches: 123” x 60” x 66”). The wheelbase is fittingly short at 2,015 mm (78.7”). The company argues that it works best as a petite city car.

You will recognize the new special edition by its (comparatively) giant rear wing mounted at the roof, 14-inch alloy wheels with replaceable color accents and a black-and-white cabin.

Trim options include a slim digital dashboard, an 8-inch infotainment display, and an air conditioner. The infotainment system on board supports wireless phone connections, satellite navigation and voice commands. The trunk is just as small as the rest of the car, but you can fold down the back seats to get 800 liters (28.25 cubic feet) of space.

The only electric motor available for the model produces 41 PS (40 hp / 30 kW). The standard LiFePo4 battery pack stores 17 kilowatt-hours of power and yields up to 200 km (124 miles) of CLTC-rated range. Thanks to its compact size, the pack can be recharged from 30 to 80 percent in four and a half hours from the slowest charger plugged into a wall socket. Once full, the Panda Go Kart can accelerate to a top speed of 100 km/h (62 mph).