It could be a ton of fun, even if it isn’t exactly road-legal.
I’ve always wanted to drive a Tuk Tuk (or an auto rickshaw). They just look like so much fun and it’s easy to see why they’re popular in developing countries: they’re inexpensive, compact, and versatile. However, you don’t often see them in the United States, as they aren’t made for the U.S. market and aren’t legal on our roads. A few have made it over here, though, and this electric one for sale on Cars and Bids could be the perfect around-town runabout in certain small towns.
Chinese company JBV makes electric Tuk Tuks and this 2022 E5 model packs a single rear-mounted electric motor, which drives the two rear wheels. It’s powered by a 60-volt lithium-ion battery pack and gets around 60 miles of range, which is all it needs. It also has a canvas convertible top, which makes it perfect for a small beachy town.
But why would anyone want a three-wheeled electric car that can’t be registered for road use? Ironically, this little electric Tuk Tuk might be perfect for the state that it’s currently in: New Jersey. I live in New Jersey and I’m surrounded by a ton of old, small, beachy towns with narrow roads and quaint, quiet vibes. In those towns, the primary means of transportation are bicycles and golf carts, the latter of which are registered as Low-Speed Vehicles (LSV) that don’t need to meet normal passenger car regulations. I’m not sure if this Tuk Tuk is eligible for an LSV registration, but there are New Jersey towns that use electric Tuk Tuks as public shuttles, such as Red Bank. An electric Tuk Tuk would be perfect in towns like that.
Despite its compact size, this EV Tuk Tuk can hold six passengers, including the driver, as long as they’re willing to cram in close to each other. It has headlights, taillights, brake lights, and turn signals, so it can function as a small around-town runabout safely. It isn’t perfect, though, as it has some frame rust and it’s missing a windshield wiper.
However, it should be inexpensive. There are three days left on this auction, the current bid (at the time of writing this) is at $1,901, and it doesn’t have a reserve. If you live in a town where this can be driven and can snag it for less than the cost of a new electric golf cart, it might be a very fun little toy.
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