From knock-off old-man's electric vehicles to industrial giant

Chapter 31 The Inescapable Law of "It's So Good, But It's Really Good"
"Yes, I'm planning to buy a tricycle for delivery. The one at your door is..."

Before he could even open his mouth, Xu Dong couldn't hold back any longer.

to be frank.

This was truly the first time he had ever seen this thing.

What is this thing?

It can't be a car for the elderly, can it?

The old man's car has such a cool appearance, aren't they all very old-fashioned?

Moreover, its shape and details are quite exquisite at first glance.

He suspected it was a newly launched car from some company.

“Handsome, you have good taste. This is our best-selling new commuter car, the Star 01… Priced at 21399, with a range of 100 kilometers, comfortable driving, spacious dimensions, air conditioning, and power steering…” Zhao Lutong introduced with a smile.

"Young Master??"

"This car only costs 20,000 yuan, and it even has air conditioning!"

Xu Dong was slightly shocked.

Have electric vehicles for seniors become this advanced now? The last time he saw one with this configuration, it must have cost at least 30,000 to 40,000 yuan.

"The one next to us is the Star 02, which is more suitable for young people. It has a large entertainment screen, a reversing camera, and a range of up to 120 kilometers... Handsome, how about a test drive?"

...

"Never mind, I'd rather not."

Faced with such an enthusiastic attitude, Xu Dong felt a sense of hesitation and declined instead.

He had read online that these "old man's cars" looked good on the surface, but were actually unusable. Not only was the steering wheel crooked, but the driving quality and overall experience were also unreliable.

It feels plasticky inside and out.

I heard that they cut corners inside, even using the cheapest and lowest grade plastic to wrap the wiring. After six months or a year, it will peel and corrode. They use the cheapest car paint, which will peel and flake off over time.

The chassis is not rustproof, and it may rust and rot if it gets soaked in water on rainy days.

"Industrial waste" is used to describe this type of product.

As a young man, he spends a lot of time surfing the internet, so he has some knowledge about cars.

Many things cannot be judged by appearances alone.

The best way to avoid falling into a trap is to simply refuse.

"We're having a test drive promotion right now, and you'll get a thermos and an umbrella as a gift with your test drive..."

Seeing the resistance in the young man's eyes, Zhao Lutong spoke up.

……

A few minutes later.

Looking at the thermos and folded umbrella in his hands, Xu Dong fell into deep thought.

It's not that he's greedy for these small gains.

The main reason is that after seeing how enthusiastically they introduced it for so long, it wouldn't be right not to take it for a test drive.

Come here.

"Let me make it clear first, this is just a trial run. I might need to wait and see before buying a car..." Xu Dong said somewhat embarrassedly, as he had no intention of actually buying one.

"Oh... well, the car's just sitting there anyway. If you test drive it and are satisfied, you can recommend it to relatives or friends if you don't want to buy it yourself," Zhao Lutong waved his hand and smiled naturally.

There was a sense of complete control in his eyes.

He's seen many clients like this lately.

At first, there was only skepticism.

But once they've test-driven the car, their attitude will completely change.

...

Having decided to test drive it, Xu Dong began to take a good look at the "Starry Sky 01" in front of him.

Look carefully -

Its appearance is very appealing to young people like him.

For a formal car brand, adopting an appearance that closely resembles Porsche is definitely an option that lowers its image score.

After all, they spent over ten thousand yuan to officially buy the car, so they also care about their image.

As soon as it's driven out, people will immediately recognize it as a "fake" or "counterfeit".

But this situation doesn't seem out of place at all when applied to the old man's car in front of us.

The scaled-down proportions and streamlined body, when placed on the scale of a microcar, actually give it a cute and silly feel.

It's definitely a plus.

The designs of other "old man's cars" are all incredibly outdated, the kind that are unbearable to look at.

Although the car in front of me shows signs of being cheap and cost-cutting in some details, the thought of its price of just over 20,000 yuan immediately puts my mind at ease.

Open the car door.

Xu Dong sat down.

This moment.

The interior ambiance actually captivated him!

The design is minimalist with few accessories, yet the overall curves create a clean and comfortable feel. Thoughtful storage compartments are also provided on the side doors and in front of the cockpit, making it convenient to store small items.

"Don't panic...it's just your imagination!"

"It's undeniable that this manufacturer of electric vehicles for the elderly has put a lot of effort into its appearance, but that can only fool old men and stay-at-home moms who only care about looks. For someone like me who used to frequent car forums, it's still far from enough."

Xu Dong immediately said to himself.

The most important thing about a car is the driving experience!

And what kind of driving experience can an old man's car possibly have?

……

"Holy crap, this car drives so smoothly?!"

The next moment, Xu Dong couldn't help but be shocked!
He shifted gears, turned the steering wheel, and pressed the accelerator. The feeling was surprisingly smooth, and the power transmitted from the electric motor underneath was very linear, which surprised him immediately.

"This car drives pretty well, doesn't it?" Zhao Lutong laughed, as if he could see the surprise on the other person's face.

"Hmm... which button turns on the air conditioning?" Xu Dong was genuinely surprised; this car completely overturned his understanding of what a low-speed electric vehicle could be.

"It's right next to the gear shift, marked with AC. The knob is for adjusting the speed."

"it is good."

Xu Dong turned on the air conditioner, and within seconds, a chilly breeze blew out from the air conditioner vents.

What surprised him even more was...

Even with the air conditioning set to its highest setting, the car's power didn't decrease at all.

As he floored the accelerator, the speed actually increased all the way up to 80 km/h, and then came to a stop.

This speed is a bit slow compared to other cars.

What more can you ask for in a small commuter car?
You can't normally drive this kind of car at 100 km/h on the road, right? At least this power is enough to overtake other cars on county roads.

"The handling of this car is truly unexpected!"

Xu Dong exclaimed in amazement as he rounded a bend in the road.

Who would believe it…

He actually felt a sense of control on a low-speed electric vehicle.

One reason is that the R&D department did indeed do some chassis design work for this car.

On the other hand, microcars have inherent advantages and also conform to automotive chassis engineering. Their short wheelbase naturally gives them an advantage when cornering.

Supercars have short wheelbases and low chassis, just like people with shorter legs walk more steadily.

"Handsome, I'm not exaggerating, the microcar market is a mess, but this one you're looking at sells 20,000 units a month nationwide. It became an instant hit as soon as it was released, and you can find it online..."

At first, many people didn't believe it, but after trying it, no one said it was bad at this price point.

Zhao Lutong chuckled again and said.

It's come to this.

Xu Dong was also tempted.

To be fair, this car is really good in all aspects.

It's not the same species as the old man he used to know.

Just then, as I turned right at the intersection ahead, a dark figure suddenly darted out in front of me.

"Holy shit..." He jerked the steering wheel, and the car lurched violently, narrowly avoiding a bicycle.

(End of this chapter)