Chinese Cars in America - A Retrospective

"ranwhenparked" (ranwhenparked) 01/14/2015 at 15:41 • Filed to: Chinese cars, Coda, Volvo, Geely

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The Volvo S60 Inscription may be the first good car from China to be sold in the US, but it isn't quite the first. Here are the brave pioneers that blazed the trail for Geely and Volvo to follow.

ZAP Xebra

Technically, this was not a car, but a motorcycle, due to the 3 wheels. But, it was certainly marketed more like a car, although it wasn't a very practical one. Top speed was maybe 40mph with a tailwind and a lone, anorexic driver, range maxed out at 25 miles on a full charge. The Xebra was produced by Shandong Jindalu Vehicle Company (now known as Dezhou Fulu Vehicle) in Dezhou, Shandong and was basically a rebadged and electrified version of the Jindalu FL600ZK, but converted to electric power and with the front-end restyled to include a central headlight (which ZAP maintained was necessary to meet certain states' motorcycle regulations). The electrification was done in-house by Shandong Jindalu, which also sold the electric versions under its own brand in China and opened a giant new factory in anticipation of increased electric vehicle demand in China and the US. Both 5-door hatchback and pickup truck versions were offered. Sales began in 2006, and ZAP later offered a roof-mounted solar panel option to help recharge the cars while parked. Unfortunately, ZAP Corporation wound up becoming mired in some financial shenanigans that I don't care to retell right now and sales stopped in 2009 after more than 1,000 Xebras had been imported. In 2013, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration discovered that certain Xebras failed to meet minimum braking requirements for motorcycles, and ordered ZAP to buy back and destroy all 2008 models (other years appear to be unaffected).

Wildfire WF-650

Like the Zap, this was technically a motorcycle, being 3-wheeled and all, but it was certainly a very car-like motorcycle as motorcycles go. Imported by Wildfire Motors Corporation of Steubenville, Ohio, and offered in both 5-door hatchback and pickup truck versions, the WF-650 was a rebadged Sandi SD650ZK, produced by Jiangsu Sandi Vehicle Manufactory Company in Taixing, Jiangsu. Sales began in 2007, and the little car-cycle-thing attracted the attention of Car and Driver, which featured a roadtest of the WF-650 in it's January, 2009 issue. At the time, it was the cheapest new "car" you could buy in the US, with a base price of $7700. Wildfire ultimately offered both electric and gasoline versions (the electric conversions being done in China by Shandong Huoyun Electric Car Company), but sales stopped in 2013 when the Environmental Protection Agency withdrew its type approval for the vehicle and imports were halted. I'm not sure how many were sold in the 6-odd years it was available here, but they do show up on eBay from time to time.

Miles ZX40

Miles Electric Vehicles of Santa Monica, California, began sales of its electric subcompact cars and trucks in 2007. Although unlike the ZAP and Wildfire vehicles, Miles' cars had 4-wheels, they still technically weren't cars, rather "Low Speed Vehicles". Under FMVSS standards, LSVs are not required to meet all the same safety and equipment standards as normal vehicles, but in exchange, are restricted to a top speed of 25mph and are road legal only on roads with posted speed limits of 35mph or less; which drastically limits their usefulness. Miles offered both 5-door hatchback and pickup truck versions. The hatchbacks were rebadged Xingfu Shizhes, built by FAW Tianjin Automobile Company, and were actually a licensed copy of an old generation Daihatsu Move. Pickups were a rebadged Hafei Minyi Pickup, built by Harbin Hafei Automobile Industry Group Company. Sales continued until Miles collapsed in bankruptcy in 2013.

Coda All-Electric

Sold by Coda Automotive of Los Angeles, the All-Electric started out as a project of Miles Electric Vehicles, but was restructured as a separate company before sales began and the car was launched under the new Coda brand. This was the first Chinese car to actually be sold in the US as a "car" for regulatory purposes. The Coda was a rebadged Hafei Saibao, built by Harbin Hafei Automobile Industry, and converted to electric power. Performance was reasonably competitive, with a top speed of 85mph, and a range of about 88 miles. Sales began in 2012 and stopped a little over a year later when Coda Automotive collapsed in bankruptcy after selling only 117 cars.

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > ranwhenparked 01/14/2015 at 15:43

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Omfg your lead pic I JUST SAW ONE TODAY AND WAS SO CONFUSED AS TO WHAT IT WAS!!!! I WAS GONNA DO A WHOLE POST!

Really odd little cars (motorcycles)

jkm7680 > ranwhenparked 01/14/2015 at 15:48

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The first one looks like the lovechild of Reliant Robin and a Daewoo Matiz.

carcrasher88 > ranwhenparked 01/14/2015 at 15:51

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Meanwhile in Canada:

Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast. > ranwhenparked 01/14/2015 at 15:53

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The local Coda dealer was also the local Fisker dealer. If I sound out that I was on a plane with the owner of that particular dealership, I would have gotten off of it and walked to my destination instead.

Brickman > ranwhenparked 01/14/2015 at 16:44

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I love the review of one of the Wildfires. I'd walk to work than drive this P.O.S.

ranwhenparked > Brickman 01/14/2015 at 16:57

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A little over 1,000 miles and it already drives like a worn-out heap. I'm willing to bet that not all of that standing water is from the accident damage either.