In Shanghai about half the scooters were battery powered. Now that we’re in a more recently-developed area about 9 of 10 scooters are electric, and there are also many electric bicycles with pedals. There’s also a wide range of electric carts, jitneys, and three-wheelers.
We stopped by a row of shops so I could take a look. Everything seems to use old school lead-acid batteries, and most are billed as 40kph/40km per charge. I’ve noticed those same numbers on electric scooters for sale in the US as well… it might be the sweet spot for chinese urban living but it’s a bit slow for American streets.
The biggest, fastest bike topped out at 60kph and cost $800. So it’s no wonder folks are buying them! I have no idea if prices have dropped that much at home.
A few miles past the scooter shops we stopped so Kandong could buy a watermelon. The melon farmer was hauling his produce in the same mini 3-wheel battery pickup that I’d been admiring at the shop. A pickup truck that never need gas, for $1000 new.