Space Oddity: China’s Tang Hua Kicks It “European Style”

No, Tom Corbin isn’t reconsidering entering the market with another Sparrow. This rolling oddity is actually a “Tang Hua Xiao Ya (European Style)” electric car from China.

While hardly state-of-the-art, what with its lead acid battery pack’s seven hour charge time and modest top speed (28 miles-per-hour in “limited speed” mode and 40 mph in “performance speed” mode), the little city car is at least inexpensive, with a target price of $5000.

According to the company, the Tang Hua is available with regenerative braking, power windows, heating and air-conditioning, an “antiskid device” (tires, presumably), an “alarm of remnant quantity of electric/voltage” (read: battery meter), “rainbrush” (the best synonym we’ve ever heard for “wipers”) and “upgrading vision” (no idea).

And what about the technology underneath? The Tang Hua’s creators at Li Shi Guang Ming Automobile Design Co,. Ltd note the following:

This model use the all-permanent-magnetism and all-suspending technology, which can increase 20% continuously driving mileage for electric motor car. The maturation and development of the technology will establish consistent foundation for the supreme objective of the development of electric motor car–flywheel energy storage technology. It means the electric vehicle era has truly occurred.

Uh-huh.

(Click through to the jump for more photos)

+ Not yet a subscriber to Winding Road? Click here to receive a FREE 36-month subscription to our digital magazine