China’s latest budget EV costs under $7,000, and it’s basically a four-seat electric go-kart

I have a soft spot for tiny cars, and China has a bunch of them. Geely’s latest Panda Mini takes that form and puts an electric engine into it. The updated Panda Mini Karting Edition launched in China earlier today with a CATL battery, four seats, and a rear wing that makes it look pretty sporty for its size.

Its limited-time subsidized price is 43,900 yuan, or around $6,540, compared with a regular listed price of 49,900 yuan, or approximately $7,435. The promotional offer runs through September 30, with additional purchase incentives subject to eligibility. Budget EVs come in many different shapes, but this one has enough personality to make you look twice.

A tiny car with a surprisingly big attitude

The Karting Edition measures just 3,150mm long, with a boxy body, round headlights, 14-inch wheels, sporty bumpers, and that enormous roof-mounted spoiler. There are five exterior colors, including a new orange shade developed with Taobao, alongside black, gray, white, and pink.

Geely has fitted a 9.2-inch digital instrument display and an 8-inch central touchscreen. There are four seats, rear parking sensors, a reversing camera, and two front airbags. The trunk holds 69 liters with the rear seats in place and can expand to 800 liters when they are folded, which is a useful amount of flexibility for such a compact footprint.

The CATL battery is the big upgrade

Underneath the playful styling is a 17.2kWh lithium iron phosphate battery supplied by CATL, replacing the previous 17.03kWh Gotion pack. Geely claims up to 210km, or roughly 130 miles, of range on China’s CLTC cycle, so real-world driving figures should be treated more cautiously.

The battery supports 22kW DC charging, with a claimed 30% to 80% charge taking 30 minutes. Power comes from a rear-mounted 30kW electric motor producing 110Nm of torque, while the top speed is limited to 100km/h. Geely also says the battery has undergone 76 safety tests, and the updated car includes electronic stability control and hill-descent assistance. Those numbers make the Panda Mini a city runabout rather than a long-distance EV. Just like with other Chinese EV releases, we have no word on an official US launch.