Mulch, lumber, and branches are still part of a low-cost electric mini-truck's workload on a Florida homestead five years into ownership. Skeptics had expected the vehicle to fall apart.
Here's what to know
Micah Toll, who imported a mini electric truck from China, explained in an article for Electrek that he uses the Changli for maintenance on his parents' 10-acre property.
Nearly every major construction or landscaping project the family has undertaken during those five years has involved the truck. Its hydraulic dump bed allows it to haul bulk materials.
The initial factory price was $2,080, though getting the truck to Florida proved considerably more expensive. Shipping added nearly $2,000, according to Micah, while tariffs and customs brokerage added further costs. The delivered cost ultimately came to several thousand dollars above the purchase price.
Micah's father, who primarily uses the truck, reported very little maintenance and electricity costs of just over a dollar for a full charge. Its 6-kilowatt-hour battery generally needs topping up only every couple of weeks.
The truck reaches about 25 mph and isn't street-legal, so it works almost exclusively on private property.
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More background
After five years of hauling, the truck's drivetrain and hydraulic dump bed are still functioning without major failures.
Its electric windows, door locks, headlights, and backup camera also remain operational. Even the air conditioning has held up — a thermal-camera check measured air from the vents at around 55 degrees Fahrenheit.
The problems have largely been minor annoyances: a windshield wiper that developed a limited range of motion, a rearview mirror that repeatedly falls off, small tears in the driver's seat, and a detached decorative panel around the driver's door handle.
The truck sits beneath a lean-to that leaves its rear exposed to rain and sunlight. Rust has formed mostly in spots with damaged paint, according to Micah, particularly along the tailgate's upper edge, where tools and lumber have worn through the finish.
While the exposed rear light lenses have clouded, the sheltered headlights remain clear.
What can be done?
For work on sandy and muddy ground, the family fitted the truck with better-suited off-road tires. They also added a custom tow hitch and softer suspension springs to support its daily work.
The softer springs made the ride more comfortable, though loads above roughly 500 pounds now cause the rear to sag substantially.
During Florida's dry season, the family also uses the mini-truck to water trees and plants. A water bladder rides in the bed, supplied from the property's pond by a solar-powered pumping system that Micah built.
A paint-on bed liner applied during the first year has helped protect the cargo area, although years of abrasive loads have worn through parts of the coating.
While a separate Kandi electric utility vehicle handles some smaller chores, the Changli remains the family's choice for bulky loads, long branches, dirt, and mulch.
The owner's father believes the truck has another five to 10 years of work left.
"Basically, there's no indication that the mini-truck is nearing the end of its useful life," Micah wrote.
Where can I learn more?
The Changli's five years on the homestead and these other accounts show how a low-cost electric truck can hold up to regular work.
• A Washington builder converted a Toyota pickup to electric for $7,785, mostly using secondhand parts.
• A homestead farmer says Slate's electric pickup could replace his Toyota Tundra, which costs $100 per fill-up.
• An F-150 Lightning towed 6,000 pounds from Alaska through Canada without using its generator.
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