GM, Zap both interested in the same Wuling Sunshine minitruck [w/VIDEO]
For all the problems Zap has had bringing vehicles like the Alias to market, they are taking reservations for the Zap Truck XL, an all-electric four-wheeled vehicle that might be the truck that Zap wants to build in Kentucky using DOE money. Zap isn't the only American company that wants to sell this truck though; GM already does, sort of.
The Zap truck is actually based on a Chinese model (non-electric) called the Wuling Sunshine. Edmunds recently talked to Bob Lutz about the four-cylinder minitruck, which GM partners with Chinese companies to make and sell overseas. Lutz said vehicles like the Wuling Sunshine are "hugely important" because the global vehicle market is getting split into two halves: the advanced vehicle market that exists in prosperous regions and the simple/basic/cheap vehicle market you can find everywhere else. Sometimes, like with the Wuling Sunshine and the Zap Truck XL, these worlds meet up and leave us amused. Watch a video of Lutz talking about the Sunshine after the jump. Thanks to Jim for the tip!
[Source: Edmunds.com via YouTube]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
imoore 4:02PM (6/10/2009)
It seems like Zap wants to do the same as Tiger Truck is doing with the ChangAn'-based Champ 4500-build it here in the states. We'll see how this turns out.
But I don't see GM doing something like this.
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Tim 4:38PM (6/10/2009)
This would be a great, simple, basic delivery truck in the US city market.
K.I.S.S. a simple little truck for simple little jobs. Now, if if only it were electric, had the Voltec battery pack and a 100 mile range (using 90% of the Voltec pack) it would be a HUGE Hit in the US!
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guyledouche 5:22PM (6/10/2009)
This will never happen, unless they classify it as an NEV. Those mini trucks, as cool as they are, would never pass our crash testing in a million years. I had one that I managed to get a title for but it was kinda sketchy with the boys in blue.
I wish they were street legal here as they are in almost every other country, but I think we have a better chance of buying a Volt tomorrow than ever seeing one of those legally on US soil.