Electric Three-Wheel Motorcycles, Also Known as "Sanbengzi," Gradually Expands Globally.

Chinese Foreign Ministry Assistant Minister Hua Chunying recently praised the "Sanbengzi" on social media, calling it "another made-in-China product loved by Americans."

Recently, China's electric three-wheelers received recognition from the Economic Daily, a major national economic newspaper.

The article noted that China's total goods trade import and export value reached 39.79 trillion yuan in the first 11 months of the year, with foreign trade experiencing steady growth. 

Among these, the export of electromechanical products amounted to 13.7 trillion yuan, growing by 8.4%. Recently, videos showing foreigners riding Chinese three-wheel motorcycles have become popular on social media, drawing attention to the global appeal of Chinese-made electric three-wheelers and introducing a new wave of overseas customers to Chinese manufacturing.

For example, a company in Luoyang, Henan, which manufactures three-wheel motorcycles, has seen busy production lines assembling motorcycles bound for South America. In June, the company secured its first European order at the Lyon Machinery Exhibition in France, a breakthrough that opened new opportunities for growth.

According to Li Pengfei, a foreign trade representative, different overseas regions have varying demands for three-wheel motorcycles. Southeast Asia has a high demand for electric sightseeing three-wheelers, which supports local tourism; the African market favors larger, more durable three-wheelers for cargo transport; and Europe and the United States, with their many farms and narrow urban streets, have a strong demand for high-powered, lightweight three-wheelers.

By October, this company had exported 13,000 motorcycles, with total export sales expected to exceed 91 million yuan by the end of the year.

From sending a domestic "Sanbengzi" as a Christmas gift to an American father-in-law, causing a sensation, to the "mysterious Eastern force" showing up at the Milan Motor Show, and a young man in the U.S. making $1 million in three months selling "Sanbengzi," Chinese electric three-wheelers have successfully expanded overseas.

According to a market research report from Baijian Strategy, the global market for electric three-wheelers has been steadily growing, with sales reaching 61.86 billion yuan in 2023. The market is expected to reach 149.89 billion yuan by 2030. The Asia-Pacific region is the largest market, holding a 90.06% share, while Europe accounts for just 5.14%. As global awareness of environmental protection continues to rise, low-speed electric vehicles are expected to see greater market potential internationally.

The global success of Chinese electric three-wheelers represents a vivid example of how Chinese brands have shed their previous low-end, cheap image through product innovation, technological upgrades, and supply chain integration, elevating product quality and brand value.

Undoubtedly, the "electric three-wheeled motorcycle" from China's small towns is now a bestseller worldwide.