If this looks like a Mercedes G-Wagen SUV to you, congratulations. If it doesn’t, also congratulations. You see, it depends on how you look at it. This kinda looks like the G-Wagen, yet it is a somewhat absurd depiction. That’s because it is scaled down and made in China as a very cheap electric knock-off for fun.

It’s one of the many EVs available on the Alibaba merchandise site. China is not bound by the same trademark and design constraints as most of the rest of the world. So it has the liberty to, you know, smash into designs it deems worth showing appreciation to. Its loose copies of recognizable designs are a half-baked compliment to those who designed the real thing. Or is it trolling?

How big is this cheap G-Wagen and how fast is it?

Even down to the badges, which are tweaks of the Mercedes star. Sort of. From a distance, the similar shiny chrome logos tie into the overall Mercedes theme. But shrunken to almost comical proportions.

This thing looks like it is as tall as it is long. But we do like the short front and rear overhangs. Overall, it measures 9’6” long. Width-wise, it looks like it can easily navigate sidewalks.

Its top speed is around 25 mph. And it can handle four passengers, so there must be some room in there somewhere, right? That means an evening out with another couple can be accomplished by this G-Wagen because you want to impress as many as you can when you pull up to the Ritz Carlton.

Are there any options worth looking into?

One of the big options you should consider, should you want to delve further into ownership, is the auxiliary motor. This more than doubles the range. That goes from 31 miles to 68 miles. For around-town fun, that can’t be beaten.

But what is really hard to beat is the MSRP. This is a really cheap SUV. At $2,200, should we crown it the Cheapest New SUV you can buy? What could be the downsides to that?

Well, read on. First, that $2,200 doesn’t get you a battery, according to Electrek. Power is from lead-acid batteries, which tend to be not so cheap. But there’s a bigger rhino in the room.

Buyer beware…

As you can see from other scribes that have made an Alibaba EV purchase, the MSRP is just the beginning of the costs. Duties, fees, transportation, and more, will normally require a lot more money than the initial price. And that’s even if you have your purchase land on our shores.

There are mounting reports that some large orders like this never make it here. Everything just evaporates, including your money. So you need to be careful how quickly you release those hard-earned dollars.

But maybe what Motorbiscuit can offer is a dreamscape of imagined ownership of the Alibaba G-Wagen. The thumbs-ups and impressions you make cruising down Highway 1 without a care in the world. Maybe trekking to the Pebble Beach Concours and receiving a standing ovation surrounded by multi-million dollar Ferraris, Duesenbergs, and such.