Believe it or not, North Korea has an automotive industry. Not wanting to be outdone by South Korea, the Hermit Kingdom also makes its own cars for local consumers. At least for those who can afford a car over there.
Okay, when we said car industry, it’s more of Chinese-sourced cars with local badges slapped on. Hey, it’s something.
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But now, the DPRK is making strides into the world of electric vehicles. The Madusan Economic Federation, a foreign trade organization established in 2018, recently published a video showing off some, er, technical achievements. Madusan showed off all of the technological advancements it has achieved through its funding, from smartphones to electric vehicles.
So, where does the electric car part come in? You’re free to watch the whole presentation attached below to witness all of its glorious CGI and soundtrack. You can also jump right ahead to the five-minute mark to see the car for yourself.
Saw the car? Of course, Madusan says the EV (which is unnamed at the moment) is a result of its funding. However, we can’t help but think that it’s essentially a BYD Han driving around empty streets of what we assume is North Korea. It’s rather amusing that the car makes engine sounds too…and that it was making tire squealing sounds on wet pavement.
But what further piqued our curiosity is the fact that the badge was censored. Not covered. Censored. It wasn’t even done inconspicuously. It does have hangul text (known as Chos?n muntcha over there) written on the plate, but that’s the only connection we see with North Korea.
Need to see more BYD Han similarities? Here are more photos.
Also, its range is claimed to be up to 720 kilometers on a single change. The rest of the powertrain details are a little murky, though. Interestingly, the Han has a maximum range that’s similar to that, 715 kilometers, to be exact.
That said, we don’t know if the car will make it to the proletariat. Given the North Korea’s economic (and political) situation this might simply be a technological showcase rather than an actual consumer good.
