First decide whether the purchase can actually be delivered and supported
When overseas buyers search for a golf cart, electric sightseeing bus, food truck, patrol cart or classic car replica from China, the first results often show attractive photos and a low unit price. That is not enough for a serious import decision. Custom special vehicles combine chassis selection, battery system, bodywork, seating layout, kitchen equipment, lighting, LHD/RHD steering, destination-market rules, shipping documents, pre-shipment inspection and after-sales parts.
A useful enquiry should not only ask “how much per unit?”. It should explain where the vehicle will operate, whether it will use public roads, how long it runs each day, whether the destination requires homologation, who will service it after arrival, and whether the order is a sample, a project batch or a dealer programme. Only then can a supplier quote an export-ready specification rather than a cheap-looking offer that fails at registration, loading or maintenance.
The operating scenario decides the specification
The same product name can hide very different requirements. A “golf cart” for a resort, a campus shuttle, a port patrol cart and an estate vehicle may need different suspension, corrosion protection, battery capacity, charging layout and spare-parts planning. Before comparing price, define passenger count, daily mileage, road gradient, maximum speed, turning radius, night operation, rain or sun exposure, charging window, driver training and whether the unit will operate on private land or public roads.
| Scenario | Typical vehicles | Specification focus | Main risks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resort, hotel, estate | Golf carts, shuttle carts | Comfort, quiet operation, canopy, range, rain curtains | Heat, salt air, parts supply |
| Scenic area, theme park | Sightseeing buses, low-speed shuttles | Passenger capacity, handrails, steps, speed limit, PA system | Passenger safety, insurance, continuous operation |
| Port, factory, campus | Patrol carts, utility vehicles | Beacons, storage, climbing ability, durable chassis | High utilisation, downtime |
| Food service | Food trucks, mobile vending units | Voltage, plug, water tank, ventilation, kitchen equipment | Hygiene, electrical, gas and fire requirements |
| Display and promotion | Classic replicas, display vehicles | Appearance, paint, packaging, damage protection | Road-use boundary and registration misunderstanding |
For hot Middle East projects, cooling and battery management should be discussed early. For islands, ports and coastal tourist areas, corrosion protection, harness sealing and paint quality belong in the specification. For a food truck, the kitchen layout, local hygiene rules and electrical standard may matter more than the exterior design.
Private-site use and public-road use are not the same compliance question
Many low-speed vehicles are suitable for resorts, parks, campuses, factories or private roads, but that does not make them automatically road-registrable vehicles. The sales contract, invoice, nameplate documents and end-use description should state whether the unit is for private-site use, project use or public-road use. If a buyer wants public-road registration, the importer, local compliance adviser or authority in the destination country must confirm the applicable rules.
A supplier can support the buyer with configuration sheets, export documents, MSDS, UN38.3, PDI reports, loading photos and available certificate samples. It cannot replace local government approval. CE, EEC, GCC, DOT/FMVSS, national type approval, project access permits and other homologation requirements have different scopes. Do not read one certificate as permission to operate in every country.
| Use boundary | Buyer should confirm | Supplier can support |
|---|---|---|
| Private site or closed project | Whether low-speed vehicles are allowed, insurance and speed limits | Specification sheet, PDI, parts, manuals |
| Public road | Registration, VIN/nameplate, lights, safety standards, homologation | Certificate samples, technical documents, production consistency notes |
| Lithium-battery vehicle | Battery transport category, carrier requirements, import documents | Battery spec, BMS description, MSDS, UN38.3 |
| Food truck | Hygiene, electrical, gas, fire and local equipment standards | Kitchen layout, wiring diagram, equipment list, plug and voltage confirmation |
Vehicle-specific questions buyers should ask
- Golf carts and patrol carts: seat layout, suspension, hill-climbing ability, LHD/RHD steering, beacon or siren, storage box, fleet charging plan, controller and fast-moving parts stock.
- Sightseeing buses and shuttles: passenger insurance, handrails, access steps, emergency exits, rain curtains, PA system, low-speed limit, continuous operation and braking on slopes.
- Food trucks and mobile vending vehicles: gas or electric appliances, stainless-steel counter, water tanks, ventilation hood, fire-extinguisher position, local hygiene inspection, shore-power voltage, plug standard and equipment certificates.
- Classic replicas and display vehicles: body material, lighting style, VIN/nameplate policy, display-only versus road-use status, paint sample approval, spare body panels and transport protection.
If a supplier says “everything can be done” but does not ask about destination country, end use, quantity, lead time or certification, treat it as a warning sign. A professional export partner converts the enquiry into a configuration sheet and explains which options add cost, lead time or compliance risk.
Compare FOB, CIF and landed cost separately
FOB must name the Chinese loading port, such as FOB Shanghai, FOB Ningbo or FOB Shenzhen. CIF must name the destination port, such as CIF Jebel Ali, CIF Durban or CIF Manzanillo. CIF adds ocean freight and marine insurance to the destination port, but it does not include duty, VAT/GST, port storage, customs broker fees, inland delivery, local certification, registration or modifications after arrival.
| Cost item | Usually included in FOB | Usually included in CIF | Buyer still needs to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base vehicle and options | Yes | Yes | Same configuration, logo and paint scope |
| Export packing and loading | Confirm | Confirm | Crate or frame, lashing, moisture protection, battery disconnection |
| China inland trucking and port charges | Confirm | Confirm | Factory-to-port delivery, documents, customs declaration |
| Ocean freight and insurance | No | Yes | Sailing schedule, insurance scope, named destination port |
| Duty, VAT/GST and customs clearance | No | No | Destination tax rate and import licence |
| Local registration, certification or modification | No | No | Whether homologation or project approval is needed |
Ask for an itemised quotation covering the base vehicle, options, tooling or mould fees, logo and paint work, battery upgrade, food-truck equipment, spare-parts package, packing, inland trucking, port charges, documents, production lead time, payment terms and quote validity. CIF can help compare sample or small-batch cost quickly; FOB plus a stable freight forwarder is often more transparent for dealer programmes.
PDI should be a traceable evidence package, not a few photos
PDI (Pre-Delivery Inspection) should be completed before container loading and matched with the invoice, packing list and nameplate or VIN information. A minimum evidence package should include static appearance inspection, functional checks, low-speed test drive, custom-part confirmation, document review and loading evidence.
| PDI item | What to check | Recommended evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Identity check | Model, quantity, nameplate/VIN, colour, logo | Nameplate photo, vehicle photos, configuration sheet |
| Functional check | Steering, brakes, lights, horn, dashboard, charger | Short videos, test record |
| Battery and electrical | Voltage, BMS, plug, charger model, harness fixing | Battery label, meter photo, electrical list |
| Custom equipment | Seats, rain curtains, food-truck equipment, water tank, ventilation, voltage | Detail photos, power-on or leakage test video |
| Test-yard check | Noise, slope, braking, turning, low-speed limiter | Driving video, PDI report |
| Loading check | Lashing, wheel chocks, moisture protection, battery disconnection, spare-parts quantity | Loading photos, packing list, parts list |
Problems should be corrected before loading, not argued at the destination port. For customised vehicles, confirm colour, seats, logo position, doors and windows, kitchen equipment, voltage, manual language, carton marks and tools before shipment.
Plan spare parts and after-sales boundaries before the deposit
A first order should not include vehicles only. A sample buyer should at least prepare chargers, controllers, brake pads, lights, fuses and special tools. A project buyer should add tyres, switches, bearings, contactors, touch-up paint and common body parts. A dealer planning repeat sales should build parts stock by production batch, otherwise later configuration changes may make old inventory unusable. Food-truck buyers should also consider water pumps, electrical switches, plugs, kitchen consumables and locally replaceable equipment.
Before paying the deposit, agree who diagnoses faults, who pays freight for warranty parts, what photos or test data are required, response time, remote video support, service manuals, wiring diagrams, troubleshooting tables and parts price validity. After-sales capability is not the sentence “one-year warranty”; it is the supplier’s ability to keep configuration consistency, supply matching parts, provide technical guidance and define responsibility clearly.
RFQ template to send to a China exporter
Buyer type (importer / dealer / fleet / project owner):
Destination country:
Destination port:
Vehicle type:
Quantity and annual forecast:
Use location (resort / campus / port / public road / private site):
Private-site use or public-road use:
Passenger seats or equipment layout:
LHD or RHD:
Target speed and daily range:
Road gradient and weather exposure:
Battery type, charger voltage and plug:
Required certificates or homologation support:
Required documents before deposit / before shipment:
Incoterm (FOB named port / CIF named port):
Target delivery date:
Colour, logo and custom parts:
Spare-parts package:
PDI evidence required:
Warranty claim process:
Reference photos or local road conditions:A supplier that answers this RFQ with a clear specification sheet, itemised quotation, lead time, document list and PDI evidence package is usually safer than one that only sends a low-price photo. Huajia Machinery helps importers, dealers and project buyers turn vague custom-vehicle ideas into export-ready specifications, inspection evidence, shipping coordination and maintainable after-sales plans.