Chongqing’s ‘Three-Wheeler’ Conquers Africa: Carrying People, Cargo, and Style

From villages in South America to farms in North America, from streets in Europe to alleyways in Africa, you can spot the agile figure of China’s “three-wheeler.” This globally popular vehicle has even earned enthusiastic promotion from a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson. In this phenomenal wave of “Made in China” exports, Chongqing—home to the country‘s most complete motorcycle industry chain—has made a significant contribution. Today, let’s see how Chongqing uses “small products to leverage big markets”!

Host Li Jiabo:
“Feel that wind? Don’t get me wrong—I’m not on the African savanna. I’m right here in Chongqing’s Jiangjin District. But the guy next to me is a bona fide African brother. Say hello to everyone.”

West Africa Client Representative Lambo:
“Hello everyone, my name is Lambo. I’m from Togo. I came to Chongqing just for this—the three-wheeler.”

Host Li Jiabo:
“You crossed half the globe just for this three-wheeler? What do you like about it?”

West Africa Client Representative Lambo:
“It’s our money-maker. It carries people, hauls cargo, and the speakers are great too. We love it.”

Host Li Jiabo:
“Alright, let’s go see what hidden tech makes this three-wheeler so popular with our African friend.”

Shangfeng Technology Engineer Cao Dongdong:
“Let’s turn off the lights first.”

Host Li Jiabo:
“Showing off the light strip—it even has a flowing effect.”

Shangfeng Technology Engineer Cao Dongdong:
“Right. Our headlights now reach 20,000 candela. In most parts of rural Africa, there are no streetlights at night—it’s pitch black. We developed this headlight specifically for that market. At night, you can see almost half a kilometer ahead. That’s a must-have in Africa. Now look at this fuel tank—it’s 30% larger than standard.”

Host Li Jiabo:
“Why?”

Shangfeng Technology Engineer Cao Dongdong:
“In places like Togo, you can go 30 kilometers or more without seeing a gas station. So we had to make the tank bigger. Guess what this is?”

Host Li Jiabo:
“A decorative frame?”

Shangfeng Technology Engineer Cao Dongdong:
“Wrong. It’s the radiator.”

Host Li Jiabo:
“Where was it before?”

Shangfeng Technology Engineer Cao Dongdong:
“Right here. By hiding the radiator in this position, we freed up space for an extra seat. Don’t underestimate that little seat—in Africa, they use these three-wheelers to make a living. That extra seat means one more passenger, and more cargo in the back. The hidden radiator actually has a larger capacity than conventional ones, with better cooling. We’re the first in China to come up with this design. And we’ve ‘modded’ three-wheelers into all sorts of variants: standard cargo haulers,环卫车, electric models too.”

Host Li Jiabo:
“That one’s a sightseeing shuttle?”

Shangfeng Technology Engineer Cao Dongdong:
“Right. Medical vehicles, fire tankers, freezer trucks, food trucks—whatever the customer needs, we can build it.”

Shangfeng Technology Import & Export Head Wang Li:
“We sent our R&D teams to East and West Africa to do on-the-ground research. At first, people barely paid us any attention. So we came up with a strategy: we said, ‘Take the vehicle for free. If you like it, then we’ll talk.’ After several months of testing, they loved our product and started ordering container after container. Our Uganda branch manager—who’s been there for over four years and is now as tanned as a local—brought his wife over last year. This export path uses Chongqing’s most complete motorcycle industry chain to solve the basic needs of African customers. From engines to screws, over 90% of components are sourced locally in Chongqing.”

Host Li Jiabo:
“It’s not just our manufacturing strength—it’s also our business savvy.”

Shangfeng Technology Import & Export Head Wang Li:
“We sold nearly 30,000 units last year. This year we’re targeting 40,000, and our orders are already booked through March–April next year.”

Globalization isn’t just about selling products in New York, London, or Munich—it’s also about putting a Chongqing-made motorcycle on the streets of Africa that can carry people, haul cargo, and turn heads. A three-wheeler leaves more than tire tracks—it blazes a new trail for Chongqing manufacturing, leveraging “small products to unlock big markets”!

Source: Chongqing Broadcasting Group – Diyi Yan News
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