"Living in a Vehicle Instead of a Mansion: Chinese Tech Expert Chooses Car Life over Big House for Four Years"
Living on wheels in the heart of Shenzhen might sound unusual, but it's the reality for a Chinese programmer named Zhang Yunlai. This unexpected lifestyle choice has put him behind the wheel of his electric car for the last four years, despite owning a vast four-story home in his hometown, Yangjiang, Guangdong province.
Zhang, a 41-year-old tech professional, moved to the bustling city six years ago for work. Most would expect urban living to be his destination of choice, yet Zhang chose a different path. His decision wasn't rooted in financial difficulties but a craving for freedom and comfort, fueled by a camping trip to a city park.
The seeds of his mobile abode were sown when he transformed his electric car into a cozy home-on-wheels. According to local media, Zhang relishes the comfort of his car's air-conditioning and the space for a mattress, making nighttime slumber a pleasurable experience.
During the workweek, Zhang's life moves to the beat of a well-oiled routine: he eats in his office cafeteria, showers at a gym, charges his car at public stations, and parks overnight in a park where he reclines his seats for a restful sleep. His laundry duties are delegated to weekends spent with family, who graciously care for his 400 square meter residence.
Financial incentives alone don't seem to be the driving force behind Zhang's unconventional living arrangements. Claiming minimal parking and utility costs, Zhang estimates his daily expenses to be around 100 yuan (roughly Rs 1,200). Over the last three years, this budget-savvy approach has netted him savings of over 100,000 yuan (around Rs 11.6 lakh).
Yet, the money saved isn't the primary goal for Zhang. "I'm not under financial pressure, even if someone offered me free rent, I would not move," he said. Zhang prizes the park setting over a conventional flat, cherishing the freedom it offers.
Before landing in Shenzhen, Zhang worked remotely, a job he still maintains. He now earns several tens of thousands of yuan a month as a programmer, enjoying financial stability alongside his unique lifestyle. Despite this, he has no intentions of trading his parkside existence for a traditional apartment anytime soon.
It's unclear how widespread this living-in-a-car trend is among tech professionals in China, with limited public data and reports available. However, Zhang's choice reveals a desire for personal liberty and financial efficiency rather than a common practice among the tech community. Chinese cities, especially urban hubs like Shanghai and Beijing, are renowned for their rapid-fire lifestyles and technology-centric innovations, typically focusing on smart homes and urban living solutions instead of living in cars.
- Despite owning a spacious home in Yangjiang, Zhang Yunlai, a Chinese programmer, prefers sleeping in his electric car each night during the workweek, which he has transformed into a cozy home-on-wheels.
- Contrary to financial difficulties, Zhang's unconventional living arrangements, such as parking his car in a park overnight, are driven by a desire for freedom and comfort that he discovered during a camping trip.
- Unlike the typical urban lifestyle trend in Chinese cities like Shenzhen, Shanghai, and Beijing, which focus on smart homes and urban living solutions, Zhang Yunlai's unique lifestylechoice of living in a car represents a personal pursuit of liberty and financial efficiency, rather than a common practice among tech professionals.
