In daily Chinese life, 电动车 usually refers to small electric scooters/bikes (e-bikes), not Tesla-style cars. For electric cars specifically, people say 电动汽车 (diàndòng qìchē) or use brand names like 比亚迪 (BYD).
usage
China has by far the world's largest e-bike market — there are over 300 million electric scooters on Chinese roads. They're the primary commuting vehicle in many cities.