According to Autohome, the micro electric two-door is slated to hit showrooms in 2022 and (at least initially) will be sold exclusively in China. China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) data has revealed that the Hong Guang Mini EV . The cars crashed at 64 km/h (40 mph) each, with a 50% offset, which turned out to be deadly to the red neighborhood electric vehicle, despite both being similar in size and weight (560 kg Wuling vs 568 kg red EV). Despite its ultra-compact dimensions, it somehow boasts 741 liters of storage space (with the rear seats folded) and 12 storage compartments. This is a low-cost entry, low-cost ownership electric car after all, so the small design touches the production model lost arent a big deal. But the Mini EVs diminutive size also makes darting in and out of traffic quite satisfying. Your email address will not be published. The battery comes preheating and insulation function which allows it to be charged safely and efficiently at low temperatures. Which is probably holding back the funky hatchback from a local release in electric form, just as it's hugely unlikely we'll ever see the ICE 208 here. With our Prime Minister embarrassing himself at COP26 by walking down the steps from his plane waving a piece of paper guaranteeing net-zero by relying on technology that is either discredited (carbon capture and storage) or non-existent (TBA), it's up to the states to make electric vehicles appealing. The results: left - driver, right - passenger in the rear: Well, if this is the result of a 50% frontal crash with a light neighborhood electric vehicle, it's scary to think what would happen if it would be a standard car (1,200-2,400 kg). Sport seems to be the better of the two modes, providing not only slightly smarter acceleration but also more noticeable braking regeneration. When compared to one of the cheapest EVs on the market in the United States, the almost $28,000 Nissan Leaf, it's simple to understand why. A dual waistline along with obvious arches for the 12 inches wheels accent very boxy looks. The Hong Guang Mini EV electric hatchback launched in July 2020 and is manufactured through a joint venture between China's Wuling, Chinese state-owned automaker SAIC Motor, and General. Latvian-based armoured vehicle manufacturer Dartz last year confirmed it had signed an agreement to import the electric micro car to Europe. You can get one through the usual JDM importers for not-insane money, but without factory backing, life might be difficult if the battery needs recalling etc. The Hong Guang MINI EV has a top speed of about 100 km/h, seats four and looks like a Japanese kei car. Lots of people ask why there aren't any small EVs on the market (we quickly explain there are several), and the talk quickly turns to price. [5] Overview [ edit] Rear view Required fields are marked *. The colors are Avocado Green, Lemon Yellow and White Peach Pink, which are the results of the collaboration of Wuling and Pantone Universe. Wolf Warrior X Is This The Smoothest eScooter? j.async = true; margin-top: -19px; China Sends a Warning to the U.S. About Domestic EV Battery Production, Global EV Adoption Hits New High of 20 Million Thanks to Tiny Electric Cars, Electric Cars Sold In Record Numbers Globally In 2021, A Serious Threat to Tesla Emerges in Nissan. Similar to the Rivian, the Ford F-150 Lightning would surely go off here too. window.dm = window.dm ||{ AjaxData:[]}; Let us know if you think we could be doing something better. var d = document, The Mini EV is therefore likely to have issues more frequently, but it will also be cheaper to repair. The Mini EV Cabrio is getting the same 26 horsepower electric motor as the coup, but its price and range is still unknown. Its curb weight is around 665 kg. Lets take a closer look at the Wuling Hongguang Mini EV, RELATED: The Tata Avinya Concept Puts India On The Global EV Map. s.type = 'text/javascript'; [5], The Mini EV can seat four people, and standard features including air conditioning, power windows, stereo system, storage and compartments. General information. Tesla's biggest rival in China is the Wuling HongGuang Mini EV that starts at around $4,200. new Date().getTime(), event: 'gtm.js' The Mini EV is actually higher than it is wide due to its 1,621 mm height; thus, headroom is adequate. However, as a low-cost start to electric family transportation, the automobile is far superior to a scooter or motorbike. But is it safe? They're both short on driving range and in the ForTwo's case, size, but these are resolutely urban vehicles. Could General Motors at least apply lessons learned from producing this super-cheap EV to other markets? One-pedal driving is not really possible, as the car simply takes too long to slow downprobably because it only weighs 700 kg (1,543 lbs). w[ l ].push( { This is enough to accommodate two 26-inch suitcases or a stroller. The BYD Han EV, which could arrive in Australia some time soon, sold 9,298 units, followed by GW (Great Wall) ORA Black Cat and GAC Aion S, both selling 6,092 units. Yes, I wish to receive exclusive discounts, special offers and competitions from our partners. WIREDs is in avocado green, but the model is also available in lemon yellow and white peach pink. Nikrob was a temporary inter-step, says company founder Leonard Yankelovich. Once in the drivers seat, you immediately notice two issues. The company had teased a convertible model at the 2021 Shanghai Auto Show in April, and claimed that the car would go into production sometime next year. Fees, charges, conditions and eligibility criteria apply. In his spare time Derek loves chasing automotive rabbits down the hole. It is legal to drive on public roads, despite its wheels being just 12 inches in diameter and having a peak speed of only 62 miles per hour. s.async = true; Alongside the truck is the R1S, an attractively boxy SUV starting at around seventy grand in the States, so probably a $160,000 bet here. The back seats are equipped with two ISOFIX child safety seat restraint interfaces to cater to young families. It can be used on normal roads without restriction, although its wheels are only 12 inches and its speed tops out at just 62 mph (100 km/h). The latest on tech, science, and more: Get our newsletters! I know Id rather have to change out that tiny bulb when it goes out than have to mess with an entire LED array. A joint venture between GM and Chinese businesses Wuling and SAIC saw the introduction of the Wuling Hongguang Mini EV in July 2020. It is 2,917 millimeters long, 1,493 millimeters wide and 1,621 [] j.async = true; Not only did Wuling sling 15,000 units in only its first 20 days on the market, but its currently beating Tesla Model 3 sales almost two to one, InsideEVs reports. Thanks to the folding fabric roof and rollover hoops, the cabrio version is strictly a two-seater, though. It was first manufactured and delivered sometime in July 2020. We may not legally be able to get ahold of the Mini EV as it sells in China, but there is an outside chance GM will be using the know-how gained from producing this budget electric car to release a US or European EV that retails below the $10,000 mark. * MINI Finance, Australian Credit Licence 392387. The Nissan E-NV200 might not be much of a looker, but on paper it's a brilliant city van like the Peugeot Partner or VW Caddy. Nissan's Leaf remains the cheapest electric car in the US market, with the entry-level model priced at $20,875 (after the $7,500 federal tax credit). As of January2022[update], sales since inception have passed 500,000 units, and the Mini EV has become the best-selling electric car in China. Electric vehicles should be going great guns at the moment we've all been trapped in the country (and mostly our states) for months, there's nothing to do and for some reason we're paying pre-GFC prices for our petrol. A single electric motor sends 13kW to the rear wheels, and voltage is drawn from a 9.2kWh lithium-polymer battery, permitting a claimed range of 120km. Produced by SAIC-GM (GM) -Wuling, a company partially owned by General Motors, the Hong Guang Mini EV sells at a starting price that's equivalent to about $4,400. It was developed by General Motors, Wuling Motors and state-sponsored SAIC Motor. Privacy Policy. According to The Verge, more than 36,000 of the tiny cars were sold in January compared to nearly 21,500 Model 3s, and the Hong Guang sold just more than 20,000 units in February compared to just under 13,700 Tesla 3s. Check out our Gear teams picks for the best fitness trackers, running gear (including shoes and socks), and best headphones, TurboTax service code 2023: Up to $15 off your purchase, 20% Off - All H&R Block 2023 Tax Software | H&R Block Discount Code, Instacart coupon code: $25 off any size order + free delivery, Extra 20% off sitewide - Dyson promo code, GoPro promo code: 10% off all sitewide purchases + free shipping, 2023 Cond Nast. With sales commencing as early as September 2020. Privacy Policy. Leading to the assumption . The SAIC-GM-Wuling joint venture has produced one of the most successful electric cars in China, the Wuling Hong Guan Mini EV. As the newest addition to the Drive team, William was brought onboard for his attention to detail, writing skills, and strong work ethic. With a modest 80kW, but reasonable 280Nm, the E-NV200 would be extremely cheap to run. Safer than a scooter. Inside, the Macaron gets exterior color-matching inserts for the door pulls and highlights around what pass for controls. The China Association of Automobile Manufacturers expects sales to rise for the first time in three years, as it projects 27.2 million units to be sold in the country. Depending on the spec, the Mini EV is powered by either a 20kW/85Nm or 30kW/110Nm electric motor driving the rear wheels. [4] Retail deliveries began in China in July 2020. EV Charging explained: Home and public charging, power levels and plugs, Australia's EV policies: What's happening in each state and territory in 2021 UPDATED, No ICE reduction target included in Australia's net zero 2050 plan. }. Or it could take a very different route. We take a look at the cars that could kickstart an EV love affair. The compact zero-emission hatchback reportedly weighs just 665kg. But increased battery costs have seen prices rise by around $1,000. Now the Hong Guang Mini. NEDC Range (km) 170 (13.8 kWh) & 120 (9.2 kWh), Cutting Edge Mini City EV the Hong Guang MINI EV has a practical small on the outside, big on the inside design, Be the first to review Wuling Hongguang Mini EV. The Wuling Hong Guang MINI EV was crash tested against another EV - an ultra-cheap neighborhood electric vehicle (with lead-acid batteries) that's hilariously trying to resemble the Mercedes-Benz G-Class. However, in the case of the Wuling Hong Guang MINI EV, things look much better. They're not cheap though, and here in Australia suffered from a bit of a Tiddly Cars from Toy Town image. Theres a choice between 9.3- and 13.8-kWh battery packs, which are good for ranges of 75 miles (120 km) and 106 miles (170 km), respectively, under the already generous NEDC standard. SAIC Motor is the largest partner, with 50.1 percent ownership. The system power is 17 Horsepower (13 kW). The Wuling MINI EV from GM costs between $4,000 and $6,000. Luckily as youre unlikely to ever get the Mini EV much above 50 mph this never becomes too much of a problem. Enter your email below. The Macaron is a customized model with three unique paint colors and additional standard features. Avocado Green, Lemon Yellow, and White Peach Pink are the colors created by Wuling in partnership with Pantone Universe. [12][13] The popularity has been compared to that of kei cars in Japan. However, the rear seats do individually push down and pull up with a strap, which is essential if you want to transport anything other than people. Marcus is a car enthusiast who loves writing about them. We could live with sitting on the wrong side of the Ami, which is barely wider than the Renault Twizy, but driving on the wrong side of a massive van would be no fun at all. First, the driving position is very high and the seats are non-height-adjustable. Yes, the Citroen Ami is a quadricycle like the pilloried and terrifying Gee Whiz, but it's made by a proper car company Stellantis. Id love to get my hands on one of these cars, but we arent likely to see these here for a long time, if ever. We break them all down. It also weighs a . A new all-electric car that is tiny in both size and price has again outsold the Tesla Model 3 in China on a month-by-month basis, with sales of the Wuling Hong Guang Mini EV almost doubling those of Telsa's hugely popular global best-seller in January 2021. This is paired to either a 9.2kWh, 13.9kWh, or 25.5kWh battery. j = d.createElement( s ), dl = l != 'dataLayer' ? The battery pack is pre-started to warm up and maintain the battery pack temperature at 20-25 C to achieve low-temperature charging efficiency. Tesla Teased A Wireless Home Charging Solution On Investor Day, Rad Power Unveils The RadRunner 3 Plus Electric Utility Bike, Scout Motors Will Build Electric Trucks And SUVs In South Carolina, 741 liters of space with the rear seats folded down, 2,917 millimeters long, 1,493 millimeters wide and 1,621 millimeters high, with a 1,940-millimeter wheelbase. new Date().getTime(), event: 'gtm.js' dm.AjaxData.push({ et: et,d: d,ssid: ssid,ad: ad}); With seven seats (that'll be popular, don't you think?) But you will know the others involved in the joint venture that builds the Mini EV: General Motors has a 44% share andMG parent firm SAIC 50.1%, with Wuling the remaining 5.9%. [9], A 26.5kWh model is due for 2022, with 280 kilometres (170mi) (CLTC) estimated range, an optional more powerful 30kW (40hp; 41PS) motor, and an improved interior. all we can say is this EV has every right to be on the top of the affordable EVs list. While there is a hatch at the back, there is no real trunk to speak of. The hardtop model starts at 28,000, or about A$6,177, and has a range of 169 km. ( function( w, d, s, l, i ) { The Mini EV has appealed to younger buyers in China, and he feels GM could target a similar demographic in the US, or in an emerging market, where a small city car would appeal. A shame, but if it could land at a mid-$30k price point, French car fans are just mad enough to do it. j.src = The WIRED conversation illuminates how technology is changing every aspect of our livesfrom culture to business, science to design. The 27 Best Mac Apps That Will Make Your Life Easier. The Wuling Hongguang Mini EV is China's best-selling electric vehicle, outselling Tesla and all others. In October last year, Tesla cut the price of the Model 3 . The batterys functions can be remotely monitored via a smartphone app. It was founded in 2007 in the city of Liuzhou, near the border with Vietnam. Being a compact van, it's not too big so would be good for the urban cut and thrust. A few videos of the convertible circulated around since then, but not much else besides the statement from Wuling. Thats actually not too bad for the price of four Changlis. Powering the rear wheels is an electric motor delivering 20 kW (27 hp) and 85 Nm of torque. [19], The Mini EV GameBoy Edition was introduced in March 2022. s = d.createElement('script'); The space might be able to fit something very thin, but the bottom is taken up with charging cables. Weve mentioned this car a few times in the past, but its made some amazing progress. [20] Its exterior has been completely restyled with larger dimension, while the power remains to be unchanged and carried over from the standard Mini EV producing 27hp (20kW; 27PS) and 85Nm (63lbft) or 40hp (30kW; 41PS) and 110Nm (81lbft), mated to a 9.2, 13.9, or 25.5 kWh battery. Despite its compact dimensions the Hongguang Mini EV has four seats. Notably, the upscale variant of the Wuling Hong Guang MINI EV will have a slightly larger body as the wheelbase grows from 76.4 to 79.1 inches. Potential buyers will need to enter a lottery in order to buy one., Wuling says production could expand if theres enough demand.. Of course there are more out there and many of them will come from China. Sport mode appears to be the superior option, offering significantly faster acceleration and more obvious brake regeneration. It also comes with the anti-lock braking system (ABS) with electronic brake-force distribution (EBD), the tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) and reversing radar. }; [4] Retail deliveries began in China in July 2020. More car parks, EV charging stations and battery-swapping facilities will be built, and battery recycling systems developed at a faster pace, Li said. Wuling is coy regarding acceleration figures, but since the vehicle is electric and has instantaneous torque, it isnt unduly slow in town traffic. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This is a demo store for testing purposes no orders shall be fulfilled. The same is not said for the steering, which is quite sloppy. Even though you cannot buy this car outside of China, if we had to rate it on WIRED's scoring system, we'd charitably give it a 5 out of 10 (Wired: Bargain basement price for an EV. Check out this review from the Wheelsboy YouTube channel: Despite its cheap price, it also comes with a suite of handy features like radar for reversing, antilock brakes and a tire pressure monitoring system.