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). Charging on a 220V supply takes 6.5 hours for the smaller battery and a full 9 hours for the 13.8 kWh pack. However, there are currently no plans to sell the vehicle in Australia. Powering the rear wheels is an electric motor delivering 20 kW (27 hp) and 85 Nm of torque. The interior is utilitarian at best and its plastics have the tactility of an emery board. Perhaps the biggest surprise is that the Mini EV can seat four. Of course there are more out there and many of them will come from China. '&l=' + l : ''; The Wuling Hongguang Mini EV is China's best-selling electric vehicle, outselling Tesla and all others. electric van, but we can't for the life of us remember if we've ever seen one in the wild. It can be charged using a normal 220-240V outlet. 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). It loses the LED side strip, but gets a side marker in return. Wuling's Mini EV, made in partnership with General Motors, outsells Teslas Model 3 in China and costs less than adding CarPlay to a Ferrari. On top of that, there's a cargo version, which would be brilliant for the suburbs. [5], The Mini EV can seat four people, and standard features including air conditioning, power windows, stereo system, storage and compartments. Under the extreme cold and high temperatures of -25 to 45 C, the vehicle has completed 28 tests over 300,000 kilometers. Yamamoto discovered that the parts were largely off-the-shelf and consumer-grade, rather than automotive grade. The Lightning would appeal to tradies and adventurers with a solid (if unspectacular) driving range, but its clever vehicle-to-load setup will make work and campsites much easier places to be. Everything You Need to Work From Home Like a Pro. Under Euro NCAP regulations, for example, electronic stability control (ESC) is mandatory, but the Mini EV lacks that feature. It would also ward off one of the Ami's drawbacks it's left-hand drive only. Onboard is a 9.3 kWh or 13.5 kWh lithium-ion battery pack good for 75 or 169 km, respectively. Your email address will not be published. [16], SAIC-GM-Wuling launched a variant of the regular Mini EV called the Mini EV Macaron in April 2021. With no fast-charging capability, you really are stuck using the Mini EV as a city car. The SAIC-GM-Wuling joint venture has produced one of the most successful electric cars in China, the Wuling Hong Guan Mini EV.This electric car is so popular among Chinese drivers that Wuling is . if(typeof window.DotMetricsObj != 'undefined') {DotMetricsObj.onAjaxDataUpdate();} With the 40kWh battery, it has a healthy city driving range of up to 300km, which is probably a week's driving for a good number of businesses. In January,CarAdvice reported a hard-top variant of the Hongguang Mini EV designed and built as part of a collaboration betweenSAIC and General Motors outsold the Tesla Model 3 in Chinathroughout January 2021, thanks in part to its impressive AU$5700price tag. Let us know if you think we could be doing something better. These are the top discounts weve found across the web. Speaking of value, prices for the Mini EV originally started at RMB28,800 ($4,389), while the 13.8-kWh luxury Macaron version we tested retailed for RMB43,600 ($6,645) until recently. The tiny EV is made available only as a left-hand drive vehicle by local grey importers and is understood to not offer a warranty of any sort. E lectric 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 . Theres no Park setting, though: the handbrake is the only way to hold the Mini EV. Given all of its other flaws, that's probably not a terrible thing. Charging cables fill up the space at the bottom of the boot. The Mini EV Macaron: A version of the normal Mini EV introduced in April 2021. Apollo Air & Air Pro eScooter With The Best Build Quality, EMOVE Cruiser : Best eScooter Under $1500, AnyHill UM-2 : Unique Heavy Duty eScooter, Maxus Euniq 6 - The All New Chinese Electric SUV, Kandi K27 - Cheapest Electric Car in America, Price at $10,000, Chevrolet Blazer EV Design, Specifications, Features, Price And Launch Date, Voyah Free - Premium Electric SUV Like Yacht, Tata Punch EV - Design, Features, Performance & Price. }. On the plus side, given the sub-two-meter wheelbase, the turning circle is incredibly tight. There are also Isofix child-seat attachments, and the seats are indeed best for childrenthe lack of real headrests for adults makes any extended trip a strain. In December, GM announced that Mahmoud Samara, a VP for Cadillac North America, had been made president of GM Europe. 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. Production will initially be limited to between 100 and 200 cars per month. Once in the drivers seat, you immediately notice two issues. Yes, I wish to receive exclusive discounts, special offers and competitions from our partners. It would be easy to compare the Wuling Hong Guang Mini EV unfairly with pricier and better-equipped cars. The Mustang nameplate has been a giant success for Ford locally, and once buyers got over the high-riding SUV vibe of the Mach-E, I reckon we won't be able to get enough of them. } ); Inside, the Macaron gets exterior color-matching inserts for the door pulls and highlights around what pass for controls. The Best Fitness Trackers and Watches for Everyone. All rights reserved. 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. Sport mode appears to be the superior option, offering significantly faster acceleration and more obvious brake regeneration. }; Samara said that one of his key goals for GM would be to transform operations in Europe into an agile mobility startup. Globally, GM is investing $35 billion dollars in electric and autonomous vehicles by 2025, he said at the time, and we will focus closely on what customers need market by market, and where we will leverage our global investments in the areas of EVs and AVs to compete and win.. Wuling is tight-lipped about acceleration statistics, but the car isn't particularly sluggish because it's electric and has immediate torque. The Hong Guang MINI EV has a top speed of about 100 km/h, seats four and looks like a Japanese kei car. [4] Retail deliveries began in China in July 2020. Wuling is a Chinese car firm youre probably not too familiar with. And the lack of rear headrests would make anything but short journeys tiring on the neck. By subscribing you agree to our Terms of Use and It was difficult to open the doors of the Wuling, but the battery appears to be mostly intact with only some damage. Get weekly updates with the latest car news and reviews. margin-top: -19px; /* ]]> */ Yes, the Citroen Ami is a quadricycle like the pilloried and terrifying Gee Whiz, but it's made by a proper car company Stellantis. The Macaron and Cabrio versions are likely to strengthen the Hong Guang MINI EV's market share in China, where it has already surpassed Tesla as the best-selling electric vehicle. w[ l ] = w[ l ] || []; Pricing for the drop-top version has yet to be determined, but according to .css-vurnku{box-sizing:border-box;margin:0;min-width:0;}Automotive News the convertible will sell for between 100,000 yuan ($20,000) and 200,000 yuan ($42,100).. A distinct whine from the electric motor accompanies you as you drive along. 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. Uncomfortable. 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. w[ l ] = w[ l ] || []; First, there's the Mustang Mach-E, a car that made so many people incredibly mad until they started selling like mad (for an EV). There are also two USB type A ports that allow you to play music or charge a device. [18], In 2021 Lithuanian company Nikrob UAB announced a rebadged version of the Mini EV called the FreZe Nikrob with knock-down assembly in Vilnius, Lithuania. In addition, the battery of the Mini EV has passed 16 safety test such as over-charge, over discharge, over-temperature, short circuit, fire, seawater immersion, simulated collision, etc. Gear can make or break your home office setup. As EVs make their inroads, the little Wuling Hong Guang MINI EV is leading the way. h = d.getElementsByTagName('head')[0], The Mini EV is therefore likely to have issues more frequently, but it will also be cheaper to repair. Tesla's biggest rival in China is the Wuling HongGuang Mini EV that starts at around $4,200. State-backed SAIC-GM-Wuling, a company partly owned by GM,. The e-Crafter van would be a good idea too if it wasn't left-hook only. var d = document, Marcus is a car enthusiast who loves writing about them. body #page { Wayward steering.) There is no actual trunk even though there is a hatch at the back. MORE: Everything micro carsMORE: Everything ChinaMORE: Everything 2021Shanghai motor show. However, as a low-cost start to electric family transportation, the automobile is far superior to a scooter or motorbike. WIRED is where tomorrow is realized. 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. Similar to the Rivian, the Ford F-150 Lightning would surely go off here too. The Wuling Hongguang Mini EV is a little electric vehicle (EV) that's been making waves bigger than its 12-inch wheels can ever suggest: it's been outselling Teslas and traversing floods in China, and its entry into Thailand and Indonesia have also got Malaysians excited.. Part of the massive sales numbers and interest - Chinese customers have bought over 500,000 of these since June 2019 . But as a cheap introduction to electric family motoring, the car is infinitely safer and better than a scooter or motorbike. [22][23], In January 2021, according to the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA), the Mini EV topped new energy vehicles sales with 25,778 units, compared to the Tesla Model 3 with 13,843 units sold in China. a claimed 500 kilometre driving range (optimistic EPA number) and a ton of features, Rivian would struggle to meet demand, as it is already in its home market. The Gameboy Edition: A version introduced in March 2022. All the Settings You Should Change on Your New Samsung Phone, Give Your Back a Break With Our Favorite Office Chairs, What to Do When Netflix Wont Let You Share Your Password, The 12 Best Electric Bikes for Every Kind of Ride, The Best iPad to Buy (and a Few to Avoid). Mahindra eXUV300 Expected Launch Date & Estimated Price, Mahindra eKUV 100 To Be Launched By End Of 2022, 2023 Mazda MX-30 Crossover SUV Mazdas First Electric Car, Maserati GranTurismo Folgore EV All-Electric Super Sports Car, Mahindra XUV400 EV New Electric compact SUV. Surprisingly, the EV has a selector button hidden behind the steering wheel that lets you choose between Eco and Sport modes. But the Mini EVs diminutive size also makes darting in and out of traffic quite satisfying. The Mini EV is equipped with a 9.2kWh battery capable of a NEDC range of 120km (75mi) or a 13.8kWh battery capable of a NEDC range of 170km (110mi). China has had a thriving industry in low-speed electric vehicles (LSEVs), which in four-wheel form are more akin to golf carts. So an incredibly cheap, bare-bones city car makes a lot of sense. /*