- The Wuling Hongguang Mini EV was successful in China. It used to outsell the Tesla Mannequin Y, although gross sales have been down final 12 months.
- Wuling offered 237,863 models of the Hongguang Mini EV in 2023, down from 404,823 in 2022.
- The present Wuling Hongguang Mini EV has a base worth of $5,046 (35,800 CNY)
Earlier than tales of BYD’s Seagull, or Nio’s Onvo model dominated the media cycle for taking Tesla to activity, there was one automobile that refused to depart the lips of journalists: the Wuling Hongguang Mini EV. Made partly with assist from GM, and mentioned to be impressed by Japanese Kei automobiles, the cube-shaped tiny EV rocketed to the highest of China’s EV gross sales charts. At one level, its roughly $4,000 worth made headlines, and its gross sales numbers even surpassed the Tesla Mannequin Y. However China’s market is fickle. A high vendor at the moment might be yesterday’s information on the drop of a hat. The Wuling Hongguang Mini EV has fallen fairly far down the gross sales charts, however it seems to be like a brand new one is on the horizon with probably broader attraction.
China’s Ministry of Business and Info Know-how (MIIT) has uncovered patent-style photographs of Wuling’s littlest EV earlier than its official debut. Registering with the MIIT is a obligatory step for automakers seeking to launch a automobile in China, even when it exposes the design of the automobile earlier than its media introduction.
From what we will see, the brand new Wuling Hongguang Mini EV remains to be considerably boxy, however it seems to be not less than just a little bit extra upscale. The size are nonetheless petite. The Hongguang Mini EV is barely 128.2 inches lengthy, although that is fairly a bit longer than the 114.8-inch authentic. A large 9.8 of these inches go proper to the Hongguang Mini EV’s wheelbase. Thus, the Hongguang Mini EV will now include an non-obligatory additional set of doorways. The five-door mannequin ought to improve the automobile’s attraction, though it might step on the toes of the Wuling Bingo.
MIIT
There are not any specs on the battery, the MIIT submitting does inform us a bit in regards to the motor. We will see a stable axle and a motor peaking below the bumper cowl within the rear shot. The MIIT says the automobile can have a 40 horsepower motor and a high velocity of 62 mph.
MIIT
I’ve little question that this automobile will generate gross sales, however it probably received’t ever get again to the highest of being China’s best-selling EV. For starters, China has ended many subsidies for automobiles which can be this small and sluggish. In China, EVs that go lower than 124 miles (200 km) or can’t exceed 100 km/h (62 mph) don’t qualify for a similar tax incentives as longer-range automobiles. Equally, automobiles just like the previous Hongguang Mini EV and its ilk have developed a status of being unsafe autos. The previous Wuling Hongguang EV didn’t have any airbags and even an precise bumper. Producers have began to improve the security of those fashions, however it appears to have affected the worth. For instance, the Changan Lumin Corn is known as a “technology two” mini EV, however its base worth is $7,300. By comparability, the BYD Seagull is an actual automobile with extra vary and a high velocity of 81 mph, and that may be had for just a little below $10,000.
This may not be nice information for GM, which is intently tied with Wuling. GM’s manufacturers have struggled in China these days, and it desperately wants gross sales to cease the model from shrinking to nothing. This revised Wuling Hongguang Mini EV might find yourself being higher, however it received’t be sufficient to show the corporate’s fortunes round in China.
The Tesla Mannequin Y’s gross sales numbers will most likely be secure.
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