$4000 EV topples Tesla in China
A dirt-cheap battery electric miro-car has knocked Tesla off the top of the EV sales charts in China.
Launched in July, around 15,000 examples of the Hongguang MINI EV were sold in China in August, compared to 11,800 Tesla Model 3s.
Everything about the Hongguang MINI EV – its size, its battery pack and its range – is tiny, but most importantly so is its price.
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The Hongguang MINI EV retails starting 28,800 yuan. That’s just under $6000 Aussie and about 10 percent of the starting price of the Model 3 in China.
The two-door four-seat hatch measures up at 2917mm long, 1493mm wide and 1621mm high and has a 1940mm wheelbase. The entire car could just about fit between the wheels of a Holden Commodore VF.
But with the rear-seat folded there is 741 litres of luggage space (or, at least, that’s the claim), which makes this a very space efficient vehicle.
The entry-level model comes with a 9.2kWh battery, a 13kW/85Nm motor, a 120km range and a top speed of 100km/h.
Or you can spend extra for a 13.8kWh battery and a 170km range. The motor remains unchanged as does the top speed.
While it would be easy to dismiss the Hongguang MINI EV as a Chinese aberration, the reality is it is made by a joint-venture involving the US automotive giant General Motors.
The car is a result of a collaboration that also includes GM’s long-term Chinese partner SAIC Motor Corp and SGMW, or Wuling as it is commonly known.
On the back of the Hongguang MINI EV’s popularity, SGMW has announced the intention to open an additional 100 experience stores in high-traffic locations in China.
GM announced in August more than 40 percent of vehicles it launches in China over the next five years will be electrified.
GM’s new China boss Julian Blissett told Reuters it would renew its focus on luxury Cadillacs, roll out bigger but greener utility vehicles and target entry-level buyers with low-cost micro electric vehicles such as the Hongguang MINI EV.
To give you an idea how far EVs have to go against ICE vehicles, even in China, the top-seller outright in the market in 2019 was the Volkswagen Lavida at an average of 43,000 sales per month.
That’s nearly three times the popularity of the Hongguang MINI EV.
Do you think the Hongguang MINI EV could be popular in Australia? Let us know in the comments below.
