Given the rudimentary nature of the cabin, its no surprise that materials are utilitarian. [17] The Macaron also receives more safety equipment compared to the previous base trim level, including low-speed pedestrian warning, a reversing camera with rear parking sonar and a driver-side airbag. You dont get airbags, and the passenger doesnt even get a seatbelt reminder. It's highly likely theCabrio will share the fixed-roof model's same powertrain. The vehicle comes with an intelligent battery management system which can monitor the battery status in real-time. Standard safety features of the Mini EV include anti-lock brakes, tire pressure monitoring sensors, and rear parking sensors. Limited to using a standard 220V AC outlet, charging is naturally slow, with the base battery pack taking six hours to fully recharge. By subscribing you agree to our Terms of Use and Surprisingly, the EV includes a concealed toggle button behind the steering wheel that allows drivers to choose between Eco and Sport modes. The Macaron is sold as a more premium and personalized variant that features redesigned darkened LED headlights, two-tone alloy wheels and exclusive body colors. 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. But Ford has more. The Wuling Hong Guang MINI EV is creating an awesome new market and as expected, other firms are following with similar models. dm.AjaxData.push({ et: et,d: d,ssid: ssid,ad: ad}); "A range . img#wpstats{display:none} w[ l ] = w[ l ] || []; The Hong Guang MINI EV has a top speed of about 100 km/h, seats four and looks like a Japanese kei car. China: Wuling Hong Guang MINI EV Sets Massive Sales Record - InsideEVs Wuling Hong Guang Mini EV - Electric Vehicle Specs But is it safe? 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 . Potential buyers will need to enter a lottery in order to buy one., Wuling says production could expand if theres enough demand.. The Battery Capacity, which is one of the most important parts of an Electric Vehicle, is 9.3 kWh or 13.9 kWh. No spare tire is given as well. New $5,000 Electric Car Is Already Outselling The Model 3 The compact dimensions make it ideal for urban commuting and parking in tight spaces, yet the interior still has up to 741 liters of space with the rear seats folded down. We believe that most of the Wuling Hong Guang MINI EVs are driving on the streets and there is always a risk that such a crash might happen. Chinese 3,200 budget electric car takes on Tesla - BBC News Hard plastics are everywhere, and you can see the screw that attaches the door handle insert to the door. Which, again, in the case of the ForTwo is not completely unfair. ( function( w, d, s, l, i ) { 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. '&l=' + l : ''; And who doesn't want to see F-Series based ambulances again? It was founded in 2007 as a joint venture between Wuling Group and Dragon Hill Holdings in Liuzhou, Guangxi, China. 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. f.parentNode.insertBefore( j, f ); Trendysort of. However, the Mini EV's small size makes dashing in and out of traffic extremely enjoyable. Tiny new electric car beats Tesla Model 3, again, in China - The Driven The EVs Australia needs. [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. Or is it? But GM and SAIC have been working together for 24 years. 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. [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. [14] The vehicle has been such a success that it has inspired a number of copycats and competitors, including the Chery QQ Ice Cream, Dongfeng Fengguang MINI EV,[15] and BAW S3. var f = d.getElementsByTagName( s )[ 0 ], 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. The score not being a 4 is mainly down to the considerable value on offer here, but we'd find it hard to ignore that lack of safety kit. WIREDs is in avocado green, but the model is also available in lemon yellow and white peach pink. 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. Bit of a slam dunk this one. } ); [19], The Mini EV GameBoy Edition was introduced in March 2022. Wuling's tiny electric hatchback that's outsold Tesla Model 3 - CNBC Wuling had always produced microvans aimed at rural farmers and commercial buyers, so producing the Mini EV was a surprising move. Yes, I wish to receive exclusive discounts, special offers and competitions from our partners. }. The batterys functions can be remotely monitored via a smartphone app. This screenoffers basic information such as speed, range, and electricity consumption, along with a natty 3D rendering of the Mini EV. To further aid in the adoption of EVs, the Chinese government has announced measures to boost sales, from Automotive News: The government will encourage steady increases on spending on cars and abolish excessive restrictions on the sale of used vehicles, Premier Li Keqiang told the National Peoples Congress in Beijing on Friday. A convertible variant of the Hongguang Mini EV - known as the Cabrio concept - was unveiled overnight at the Shanghai motor show. Sport mode appears to be the superior option, offering significantly faster acceleration and more obvious brake regeneration. 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 production version vehicle body design is based on Mini EV GameBoy Edition and was launched in September 2022. The Wuling Hong Guang Mini EV car body is a Hatchback. Despite its compact dimensions the Hongguang Mini EV has four seats. Wuling Hong Guang Mini EV has overtaken Tesla Model 3 as the world's most popular electric vehicle for the first time, according to the EV Sales blog. So such a car, even devoid of bells or whistles, could make electric motoring affordable for a much broader market. . } )( window, document, 'script', 'dataLayer', 'GTM-WT4MKNJ' ); [4] Retail deliveries began in China in July 2020. In . Heres our ultimate list of more than 120 items, from monitors and desks to webcams and chairs. dm.AjaxData.push({ et: et,d: d,ssid: ssid,ad: ad}); The area might hold something extremely tiny; however, the car contains charging cords on the bottom. Owner Shares The Good And Bad, US: Ford Significantly Increased BEV Sales In February 2023. 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. 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. With no fast-charging capability, you really are stuck using the Mini EV as a city car. The Wuling MINI EV from GM costs between $4,000 and $6,000. 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. Wuling Hong Guang Mini EV : The Most Selling EV Priced At $4500 Only It is 2,917 millimeters long, 1,493 millimeters wide and 1,621 [] With fossil fuel prices soaring, its hardly surprising that most markets are crying out for cheaper EVs. The 116 Absolute Best Black Friday Deals Right Now. h = d.getElementsByTagName('head')[0], The Hong Guang Mini EV's convenience and low price have made it . That said, stuffing adults into those rear seats is not exactly comfortable. Marketed as 'commuting tool,' Hong Guang Mini outsells the Model 3. It would be easy to compare the Wuling Hong Guang Mini EV unfairly with pricier and better-equipped cars. Upgrade your WFH setup and work in style with these comfy WIRED-tested seats. Which iPhone Should You Buy (or Avoid) Right Now? Chinese "Macaron" EV is as Tiny and Cute as Its Name Suggests [17], A convertible concept version of the Mini EV called the Mini EV Cabrio with a folding soft top was unveiled during the 2021 Shanghai Auto Show, with the vehicle body design based on the Mini EV Macaron. 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). Among the Macaron's many improvements over the basic Mini EV is a key safety featurethe driver now gets an airbag standard. 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 . The Wuling Hong Guan Mini EV Cabrio Is Really Happening - Gizmodo Australia According toAutohome, the micro electric two-door is slated to hit showrooms in 2022 and (at least initially) will be sold exclusively in China. That the colors are a collaboration with Pantone speaks volumes; the Mini EV has managed a cult following, and the Macaron is clearly aimed at the young and cool. Standard features in China reportedly include air conditioning, rear parking sensors, anti-lock brakes, and a stereo system. Wuling Hongguang Mini EV Cabrio: Tiny drop-top revealed Astonishingly, the company is reportedly making less than $14 profit on each car. Now you can get the top stories from Gizmodo delivered to your inbox. Of course there are more out there and many of them will come from China. 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. The back seats are equipped with two ISOFIX child safety seat restraint interfaces to cater to young families. In his spare time Derek loves chasing automotive rabbits down the hole. 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). Luckily as youre unlikely to ever get the Mini EV much above 50 mph this never becomes too much of a problem. Nikrob was a temporary inter-step, says company founder Leonard Yankelovich. The ground clearance offered is 125 mm. The steering is imprecise and when cornering at over 30mph you feel as if youre fighting the cars inertia. Wuling is tight-lipped about acceleration statistics, but the car isn't particularly sluggish because it's electric and has immediate torque. Baojun, on the other hand, is a Wuling sub-brand aimed at the car market and was earlier to micro EVs than its parent company, with both the Smart-like E100 and E200. The Wuling Hong Guang MINI EV, introduced by the SAIC-GM-Wuling joint venture (between SAIC, GM and Liuzhou Wuling Motors), is no one of the most popular EVs in China. The Mini EV is therefore likely to have issues more frequently, but it will also be cheaper to repair. Everything You Need to Work From Home Like a Pro. ( function( w, d, s, l, i ) { w[ l ].push( { On top of that, there's a cargo version, which would be brilliant for the suburbs. State-backed SAIC-GM-Wuling, a company partly owned by GM,. Now, a new entry into Chinas Ministry of Industry and Information Technology confirms that the Mini EV Cabrio is coming to market, per Car News China. The production model probably wont get the body-coloured mirror, either. margin-top: -19px; Being two-seaters, theyve never really sold well, but the E300 (aka Kiwi EV) in many ways replicates the Mini EV formula, except it costs around twice as much and features a chunky robot-like appearance and desirable features such as fast charging. The Macaron is a customized version that is available with three exclusive paint colors and more standard features. I imagine it wont be that different from the roofed models. it has halogen headlamps and halogen bulbs in indicators and rear lights. Dartz's decision to redesign the car's body highlights one of the obvious problems with selling the Chinese car in Western markets: safety. Produced as part of a joint venture between SAIC the company behind the revived MG and GM, the Cabrio has been designed to appeal the brands hardcore fans, many of whom have been customizing their cars and were asking for a convertible version. The Mini EV has a top speed of 62mph, and on an expressway, we managed to reach just over 50mph an experience that was much less unnerving than expected. Now you can get the top stories from Gizmodo delivered to your inbox. Classified as a microcar, this Mini EV has done a fairly good job at keeping up with Tesla for worldwide EV shipments in 2021 (approx 424,138 shipments / deliveries). We already know the e-2008 compact SUV is on its way but the French car's importer remains cagey on the e-208. Australia's list of on-sale electric vehicles is growing at a glacial pace. 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. 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. Now the Hong Guang Mini. In this story we're looking at EVs that exist today that we miss out on. Powering the rear wheels is an electric motor delivering 20 kW (27 hp) and 85 Nm of torque. These are very limited, with three dials for climate control and a very small LCD screen for the radio. One of Chinas biggest automotive companiesin 2021 it was second by volumeSAIC is perhaps best known in Europe as the new owner of MG. Casual observers of the auto industry may be more surprised to learn that the second-largest Wuling owner, with 44 percent, is General Motors (the small remainder of the joint venture belongs to Wuling itself). GM unveils Wuling Hong Guang Mini cabrio This cute little cabrio makes our top billing not only because it is super-cute, but also because it is the newest version of the Wuling Hong Guang Mini that sells in China for less than $A8,000, and in February outsold the ever-popular Tesla Model 3 there.