- The Wuling Hongguang Mini EV was successful in China. It used to outsell the Tesla Mannequin Y, although gross sales had been down final 12 months.
- Wuling bought 237,863 items of the Hongguang Mini EV in 2023, down from 404,823 in 2022.
- The present Wuling Hongguang Mini EV has a base value 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 automotive that refused to depart the lips of journalists: the Wuling Hongguang Mini EV. Made partly with assist from GM, and stated to be impressed by Japanese Kei vehicles, the cube-shaped tiny EV rocketed to the highest of China’s EV gross sales charts. At one level, its roughly $4,000 value made headlines, and its gross sales numbers even surpassed the Tesla Mannequin Y. However China’s market is fickle. A prime vendor at present 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, but it surely seems to be like a brand new one is on the horizon with probably broader enchantment.
China’s Ministry of Trade and Data Expertise (MIIT) has uncovered patent-style images of Wuling’s littlest EV earlier than its official debut. Registering with the MIIT is a needed step for automakers seeking to launch a automotive in China, even when it exposes the design of the automotive earlier than its media introduction.
From what we are able to see, the brand new Wuling Hongguang Mini EV remains to be considerably boxy, but it surely seems to be a minimum of slightly bit extra upscale. The scale are nonetheless petite. The Hongguang Mini EV is just 128.2 inches lengthy, although that is fairly a bit longer than the 114.8-inch unique. 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 optionally available additional set of doorways. The five-door mannequin ought to improve the automotive’s enchantment, though it might step on the toes of the Wuling Bingo.
MIIT
There aren’t 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 underneath the bumper cowl within the rear shot. The MIIT says the automotive could have a 40 horsepower motor and a prime velocity of 62 mph.
MIIT
I’ve little doubt that this automotive will generate gross sales, but it surely possible received’t ever get again to the highest of being China’s best-selling EV. For starters, China has ended many subsidies for vehicles which might be this small and gradual. 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 vehicles. Equally, vehicles just like the outdated Hongguang Mini EV and its ilk have developed a status of being unsafe automobiles. The outdated Wuling Hongguang EV didn’t have any airbags and even an precise bumper. Producers have began to improve the security of those fashions, but it surely appears to have affected the worth. For instance, the Changan Lumin Corn is known as a “technology two” mini EV, however its base value is $7,300. By comparability, the BYD Seagull is an actual automotive with extra vary and a prime velocity of 81 mph, and that may be had for slightly underneath $10,000.
This won’t 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, but it surely 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 protected.
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