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. In his spare time Derek loves chasing automotive rabbits down the hole. Enter your email below. Copyright Drive.com.au 2023ABN: 84 116 608 158. It has received an advanced IP68 waterproof and dustproof rating and been put through 16 rigorous safety tests. It was developed by General Motors, Wuling Motors and state-sponsored SAIC Motor. Whether youre skiing in the backcountry or trampolining in the backyard, we have an activity tracker for you. 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. That said, stuffing adults into those rear seats is not exactly comfortable. Marcus is a car enthusiast who loves writing about them. China is the worlds largest car market and it has some tricks up its sleeve to entice people to go electric. 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.. It's called the Hong Guang Mini EV, and one of its major selling points is the fact it only costs $4,500 (or $5,000 with air conditioning). But thanks to the 1,621 mm height, the Mini EV is actually taller than it is wide, so head room is reasonable. electric van, but we can't for the life of us remember if we've ever seen one in the wild. We don't mean the $4500 Wuling Hongguang Mini EV that Youtube dutifully trotted out as a Tesla killer in the last couple of months, but a whole bunch of Geely Group cars wearing various badges including Lynk & Co. Get in the comments and let us know which ones we missed or how wrong we were about the ones we haven't. The Wuling Hong Guang Mini EV car measures a diminutive 2920mm yet four adults can fit in without too much contortion. Range is claimed to be between 120km on the base battery, and 280km on top-spec versions. The GT versions pack a staggering dual-motor set up with 358kW and either 814Nm or 860Nm. Your email address will not be published. However, in the case of the Wuling Hong Guang MINI EV, things look much better. But GM and SAIC have been working together for 24 years. new Date().getTime(), event: 'gtm.js' 'https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id=' + i + dl; Guide to safely buying & selling a car online, Police forced to pay for car tracking app to find abducted toddler report, Hundreds of electrified cars deregistered in Victoria due to road-user tax report, 2024 Volkswagen ID.3 facelift unveiled, due in Australia next year, Renault Espace five- and seven-seat SUV under consideration for Australia, Upcoming Lotus electric sedan spied on a tow truck in the Arctic. So an incredibly cheap, bare-bones city car makes a lot of sense. Inside, the Macaron gets exterior color-matching inserts for the door pulls and highlights around what pass for controls. [5], The Mini EV can seat four people, and standard features including air conditioning, power windows, stereo system, storage and compartments. Part of the reason for this is the simplicity of the design. First, the driving position is very high and the seats are non-height-adjustable. j.async = true; Its curb weight is around 665 kg. Dismiss, Left Hand Drive Only (steering wheel on left), (shipping, duties, taxes in your country additional), Exterior dimensions: 2,917 mm long x 1,493 mm wide x 1,621 mm high, Maximum power:13 kW(4 seat) / 9.2 kW (2 seat), Range:170 km on a single charge (4 seat) / 120 km (2 seat). It is a three-door electric microcar that, while not new in China, is the first to achieve widespread success. Tesla Teased A Wireless Home Charging Solution On Investor Day, Rad Power Unveils The RadRunner 3 Plus Electric Utility Bike, Scout Motors Will Build Electric Trucks And SUVs In South Carolina, 741 liters of space with the rear seats folded down, 2,917 millimeters long, 1,493 millimeters wide and 1,621 millimeters high, with a 1,940-millimeter wheelbase. It was difficult to open the doors of the Wuling, but the battery appears to be mostly intact with only some damage. [16], SAIC-GM-Wuling launched a variant of the regular Mini EV called the Mini EV Macaron in April 2021. The battery is IP68-rated for dust and water resistance. It would be easy to compare the Wuling Hong Guang Mini EV unfairly with pricier and better-equipped cars. 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. Limited to using a standard 220V AC outlet, charging is naturally slow, with the base battery pack taking six hours to fully recharge. They're both short on driving range and in the ForTwo's case, size, but these are resolutely urban vehicles. s.src = 'https://au-script.dotmetrics.net/door.js?d=' + document.location.host + '&t=other'; h.appendChild(s); Some of this is due to its development: the model had gone from concept to manufacturing in less than a year, which seems utterly implausible until you get close to one. Not only did Wuling sling 15,000 units in only its first 20 days on the market, but its currently beating Tesla Model 3 sales almost two to one, InsideEVs reports. Once in the drivers seat, you immediately notice two issues. On the plus side, given the sub-two-meter wheelbase, the turning circle is incredibly tight. It was founded in 2007 in the city of Liuzhou, near the border with Vietnam. At the end of last year, professor Masayoshi Yamamoto at Nagoya University took apart a car shipped to Japan to see how it was possible to produce the vehicle so cheaply. A dual waistline along with obvious arches for the 12 inches wheels accent very boxy looks. Which, again, in the case of the ForTwo is not completely unfair. The three variants of the brand's first four-seat new energy vehicle are priced between RMB 28,800 and RMB 38,800. The mini EV costs around $5,000 new. According to Statista, the average person in China makes $US13,900 ($18,056) a year. Thats a considerable price premium over the regular Hongguang Mini EV, which starts from just 32,800 yuan ($6900) and stretches to 69,8000 yuan ($14,700) for a fully-loaded Game Boy edition. 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. j.src = According to Autohome, the micro electric two-door is slated to hit showrooms in 2022 and (at least initially) will be sold exclusively in China. Theres a choice of a 9.3kWh or 13.8kWh battery pack. Second, the is offset to the center. var f = d.getElementsByTagName( s )[ 0 ], The Macaron is a customized version that is available with three exclusive paint colors and more standard features. 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 . China Sends a Warning to the U.S. About Domestic EV Battery Production, Global EV Adoption Hits New High of 20 Million Thanks to Tiny Electric Cars, Electric Cars Sold In Record Numbers Globally In 2021, A Serious Threat to Tesla Emerges in Nissan. Both of these only seat two people, and the E200 is also sold in a slightly restyled manner as the Wuling Nano, with a more powerful motor and longer ranges. The Hong Guang Mini EV electric hatchback launched in July 2020 and is manufactured through a joint venture between China's Wuling, Chinese state-owned automaker SAIC Motor, and General. [CDATA[ */ With our Prime Minister embarrassing himself at COP26 by walking down the steps from his plane waving a piece of paper guaranteeing net-zero by relying on technology that is either discredited (carbon capture and storage) or non-existent (TBA), it's up to the states to make electric vehicles appealing. } ); With no fast-charging capability, you really are stuck using the Mini EV as a city car. Above 30 mph, you end up fighting the cars desire to go in a straight line. You already know where this is going the Honda E. We're obviously not privy to the behind-closed-doors discussions that go on at car companies, but the local arm's decision to pass on one of the coolest cars on the planet, EV or not, is bizarre. One must resist the car's urge to travel in a straight line over 30 mph. Tired: Limited to being a city car. The steering is imprecise and when cornering at over 30mph you feel as if youre fighting the cars inertia. 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. microcar return to our shores, but it should be in e-Up! document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This is a demo store for testing purposes no orders shall be fulfilled. Measuring just 2917mm long, 1493mm wide, 1621mm tall, and riding on a 1940mm wheelbase, the Mini EV is larger than the current Smart ForTwo by 222mm in length, 66mm in height, and 67mm in wheelbase. We're here to help you find the right slate for your needs. It can be used on normal roads without restriction, although its wheels are only 12 inches and its speed tops out at just 62 mph (100 km/h). The Wuling MINI EV from GM costs between $4,000 and $6,000. The Mini EV is actually higher than it is wide due to its 1,621 mm height; thus, headroom is adequate. State-backed SAIC-GM-Wuling, a company partly owned by GM,. 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. They're not cheap though, and here in Australia suffered from a bit of a Tiddly Cars from Toy Town image. The Wuling Hongguang Mini EV is China's best-selling electric vehicle, outselling Tesla and all others. 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. 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. Derek Fung would love to tell you about his multiple degrees, but he's too busy writing up some news right now. 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. Now, hear us out on this one. The Wuling Hong Guang Mini EV car body is a Hatchback. The reason the little Hong Guang MINI EV is beating the Tesla Model 3 is simple: Its dirt cheap. [4] Retail deliveries began in China in July 2020. Exterior specifications of Wuling Hong Guang Mini EV This Wuling Hong Guang Mini EV car is 2917 mm long, 1493 m wide, and 1621 mm in height with a wheelbase of 1940 mm. The space might be able to fit something very thin, but the bottom is taken up with charging cables. You can whine all you like about the size, but large American trucks are selling here even after expensive right-hand drive conversions. By subscribing you agree to our Terms of Use and More car parks, EV charging stations and battery-swapping facilities will be built, and battery recycling systems developed at a faster pace, Li said. But is it safe? SAIC Motor is the largest partner, with 50.1 percent ownership. Dartz, a Latvian company known for bulletproof SUVs, was planning to sell the Mini EV as the Freze Nikrob in Europe, but those plans appear to have changed. The front brake is a disk brake and the rear one is a drum brake. Despite writing for a diverse range of outlets including the Australian Financial Review, Robb Report, and Property Observer since completing his media degree at Macquarie University, William has always had a passion for cars. Trendysort of. Change These Settings on Your New Samsung Phone. (function() { Wayward steering.) [21], With six months in the market, the Mini EV sold 119,255 units in 2020, and ranked as China's and the world's second best selling plug-in car after the Tesla Model 3. new Date().getTime(), event: 'gtm.js' var d = document, . Let us know if you think we could be doing something better. It is a three-door electric microcar that . It's highly likely theCabrio will share the fixed-roof model's same powertrain. The enchanting little thing looks like loads of fun! Perhaps the biggest surprise is that the Mini EV can seat four. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Australia's list of on-sale electric vehicles is growing at a glacial pace. Could General Motors at least apply lessons learned from producing this super-cheap EV to other markets? RELATED: This Heritage Series Grandeur EV Celebrates Hyundai's 1986 Flagship Sedan. dm.AjaxData.push({ et: et,d: d,ssid: ssid,ad: ad}); Surprisingly, the EV has a selector button hidden behind the steering wheel that lets you choose between Eco and Sport modes. } )( window, document, 'script', 'dataLayer', 'GTM-WT4MKNJ' ); It would also ward off one of the Ami's drawbacks it's left-hand drive only. 'gtm.start': Given all the other foibles detailed here, that is probably not a bad thing. Click for Comparison rate warning and T&Cs. /*