The Hongguang Mini EV is certainly not a car like a Tesla Model 3, and yet it tops the sales charts for electric vehicles worldwide. For the price of an e-bike, the Mini offers a range of at least 120 kilometers for four people, a top speed of 100 km / h and even has air conditioning.
Tesla will lose the top position in global sales of e-vehicles in 2021. Largely unknown in the West, SAIC-GM-Wuling sold more cars than Tesla in the first two months of 2021, according to EV Sales, a US industrial consultancy that monitors global electric car markets. The company is a joint venture between the state-owned Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp (SAIC), General Motors and Wuling. This succeeded even though SAIC-GM-Wuling only offers a single model, and that only in one country, the Hongguang Mini EV. In China, the world’s largest car market.
The secret: The company’s Mini is unrivaled in terms of price. The electric cart costs only 28,000 yuan, which corresponds to about 3,600 euros. And of course you can’t compare the Mini EV with the Model Y or the Model 3. The Mini EV competes in a different segment. Nevertheless, this shift is a clear indication that the equation Tesla = electric car is no longer correct. In the future, the market will be dominated by providers who offer small and micro electric cars, because other quantities are possible here than in the upper class and upper middle class that Tesla has served up to now.
Price without subsidies
Various things are exciting about the Mini EV micro-SUV. The company reportedly took just 12 months to develop the vehicle and bring it into production. Such a model cycle is unthinkable for European manufacturers. The fact that a newcomer tops the sales charts six months after entering the market shows how much the car market is in motion.
Chinese industry is often accused of dumping. But the price of 3600 euros applies in China itself. And that without purchase subsidies, which in Germany, for example, make e-cars cheaper by around 10,000 euros. For the much lower subsidies from Beijing, the Mini EV is out of the question because of a range of less than 250 kilometers. However, it benefits from the Chinese registration regulations and taxes that make small e-cars attractive in China. So the company has to make a profit at a price of only 3600 euros.
While western carmakers strive to give an e-car the performance and range that customers are used to from a diesel, the Mini EV marks a different way of thinking. For a price that you can get an e-bike for in this country, there is an electric city car for four people. Anyone who buys such a vehicle does not expect the performance of a sports car or the range for long vacation trips.
Small price – small expectations
“Of course, it’s not intended for drag racing or a long road trip to Tibet, but everyday use in a big city so you can pick up your kids from school or take them to the grocery store when you’re on the notoriously crowded subway Fear Shanghai during rush hour, “a salesman told the Asia Times.” “Its performance can never compete with that of a Tesla, but with its size you can wiggle your way in and out of traffic on a congested street. People won’t have too many unrealistic expectations of an electric vehicle that costs 3,600 euros. It’s like one big toy that you can drive but that won’t burn a big hole in your pocket. ”
The Mini is charged in a normal socket overnight. One filling should be enough for 120 kilometers and a maximum speed of 100 kilometers per hour. The luxury version for 4700 euros has a larger battery pack that is sufficient for a range of 170 kilometers. At least 27 hp are available. 2.90 meters long and 1.50 meters wide are enough for four narrow seats. For comparison: a VW Up measures 3.6 meters in length and 1.6 meters in width. With the polo it is already 4 meters and 1.75 meters. The trunk of the Mini EV is naturally small, with only two occupants the rear seats can be folded down. Then an astonishing 741 liters fit into the car. For the mini price, the Hongguang Mini-EV comes with an anti-lock braking system, tire pressure monitoring sensors and rear parking sensors. There is also air conditioning, electric windows, stereo and twelve storage compartments. There is no information on performance in crash tests. One should also pay attention because front airbags are sold as an option.
In the EU, the Mini EV would not be considered a car, but a light vehicle. Like a quad with only a body around it. In China, the speed of 100 km / h is important for customers. The Mini EV can use motorways, expressways and the corresponding bridges and tunnels, but this is not allowed with slower vehicles.
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