The unveiling of the new Wuling Bingo electric hatchback is coming closer. Wuling released a new set of official images of the interior, and it looks great, way better than anything else in the segment.
The Bingo is made by SAIC-GM-Wuling (SGWM), a joint venture between SAIC, General Motors, and Wuling Motors. Wuling is probably best known for their best-selling Wuling Mini EV electric mini car, which also exists as a cabriolet. The Bingo will be Wuling’s new flagship electric passenger car, but even larger vehicles are on the way.
The Bingo is a front-wheel drive five-door four-seat hatchback with a trendy design with some retro elements. Like so many of these small electric cars, the Bingo is mainly aimed at female buyers.
The faux-leather seats look ultra classy, almost like a British sports car from the 1970’s. The steering wheel is relatively large, thick, and round.
The dashboard features a twin-screen, with an instrument panel and the infotainment system in the middle. There is a cartoon-style digital assistant. It has three dials under the screen to control the air conditioning. The air vents have a cool metallic look. The screen and buttons are fitted in a white pod that sits atop the dashboard itself.
The leather is stitched! The drive selector is located in the middle, with an electronic handbrake between the seats. A bit further back are two cup holders.
The Baojun Bingo is a compact car: 3950/1708/1580, with a 2560-millimeter wheelbase. Wuling will sell two versions of the Bingo:
- 41 hp and 110 Nm, mated to a 17.3 kWh battery. The top speed is 100 km/h and the range is 203 kilometers CLTC.
- 68 hp and 150 Nm, mated to a 31.9 kWh battery. The top speed is 100 km/h as well and the range is 333 kilometers CLTC.
The Wuling Bingo will have its public debut at the Shanghai Auto Show next month and will hit the Chinese auto market soon thereafter. Price will range from about 70,000 to 100,000 RMB (10,100 – 14,000 USD).
The rear seats fold down independently, so you can take a surfboard. With both seats down, cargo space is 790 liters.
All the stuff you see here, like the folding storage boxes, the camping set, the lamp, and the radios will be sold by Wuling as official options. Selling non-car-related stuff is a new trend among car makers in China. Nio sells cookies. Radar sells tents.
The luggage space is also large enough, or so Wuling implies, to transport an ultra-large stuffed animal and an unfolded baby stroller.
Wuling will also sell a car seat specially designed for the Bingo’s rear bench.
And when you don’t have children yet, you can make them in the Bingo: Wuling offers an optional full-size inflatable airbed that fits perfectly in the rear compartment. Quite a lot of Chinese car makers offer this sort of mattress, for camping purposes and such, or so they say. We know better of course. Wuling even offers a set of tiny pillows and a radio for comfort and atmosphere. All you got to do is wait for the right time, and it’s bingo in the Bingo.
Way to go SAIC-GM-Wuling! The world needs more of these electric city cars for the masses.
Yes, the world definitely needs more of these small EV City Cars for the masses, BUT, if China ever intends to export these Wuling Bingo EVs to the Western buyer’s EV Markets they DEFINITELY NEED TO FIRST, INCREASE, the amount of available, front-legroom, for the Driver, and the front-seat Passenger, by increasing the amount of available rearwards-travel, of the two front seats.
Western buyers are usually much larger physically, and so need more space available in the front two seats of small cars, which is why, many of them ACTUALLY PREFER, to buy a 3 DOOR VERSION, of small cars, which can then offer LARGER size Doors, and Seats, for the Driver and front seat Passenger, who, in reality, are usually the ONLY, occupants, of such small City-Cars, for the VAST MAJORITY OF THE TIME, that they are being used..!
It will be sold as Smart #1 in Europe… it would be surprising to se such dramatic changes as you would expect W…