The Wuling Hongguang Mini EV is an extremely cheap electric city car from the SGMW (SAIC-GM-Wuling) joint venture that rapidly became viral in China in 2021. Nowadays, it is still one of the bestselling cars in China. It looks like the Mini EV will soon face a new peak because its price tag was slashed from 32,800 RMB (4,730 USD) to just 19,800 RMB (2,850 USD), thanks to the battery subscription. What does this subscription actually mean? Let’s find out together.
Fact file: Wuling Hongguang Mini EV
But first, let’s briefly detail some facts about the Mini EV. As mentioned, it is an electric city car made by SGWM. Its dimensions are 2920/1493/1621 mm with a wheelbase of 1940 mm. It has a cute and simple blocky design, two doors, and four seats. Regarding the powertrain, the Mini EV has a single electric motor on the rear axle for 27 hp and 85 Nm. Its battery pack has four options: LFP for 9.3 kWh and 120 km of NEDC range; NMC (ternary) for 9 kWh and 120 km of range; LFP for 13.9 kWh and 170 km of range; NMC for 13.8 kWh and 170 km of range. Its price range is about 32,800 – 52,800 (4,730 – 7,615 USD).
Worth mentioning that the Mini EV has a more expensive Gameboy version with aggressive styling. Moreover, it is bigger than the standard model. Its dimensions are 3061/1520/1659 mm with a wheelbase of 2010 mm. It also has a more powerful electric motor for 41 horses and 110 Nm. Of course, it is equipped with bigger batteries: LFP for 17.3 kWh and 200 km of CLTC range; LFP for 26.5 kWh and 300 km range. Its price range is 55,800 – 72,800 RMB (8,050 – 10,500 USD).
Wuling Hongguang Mini EV’s price slashed
As mentioned, the Wuling Hongguang Mini EV’s price was seemingly slashed thanks to the battery subscription service. Basically, this subscription is a fixed-sum loan for 60 months. This program supports five trim levels, including the entry-level version and a relatively expensive Gameboy 300km version.
The entry-level Mini EV with battery included costs 32,800 RMB (4,730 USD). As for the car without a battery, it is 19,800 RMB (2,850 USD). After the purchase, a customer will pay a fixed sum of 198 RMB (29 USD) for 60 months. Interestingly, after five years with a service, you can save up to 1,980 RMB (286 USD). As for the Gameboy 300km version, you can buy it without a battery for 33,800 RMB (4,875 USD) with a monthly payment of 558 RMB (80 USD).
Editor’s comment
The Mini EV is one of the bestselling vehicles in China. However, since 2021, many competitors to this EV have hit the market, including Chery QQ Ice Cream. So its sales started to decline. For example, in April 2023, only 18,086 vehicles were sold. It seems that this battery loan service will help Wuling boost the Mini EV’s sales.
Source: Autohome
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