GM-backed $4,000 mini electric car has already received 50,000 orders

A GM-backed mini electric car that costs just the equivalent of $4,000 in China has already received 50,000 orders.

Small and cheap electric vehicles are gaining in popularity in China thanks to new entries.

The Wuling Hongguang MINI EV by the SAIC-GM joint-venture is a prime example.

The small electric vehicle has already sold 15,000 units just 20 days after its launch, and it has accumulated over 50,000 orders (via Gasgoo):

“The sales of the Wuling Hongguang MINI EV exceeded 15,000 units within only 20 days after it hit the market at the Chengdu Motor Show that kicked off on July 24, the first mini-sized EV model whose sales reach 10,000 milestone in such a short time. Actually, its first-week sales were up to 7,346. Besides, the EV’s cumulative orders have surpassed 50,000.”

The vehicle’s specs are not impressive with an NEDC-rated range of just 120 km (75 miles) to 170 km (106 miles) on an exceptionally small 13 kWh battery pack.

The dimensions are only 2,917mm long, 1,493mm wide and 1,621 tall.

But all of that is forgiven thanks to the price of just 28,800 yuan ($4,112) to 38,800 yuan ($5,540) depending on the variants.

The brand is now looking to build a larger retail and service network on the success of the small EV.

Electrek’s Take

That’s an impressive price, even for those performances.

Those kinds of vehicles are not really popular outside of China, but I think it might change.

With the global pandemic, I think more people might be rethinking public transport and that could boost sales of small personal vehicles like e-bikes, electric scooters, and maybe even smaller electric cars like those.

That’s what companies like Kandi are betting on by entering the US with small China-made electric cars, but they, unfortunately, can’t achieve that kind of price range.

Anything closer to $6,000-$8,000 would make a big difference.