This little electric crossover starts at just $9,778, but guess where it’s available

You guessed it: China. The Chinese market has a lot more options than the US when it comes to electric vehicles and infinitely more options when it comes to cheap electric cars at less than $15,000.

The new Maple 30x electric crossover starting at $9,778 is the latest in that category.

Fengsheng Automotive Technology, an affiliate company to Chinese auto giants Kandi and Geely, announced the new Maple 30x this week.

They are calling it a “compact city SUV”:

“The 100% electric Maple 30X is a versatile, compact “city SUV” featuring style, performance and comfort. Customers can choose from five colors and four trim levels: “Fengyun Basic”, “Fengfan Style”, “Fengshang Plus”, and “Fenghua Premium”.  The 30x has a trendy two-tone exterior design with a contrasting roof in black. Equipped with the Maple 30X GKUI intelligent system inside, the integrated infotainment system provides a combination of entertainment and information for an enhanced in-vehicle experience.”

They didn’t release the dimensions, but it looks quite small:

The specs won’t blow you away with the electric motor having a 70 kW output and a realistic range probably closer to 150 miles instead of the announced 190 miles:

“With the Maple 30X motor’s maximum output of 70kw, the driving range on a full charge is up to 306 km or 190 miles. The model comes with express charging and standard charging options. Express charging enables the vehicle to be charged to 80% in about 30 minutes.  A home plug-in charging feature is also available.”

But you need to look at those specs based on the price point, which are truly impressive.

Fengsheng Automotive says that “national pre-sale price after subsidy starts at RMB 68,800 (approximately USD $9,778)” and the price “goes up to RMB79,800 (approximately $11,342) for the premium package.”

That’s some aggressive pricing.

It’s reminiscent of the Renault K-ZE electric crossover that launched in China last year for just ~$9,000.

These electric vehicles end up reaching those price points thanks to China’s strong EV incentives and large volume production.

The Maple 30X went in production earlier this year and the automaker says that it is “currently ready for customer delivery.”

It’s the first vehicle under the new Maple brand, but several more vehicles are expected later this year, including “a pure SUV targeting “millennial” families and an MPV model.”