The headline from Wired magazine sums up just how cheap this EV is:
Wuling’s Mini EV, made in partnership with General Motors, outsells Tesla’s Model 3 in China and costs less than adding CarPlay to a Ferrari.
Firstly, and importantly, it is not available outside of China. Maybe the local market keeps them busy enough, as they are selling 40,000 per month. But also, it lacks the standard features that are required elsewhere, like electronic stability control (ESC).
A teardown of the car revealed that it uses cheap parts, which means it is cheap to repair, but will lack reliability.
Key facts:
- no regenerative braking system
- 120-280km range
- $4100-$5600 price
- top speed 100kph
- driver-only air bag
- no storage space, unless you fold down the rear seats
- 12 inch wheels
- no fast-charging, it will take 6.5 hours for the smallest battery
And of course it is small. Although it is a four-seater, the rear seats are for children only.
According to Wired, steering gets a bit wobbly when you go faster than 50kph, and you will regret hitting potholes.
