In terms of global EV sales, the Hong Guang Mini EV ranks second after the Model 3.
The Hong Guang Mini EV, a compact and inexpensive electric car, sells nearly twice as much in China as its Tesla competitors, the BBC reports.
The vehicle is produced by Wuling, a joint venture between General Motors and its Chinese counterpart SAIC Motor. Apart from the most popular model ($ 4,500)there is a more advanced version with air conditioning and is valued at around $ 5,000.
With 112,000 units sold in the second half of 2020 in China, the Hong Guang Mini EV was second in sales behind the Tesla Model 3. After discovering quality and safety issues at Elon Musk’s Shanghai plant, exceeded Wuling car sales in the Asian country of Tesla in almost twice. It is currently estimated to be the second best-selling electric car worldwide behind the Model 3.
Last August, Wuling announced his plans export the Hong Guang Mini to European countries. According to reports cited by Nikkei Asia, the company teamed up with a Latvian car manufacturer to come up with a version for Europe. Reportedly, the price would be twice as high due to the EU’s technical-mechanical and environmental requirements.
“China has many small and low-cost electric vehicle manufacturers, but most are low-quality, low-speed products that cannot be popular in a wider market,” said Sam Fiorani, an industry expert. “The Hong Guang Mini is the first example of a large company [de China] makes an electric car especially for consumers looking for a safe car, ”he added.