Wuling Air EV: between micro and mini

More than European brands, Chinese manufacturers have been launching new electric cars one after the other in recent years. From SUVs to huge MPVs and from relatively conventional sedans to cheerful city little ones. The segment of the simple electric city car is growing rapidly in China. The absolute king of electric cars at the bottom of the format ladder is perhaps the SAIC-GM-Wuling joint venture, a partnership that introduced the extremely popular Hongguang Mini EV in China under the Wuling brand and is now even selling a convertible. With the Nano EV – which started life as Baojun E200 – Wuling previously attempted to translate the success of the Hongguang Mini EV into a smaller model. With the Air EV, Wuling now fills the gap between those two electro-little ones.

The extremely popular Wuling Hongguang Mini EV is even available as a convertible.

What format are we talking about then? Well, the Hongguang Mini EV of which more than 315,000 units have been sold this year alone, is 2.92 to 3.09 meters long. The length depends on whether you choose the regular variant or the wildly dressed flavors that listen to names like Game Boy Urban Windchaser. With a length of 2.5 meters, the Nano EV is considerably smaller and comparable in dimensions to the first Smart (City Coupé/ForTwo). With a vehicle length of 2.64 meters, the new Wuling Air EV squeezes neatly in between, but it is also available in 2.97 meters long form. What’s up with that?

The Nano EV is the smallest of Wuling’s electric city cars.

Where the Hongguang Mini EV – if we forget the open variant – is always a four-seater and the Nano EV always offers space for only two occupants, you can get the Air EV as a two-seater and as a four-seater. The two-seater has a wheelbase of only 1.63 meters and is the shortest of the bunch at 2.6 meters. The four-seater is not only longer, but also has a larger wheelbase at 2.01 meters. The Air EV already debuted in Indonesia this year, but Wuling is now also bringing it to China to win over the consumer. Wuling will deliver the Air EV with a 41 hp electric motor and a 17.3 kWh battery or a 26.7 kWh large one. The electric range is 200 to 300 kilometers according to the not-too-accurate Chinese measuring cycle. Richer equipped versions have a dashboard with two 10.25 inch screens each. With a maximum of 6.6 kW, the battery packs can be filled with electricity again.

As mentioned, there are now various electric models for sale on the Chinese market that are comparable to Wuling’s success number. We mention the Lingbox Uni, the Chery QQ Ice Cream, the Fengguang Mini EV from Dongfeng, the Changan Lumin and the KiWi EV from Wuling’s sister brand Baojun.

Wuling describes the Air EV as a world car. Although that certainly does not mean that the car will come to Europe, it does raise the question of whether we in Europe would need such small ones. Can you see yourself buzzing through the city in one of Wuling’s electric city cars or in a model from another Chinese manufacturer? If so, which one is preferred? Or would you not want to be seen in it for the rest of your life? Let us know in the comments.