I know many "skeptics" of electric cars who would like to have one, even just as a backup. If it didn't still cost so much, they would willingly try it, and then one thing led to another. In China they would be satisfied: there is one that costs as much as a foldable smartphone. The car company wuling has revealed a revolutionary sales strategy for its new car: you can buy it at a bargain price, but the battery… Well, that's a different story. It's for rent.
Hongguang Mini EV: a heartless car?
Imagine being able to buy a car without an engine. Does this seem like a bizarre proposal? That's exactly what Wuling is offering with its Hongguang Mini EV. The car is sold at a base price of 2.600 €, but without its "electric soul", the battery, which is paid separately, with a rental formula.
Yes exactly. The 9,3 kWh LFP battery, which promises 120 km of autonomy, is paid for in installments, with a monthly battery rental cost of 27 euros for 60 months.
And if you are looking for more power?
The "top" of the range is the Gameboy, with a 26,5 kWh LFP battery that offers 300 km of autonomy. Not only that, it has a bolder and sportier look than the basic version and gains a few centimeters in length thanks to a sportier body kit. Obviously, the price of battery rental increases.
“Gifted” car and rental battery
Wuling's bold and curious plan is an attempt to keep interest in a new product high in an increasingly competitive market. After all, once you have paid the 60 months of battery rental, the Hongguang Mini EV costs only 260 euros less than its price set by the parent company.
If there were similar prices and conditions in Italy too, would you think about it?
It could be the key to getting more people into electric mobility by breaking down the initial cost barrier. Or maybe it's just a fad? Either way, it's an intriguing approach to the problem of the cost of electric cars.
