Chinese carmaker Wuling Motors seems pretty fond of building little electric vehicles. Nearly a year after the launch of the affordable Hong Guang Mini EV, the company has now unveiled the new Nano EV at the Tianjin International Auto Show.
Not all the details have been revealed yet, but Wuling did say that the Nano EV has a 1,600mm wheelbase, which is 340mm shorter than the Mini EV’s. Both can reach speeds of up to 100kph, but the Nano EV offers better maximum range, capable of reaching 305km on a single charge.
The Nano EV can also be had with a 6.6kW high-powered fast charger that fully recharges the battery in just 4.5 hours. The vehicle’s battery is equipped with an intelligent battery management system, low-temperature preheating technology, and battery insulation. It has an IP67 waterproof and dustproof rating, and the battery’s status can also be remotely monitored via a smartphone app.
The vehicle comes with safety features such as electronic stability control, hill-start assist, reverse parking sensors, and a tire-pressure monitoring system.
The Nano EVs unveiled were limited-edition Disney Zootopia models. The vehicles feature exterior and interior details inspired by Zootopia characters Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde. Only 5,000 of these will be built, and each will sticker for 59,800 Chinese yuan. That’s about P471,000 in local currency—more than double the Mini EV’s SRP.
According to a report by Paultan.org, however, a standard version that could cost around 20,000 Chinese yuan (P158,000) is expected to be released soon. If and when that happens, then that just might make it one of the most affordable electric vehicles we’ve seen yet. How does that sound to you guys?
