- Bingo, we’ve found a super cheap EV. Not Bingo we’ve found it: it’s called the Bingo, and it’s from the Chinese OEM, Wuling.
- The bargainous model has just been launched in right-hand-drive form for the first time, as the company expands its selling area from China to Indonesia. RHD models will be built locally within the country.
- In China, the Bingo starts at 59,800 yuan – equivalent to around £6,600, or $8,400.
A potential EV for the masses, but will it make it worldwide?
Chinese car manufacturer Wuling has just launched two of its small EVs in Indonesia: the Bingo EV and the Air EV. Order books for the Bingo opened to the Indonesian market on November 16th, and over 3,000 orders have already been placed. Unlike most ultra-cheap EVs which are only suited for short trips around town, the Bingo is a fully-fledged, no-compromise, four-door car. Two models are available, one offering up to 333km of range and a top speed of 99km/h, and the other 410km of range with a raised top speed of 130km/h.
It remains to be seen whether this particular EV will expand into other markets around the world. Wuling has already experimented with launching cars in Europe, thanks to a Lithuanian company called Nikrob releasing a re-badged version of Wuling’s Hongguang Mini EV – which they claim is the cheapest four-seater EV available within Europe, starting at €13,000 (£11,200). In its home territory of China, the Bingo competes with similar budget EVs such as the BYD Seagull, but we have not yet seen an indication that either car is headed to Europe just yet, where their prices would make them some of the cheapest electric cars on the market – even besting budget offerings from European brands, such as the future Renault Twingo EV. It begs the question of where all the sub-£10k electric vehicles are in Europe, and why can’t local manufacturers produce a no-frills EV to the same price point?
