En China is already selling more cheap electric cars than in the whole world together. This has been reported by several news agencies, they also make reference in the type of vehicle that triumphs and in their reasons.
Unlike other markets, such as America or Northern Europe, in the Asian country the models that are promoting this technology They are Chinese brands and with less scope of autonomy than other foreign manufacturers such as Tesla or Nissan.
Electric cars are a reality. In recent times they have reached a level of autonomy, performance and price that make them a perfectly valid option for an increasing number of drivers, with the only requirement of having a connection point in the garage and not making trips much longer than 100 km between recharges.
Big cities are the natural terrain of cheap electric cars. In urban routes they are the definitive weapon and thanks to their absolute silence, comfort, driving agility without gear shifting and absence of smoke, they show a superiority so great that they will make us see "old" combustion cars as old steam engines.
Best-selling electric cars
chery eQ
El Chery eQ costs 60.000 yuan in Shanghai, the approximate equivalent of a little less than 8.200 euros with the grant included. Without these aid, it would cost over 100.000 yuan, that is, a little more than 13.600 euros.
General Motors (GM), for example, presented its new Chevrolet Bolt, who costs about $ 30.000 after an included federal credit of $ 7.500.
According to Xie Chao, a worker at a Shanghai chemical company: “Cheap electric cars are very cheap in China, you need them little money to buy one. If you only need a car to go to work or move around the city, with its use of slightly less than 100 km of autonomy is already going well".
Xie claims to have bought three cheap electric cars since 2015: a Anhui Jianghuai Automobile iEV4, BAIC EV160 or with a Geely Emgrand EV, one for him to use, one for his wife, and one for rent. Incredible but true.
According to Zhang Dawei, CEO of distributor EVBuy, “most cheap electric cars have similar specs, so the price is the deciding factor ”. The eQ already mentioned has been el best selling in recent months, "with decent quality at a very low price." “These are transport tools. They are purely mobility, no to brag, or equip the latest technology ", he concludes.
License plates
Some Asian market analysts also point out as a factor in this boom that many inhabitants of large cities Chinese women choose these cars to obtain easily a license plate. And it is that up to half a dozen of the largest cities in China already strictly control the license plates of gasoline cars for pollution issues. While they freely grant permits to cheap electric cars.
Another keys to explain the boom that these cheap electric cars are experiencing in China lies, again, in the subsidy policy. And it is that, for a foreign manufacturer, it is difficult to access the type of subsidies, since it is only possible that they receive it if they operate through joint ventures with local partners. It is the case of Denza, which supports the German group Daimler.
Still, even with help, your price is still well above that of local manufacturers. The reduction of costs in Chinese brands, according to all reports, are constant ... without addressing in most cases a continuous loss of product quality. Something that does not happen in companies with foreign capital.
Now all analysts hope that, little by little, once their business model is consolidated, these new chinese manufacturers se expand all over the world. Although, it still remains. For example in Detroit, GAC Engine (part of Guangzhou Automobile Group) showed its new GE3 electric sport utility vehicle. And there he announced that, although he had plans to enter the United States this year in 2017, in the end he would delay it until 2019.
Changan BenBen EV
The BenBen is one of China's best-selling utility vehicles in its combustion version. The company has decided to launch the electric version of the model this December. It will have an autonomy of 200 kilometers and a price of $8.200.
Dongfeng Jingyi S50 EV
The Jingyi S50 is a sedan produced by Dongfeng Motors. Again, it is a very popular car in its combustion version, but now it will see the arrival of an electric version. With an autonomy of 250 kilometers and a price of 16.400 euros.