But as a cheap introduction to electric family motoring, the car is infinitely safer and better than a scooter or motorbike.Įven though you cannot buy this car outside of China, if we had to rate it on WIRED's scoring system, we'd charitably give it a 5 out of 10 (Wired: Bargain basement price for an EV. Given all the other foibles detailed here, that is probably not a bad thing. With no fast-charging capability, you really are stuck using the Mini EV as a city car.
Charging on a 220V supply takes 6.5 hours for the smaller battery and a full 9 hours for the 13.8 kWh pack. There’s a choice between 9.3- and 13.8-kWh battery packs, which are good for ranges of 75 miles (120 km) and 106 miles (170 km), respectively, under the already generous NEDC standard. Wuling is coy regarding acceleration figures, but since the vehicle is electric and has instantaneous torque, it isn’t unduly slow in town traffic. One-pedal driving is not really possible, as the car simply takes too long to slow down-probably because it only weighs 700 kg (1,543 lbs). Sport seems to be the better of the two modes, providing not only slightly smarter acceleration but also more noticeable braking regeneration. Powering the rear wheels is an electric motor delivering 20 kW (27 hp) and 85 Nm of torque. Surprisingly, the EV has a selector button hidden behind the steering wheel that lets you choose between Eco and Sport modes. Luckily as you’re unlikely to ever get the Mini EV much above 50 mph this never becomes too much of a problem. Priced this low, there is not much insulating the car from road noise.
Among the Macaron's many improvements over the basic Mini EV is a key safety feature-the driver now gets an airbag standard.Ī distinct whine from the electric motor accompanies you as you drive along. Hard plastics are everywhere, and you can see the screw that attaches the door handle insert to the door. Given the rudimentary nature of the cabin, it’s no surprise that materials are utilitarian. In this configuration, the EV offers up 741 liters of space. However, the rear seats do individually push down and pull up with a strap, which is essential if you want to transport anything other than people. The space might be able to fit something very thin, but the bottom is taken up with charging cables. While there is a hatch at the back, there is no real trunk to speak of. There are also Isofix child-seat attachments, and the seats are indeed best for children-the lack of real headrests for adults makes any extended trip a strain. But thanks to the 1,621 mm height, the Mini EV is actually taller than it is wide, so head room is reasonable. That said, stuffing adults into those rear seats is not exactly comfortable. After all, the car is less than 3 meters long, 2,920 mm to be precise. Perhaps the biggest surprise is that the Mini EV can seat four.