A comprehensive history of early Wulings can be found
in Volume 2 of On a Global Mission: The Automobiles
of General Motors International
Wuling sold over one million units each year since
2009. With a 44% interest in
SAIC-GM-Wuling, General Motors regards Wuling as a GM marque, while in China it
is an ‘independent’ brand. Wuling sold
more than 5.6 million Zhiguangs thus far, over 5 million RongGuangs/Chevrolet
N300, and almost 6.5 million HongGuangs/Chevrolet N400.
In 2022 the Wuling brand produced 1.6 million
vehicles, of which 600,000 pure electric, a year-on-year increase of 33%, also
valid for the over 193,000 exported vehicles.
With a 2022 production of over 900,000 passenger cars, Wuling took 7th
place.
As SGMW’s commercial car brand, the Wuling models are
traditionally rear-wheel drive with a rigid rear axle, including the electric
HongGuang MINI EV and Air ev. The late
2020 Victory however, which was intended as a Baojun, and the re-badged 730 are
front-wheel drive, as are the Wuling-branded Baojun models (Cortez and Almaz)
in Indonesia.
This continued at the arrival of the Xingchen Asta and
Nano EV in autumn 2021, and the 2022 Jiachen and 2023 Xingchi, which all are
Baojun-based. The recent pure electric Bingo also has front-wheel drive.
The Nano EV is actually a Baojun E200 with a new
badge, seemingly signaling the demise of the Baojun brand.
Recent Wuling specifications can be found at On a Global Mission: The
Automobiles of General Motors International
Wuling
Zhiguang V (CN050V) December 2016 - 2020
Following the success of the 2015 HongGuang/RongGuang
V, the engine was now moved forward under the hood (with the wheelbase extended
by 10 cm) instead of under the front seats as was the case with the earlier
Zhiguangs. This little microvan, about 4
meters long, with a rigid rear axle and leaf springs, was for commercial use
and could accommodate up to eight seats.
Zhiguang sales dropped from 90,000 in 2017 to 80,000
in 2018, and 43,000 in 2019, after these had lowered with some 100,000 each
year since in 2010 the 700,000 mark was neared, a number achieved in a similar
upward move since sales started in 2003.
The Zhiguang outsold its competitors Jinbei Xiaohai Lion X30 and
Dongfeng Xiaokang K07II in 2019, while the larger RongGuang S (60,000 in 2019)
outsold the Zhiguang.
Though the Sunshine name was mentioned in China in the
early years of its career, this name nowadays is only shown in publications in
English, and is not familiar to the Chinese.
The Zhiguang V sold only marginally compared to the Zhiguang, and it was
deleted by 2020, when no National 6b engines appeared for the Zhiguang S and
the extended Zhiguang either, leaving the (3rd generation) 2013
model Zhiguang with 2, 5 or 7 seats, as well as the pick-up models. The speed limit for the Zhiguang and
RongGuang S, equipped with the upgraded 1.2 56 kW national 6b engine, became
100 km/h (105 km/h for the extended RongGuang), while both RongGuang S and
extended version were now available with electrical power steering.
The original (2008) RongGuang is still popular in
Egypt as Chevrolet Move N300, while in South America it has been replaced by
the HongGuang V based Chevrolet N400.
In 2021, 40,000 Zhiguang (S) were sold (vs 66,000
RongGuang S). In the summer of 2022, the
(2013-style) extended Zhiguang model was deleted.
In 2022 about 25,000 RongGuang S, and over 33,000
extended RongGuangs left the factory (of which 6,000 EV). Wuling sold almost 32,000 (notably
2013-style) Zhiguangs in 2022.
A (2013-style) Zhiguang with a 75 kW 1485cc engine
arrived in April 2023, increasing the top speed from 100 km/h to 115 km/h. After an absence of 2 years, this 1.5 engine
was also available again in the RongGuang S.
Wuling
HongGuang S3 (CN120S) November 2017 – 2022
This 7-seater was presented as Wuling’s first SUV (but
relocated as an MPV in March 2018), with the availability of an independent
rear suspension with ESC on the top models.
On an 8 cm extended HongGuang chassis, it kept the classical
longitudinally placed front engine with rear-wheel-drive. In 2019, about one quarter (88,500) of
HongGuangs were S3 models. An automatic
clutch model became available in March 2019, a Wuling novelty. This was not the 5-speed Aisin version, used
by Baojun for this 1485cc engine, but a Schaeffler-built 6-speed unit. The only Wuling with a conventional automatic
transmission has been the HongGuang S from August 2014 for about two years.
The HongGuang S3 effectively replaced the HongGuang
S1, which wasn’t a success. Firmer
footed, lower, but hardly wider than the HongGuang S, the higher price of the
S1 had persuaded people to opt for the Baojun 730.
The S1 started being built as Wuling Confero in
Indonesia in July 2017, to which the 6-speed electronic clutch unit was made
available in spring 2019. The price
difference with the (second generation) Baojun 730 based Wuling Cortez was here
larger than in China. A more commercial
Wuling Formo, still with rear coil springs, was added in November 2018, with
the ex-Daewoo 1206cc engine.
In January 2023 Wuling Indonesia introduced the Formo
Max, a Formo-derived truck with the 1485cc engine, on a 316 cm wheelbase and
with rear leaf springs. Wuling China
never offered a Hongguang-derived truck, but the new Rongguang truck from July
2018 has a wheelbase a 335 cm.
In 2021, over 30,000 HongGuang S3 units were sold, in
2022 less than 20,000.
Wuling
new HongGuang S (CN115) August 2018 -
Still sold
next to its predecessor (CN112), which it is now only offered with a 1.2 engine and
leaf springs, this is the first rebodied basic HongGuang, itself dating from
September 2010. The rear axle is the
rigid 5-link with coils, but a base model with rear leaf springs was added in
March 2019. GM Media reported: “In the process of product design and construction, the new Wuling
HongGuang S changed the new MPV idea, brought the SUV feeling into the MPV, and
continued to promote the advantages of family space, power, fuel consumption
and other products.”
The first
HongGuang S from August 2013, incorporating a Chevrolet-style chrome-plated
bar, had elevated HongGuang sales to over 500,000, depressing Zhiguang/Sunshine
sales under the half million mark, and keeping Wuling as the top car model seller
in China for 15 years in a row from 2003 up to 2017 (10 years
Zhiguang/Sunshine, 5 years HongGuang).
In 2019, with 375,000 units, total market HongGuang sales ranked third
after the Volkswagen Lavida and Great Wall Haval H6, but it kept the first
place among MPVs.
Following GM
Media “the nameplate has been especially popular among small and intermediate
enterprises, as well as private entrepreneurs, for personal and business
use”. About 6% of all HongGuangs in 2019
had the 1.2 engine. Both ‘classic’ and
new HongGuang S models are 7-seaters, but 5-seat and 8-seat configurations are
possible.
Almost
195,000 HongGuang S models were sold in 2021, of which 30,000 with the old body
of 2010. Over 130,000 HongGuang S were
sold in 2022.
Wuling
HongGuang V (CN110V) March 2019 -
On a 13 cm
longer wheelbase and with the 1485cc engine, this commercial-orientated model with sliding passenger door and a leaf spring rigid rear axle, was sold till 2020 next to the
cheaper RongGuang V, which is basically the same vehicle. Originally, this new HongGuang V was meant to
be sold as RongGuang V to succeed on it, itself launched in 2015 as a HongGuang
V, to be renamed later that year to set it apart from the
HongGuang MPV, with the original RongGuang and S basically a different smaller
design.
Both have a
short front end, with the driveshaft to the rear wheels beneath the floor. The new HongGuang V is a sturdy-looking
7-seater, but also available as a 2-seater or 5-seater, just as the RongGuang
V, which has also an 8-seat option. The
side middle door of the HongGuang V has a width of over 700 mm, making it more
convenient to load cargo and easier for passengers to get in and out. It is known as Chevrolet N400 as a panel van
or as a minivan, with availability in some markets of the 1.2 engine, which
only came in July 2020 in China, as well as an 8-seater, taking second place to
the RongGuang V, itself losing the 1.2 engine in April 2021.
At 4000L,
the maximum cargo volume of the HongGuang V is 300L less than that of the
RongGuang V.
By August
2021, it arrived as Chevrolet Tornado Van in Mexico.
About 95,000
HongGuang V (& RongGuang V) were sold in 2021 in China, and 13,700
HongGuang V exported as Chevrolets.
Almost 75,000 were sold in China in 2022.
Wuling
HongGuang Plus (CN150M) October 2019 –
With the
same wheelbase as the HongGuang S3, but over 10 cm wider, the HongGuang Plus
looks more solid, without the wedge shape of the S3, which as a turbo has about
the same price as the Plus. The new car adopts “2”, "2 + 2 +
3" and "2 + 3 + 3" seat layouts, followed by a “2+3” 5-seater in December 2019. The maximum cargo volume is more than 3 times
as big as for the S3. In November 2019,
one HongGuang Plus was sold against each five HongGuang S.
The
HongGuang Plus is 5 cm lower than the HongGuang V, while the tailgate threshold
height is 5 cm higher, and the maximum cargo volume is between that of the
RongGuang V and the HongGuang V. The
rigid rear axle has leaf springs for the basic models, and coil springs for the
others. In May 2020, the non-turbo
1485cc engine became available, accompanying the 1451cc turbo.
In December
2020, top versions with ESC were added.
Based on the HongGuang Plus, the micro-tourer 1.5 turbo was released in
December 2021, with a 17,000 yuan price increase. In this 4-seater camping van, the third row
is transformed into a multi-variable combination cabinet. Curtains are installed on the car windows.
About 25,000
HongGuang Plus were sold in 2021, and about 12,000 in 2022.
Wuling
RongGuang EV (CN300LEV) July 2020 –
This is the
first official Wuling electric vehicle, a long-wheelbase RongGuang 7-passenger
microvan or panel van (first released in August 2011) with a 60 kW motor and a
drive range of 252 or 300 km. Almost 5,700 were sold in 2021, 6,000 in 2022.
Wuling
HongGuang MINI EV (E50) July 2020
–
This
four-seater New Energy Wuling was announced in March 2020 with presale from
May, resembling a "square box" Japanese (fwd) kei car, but much
shorter and with two doors, and an upper hatchback. The length is over 290 cm, the width under
150 cm, and the weight about 700 kg. The
power is 20 kW. Depending on capacity,
the NEDC battery life is corresponding to 170 km and 120 km. Charging time is
about 7 to 9 hours.
The
motor/E-axle is located at the rear and is mounted unsprung in front of the
3-link live axle on the left side. The
hatch opens halfway down.
The
female-oriented Macaron (sweet meringue-based French confection in a variety of
colors), launched in April 2021, introduced driver’s airbags (not obligatory in
China) to the MINI EV and standard independently tilting of the rear seats (an
option on other models since September 2020), and has the alloy wheels of the
earlier models replaced by cute-shaped steel wheels, adopted by the regular
models in March 2022.
The Macaron
is 4,800 yuan more expensive than the regular model, of which there was also a
4,000 yuan cheaper basic version without air conditioning. Technically, both lines are identical.
Raw Coconut
White and Merlot Blue "autumn colors” were added in October 2021 to the
existing Avocado Green, Lemon Yellow and White Peach Pink, all with a white
roof. An optional solid-color roof is
available.
The limited
edition Macaron Sandwich was introduced in November 2021 with five interior
customization solutions, including white peach powder, butter yellow, lemon
fruit green, raw coconut white and Merlot blue, at a 5,000 yuan higher price.
More than 1
million HongGuang MINI EVs have now been sold.
The HongGuang MINI EV GAMEBOY with the 170 km range extended to
200 or 300 km came in April 2022 and has a 7 cm extended wheelbase due to the
larger 30 kW motor, creating more space in the rear, while the rear side
windows, viewed from the inside, were extended by an extra half length. The sheet metal differs from the base
model. The new car has launched four
themed vehicles: Hurricane Phantom, Jungle Adventure, Star Tours and Party
Sweetheart. Lime Soda and Cherry Blossom
editions were added in September 2022.
At the April
2021 Shanghai Auto Show conference, Wuling announced that the 2-seater
HongGuang MINIEV CABRIO will officially put into mass production in 2022. This one is on the extended 201 cm wheelbase,
using the paneling of the Gameboy and with the 30 kW motor, and is equipped
with two roll bars behind the headrests.
It was launched on September 25, 2022, with a range of 280 km, and
priced at 99,900 yuan, 3 times the base model.
Deliveries started late December 2022.
In November
2022, two new models were added, namely the colorful Macaron model and the
painted model, at a 3,000 yuan higher price.
The appearance of the two models adopts the two-color matching of
lavender purple + white and lemon yellow + white respectively. From the side of the body, the biggest change
is that the rim adopts a petal-style low wind resistance rim
(earlier seen on the GAMEBOY Party Sweetheart and Cherry Blossom), and the rim
also adopts a color-blocking design, which matches the style of the whole
vehicle.
Over 425,000
HongGuang MINI EVs left the factory in 2021, and over 550,000 in 2022. Retail sales in 2022 were about 405,000.
A
Gameboy-bodied Macaron model with oval front and rear lamps, and without roof
rails, side skirts and wheel arch extenders is in the pipeline, with a motor
choice of 20 or 30 kW.
In May 2023,
TMT Motors in Vietnam started assembling the 20 kW Wuling HongGuang MINI EV,
with 120 km or 170 km drive range as LV1 or LV2, the latter with the darkened
LED headlights of the Macaron.
Deliveries started late June.
‘Wuling Mini
EV’ Macaron and Gameboy models are imported from China into the Philippines
since June 2023.
Wuling
Kaijie (Victory) (CN220M) November 2020 –
This
6-seater (2+2+2) MPV has the same underpinnings as the Baojun RC-6, lifting
Wuling finally out of its rear-wheel-drive layout image. The two middle-row seats are equipped with a
four-way slide, the front and rear sliding distance is as long as 56 cm and
combined with the sunken folding of the third row of seats, the car is promoted
as the 4+X "big four-seater family car". The Flagship models feature a 136.5 cm by 87
cm panoramic sunroof. The 1.5 turbo
engine was joined in February 2022 by the new direct-injection 280T.
The Victory
(Kaijié in Chinese) uses the new silver Wuling logo, which represents Wuling's
high-end and global products. In 2021,
sales were 63,300, and 21,000 in 2022.
A hybrid
version with a naturally aspirated Atkinson cycle 2-litre engine was launched
late February 2023, called Wuling Kaijié Hybrid Platinum Edition, not
called a Wuling Victory. With a price of
129,800 yuan (149,800 for the Luxury model), this most expensive Wuling is much
more luxurious than the (narrower) Asta hybrid, without adopting the
independent rear suspension of its top model.
Wuling
730 December 2020 –
This is a
Wuling-branded Baojun 730 Classic.
Online purchase started already in December 2019. Some 1,700 were sold in 2021.
Wuling
Zhengtu (CN110P) March 2021 -
This is a
double cab 5-seater pickup with a length of over 5 meters, sporty-styled
without reminding of a minitruck. The
engine is the 1485cc LAR 73 kW. It has a
semi-integral body, and six leaf springs at each rear wheel. Optional narrow or wide side steps are
offered. Zhengtu means 'long journey',
'expedition’. Wuling Zhengtu has sold
more than 20,000 units within three months of its launch.
Wuling
Zhengcheng (CN150V) August 2021, (CN150VEV) September 2023
The new Zhengcheng
(Jouney) people mover features the 1.5 turbo engine, and has the body of the
HongGuang Plus extended to 515 cm, on a 318 cm wheelbase and with sliding
doors, and 7 (2+2+3), 8 (2+3+3) or 9-seat (2+2+2+3) layout, the latter with a
47 cm wide side corridor at the 2 center seat rows, next to a two-seat
window-sealed version. In 2022, 12,500
were sold.
A cheaper
commercial model with a naturally aspirated Atkinson 2-litre engine came in
September 2022. A purely electric model
with 100 kW and a speed of 100 or 105 km/h came in September 2023 as Zhengcheng
EV with the same seating layout. The
drive range is 360 or 370 km.
A previous
Zhengcheng model with the engine under the front seats was sold from December
2014 to March 2018 (and was optionally available with rear coil springs until
2016). The corridor to the 9-seat rear
bench was located between the third row of seats.
Wuling
Xingchen (Asta) (730S) September 2021 -
This first
Wuling SUV is technically based on the (front-wheel-drive) Baojun 530/560 but
with the availability of 18-inch wheels.
The transmission is a 6-speed manual or CVT gearbox. The car was officially unveiled at the April
2021 Shanghai International Auto Show and went on sale in September. This is the second model with the silver
Wuling logo. Over 2021, 54,500 were
sold, and 80,000 in 2022.
By August
2022, a hybrid model arrived with a 100 kW 2-litre Atkinson engine, and
independent rear suspension for the top model (dating back to the 2015 Baojun
560). The electric drive motor generates
130 kW and 320 Nm. This hybrid system
can drive in pure electric mode, series (engine charges the battery, motor
drives wheels), and parallel (engine and motor work at the same time) according
to the working conditions of the vehicle.
This model lacked the Asta name.
Wuling
Nano EV November 2021 -
This is a 24
kW (less 5 kW) front-wheel-drive Baojun E200 clone with richer colors and
paintings. Base price of the “Free Two
Go” “Couple Car” Nano EV is 58,800 yuan (without ESC), vs 28,800 yuan for the
HongGuang MINI EV. The battery life is
305 km.
The limited
(5,000 units) version of the Nano EV [Crazy Animal City with Zootopia’s Nick
Wilde and Judy Hopps for 59,800 yuan] was jointly launched by Wuling and Disney
at the 2021 Tianjin Auto Show, which opened on September 29. Other limited edition models will be the
bilibili (Station B) and Xiaowu Xiaoling (cartoon image).
In February
2022 the 29 kW motor became available as well, after which the Baojun E200 was
deleted in March. About 9,500 units were
sold in 2022.
Wuling
Jiachen (730M) June 2022 –
The first
7-seat household MPV under the SAIC-GM-Wuling silver-label brand, was launched
on June 15. This Wuling Jiachen on a 1
cm lengthened Xingchen wheelbase, adopts a 2+2+3 seat layout. The middle row of seats can be moved forward
and backward by 120mm, and the backrest can be folded back to 150 degrees. The starting price of the 1485cc model is
68,800 yuan vs 69,800 yuan for the Xingchen 1.5 turbo, while the price of the
Jiachen 1.5 turbo starts with 81,800 yuan.
About 50,000 left the factory in 2022, with 35,000 deliveries, actually
succeeding on the Baojun 730.
By June
2023, a hybrid model arrived on 17-inch wheels.
Wuling
Air ev (E230) Indonesia:
September 2022, China: December 2022
Empowered by
the Global Small Electric Vehicle (GSEV) platform, the Wuling Air ev made its
global debut in Jakarta, Indonesia on June 1, 2022, to be CKD-built in
right-hand drive, with the international market in mind. The car will be sold in more countries around
the world in the future. 300 units
supported the mobility needs during the November 2022 G20
Summit in Bali. Similarly, 150 cars badged as Chevrolet Spark EV did so
during the COP27 UN Climate Change Conference in Cairo, Egypt. It is the first EV model that SGMW sells
outside of China. The 30 kW 4-seater is
on the 2010 mm platform of the HongGuang Mini EV Gameboy, and available ranges
are 200 or 300 km. Models for Indonesia
have a black roof and mirrors, while for China only the A and B-pillars are
blackened to create a suspended roof effect.
In China,
the 2-seater 30 kW model is on a 1635 mm wheelbase with a curb weight of 818
kg, while the 4-seater on the 2010 mm wheelbase features a 50 kW motor. The battery life is 300 km for each model. The Chinese name is Qíngkōng (Clear Sky). Deliveries in China started in December
2022 (over 2,000), while 3,770 units were delivered in the first half of
2023. Indonesia sold 6,000 units in
2022.
In April
2023, the 30 kW 4-seater Air ev was launched in India as MG Comet EV. The models are with or without black
roofs. The Wuling Air ev was launched in
Thailand in July 2023, fully imported from Indonesia.
A 30 kW
4-seater is also in the pipeline for China, as is a model badged HongGuang MINI
EV Air.
Wuling
Xingchi (310S) September 2022 -
This new SUV
actually succeeds on the Baojun RS-3, adopting its underpinnings and 1.5 or 1.5
turbo engine. Prices start at 56,800
yuan vs 69,800 for the RS-3. 21,000 left
the factory in 2022, with 10,000 deliveries, and 18,768 in the first half of
2023. The 1.5 appeared on the Indonesian
market in February 2023, badged "Alvez".
Wuling
Bingo China: March 2023
This
electric retro 5-door sedan is 4 meters long and offers a choice
of a 30 or 50 kW motor (110 or 150 Nm), with a drive range of 203 or 333 km
respectively. The new car adopts a
front-drive layout to expand more interior space; the sunken trunk forms an
"upper and lower floor" space layout.
There are two grades per motor choice, plus a Lingxi Internet
model. All series are equipped with
15-inch low-drag design non-alloy wheels as standard. There is a choice of four paint colors: Latte
White, Aurora Green, both with optional black roof, Ice Berry Pink with
optional white roof, and Phantom Black.
With a top speed of 100 km/h, electronic stability control (designed by
SAIC Lianchuang Intelligent Network Technology) has been offered since early
June 2023. In September 2023 the top
speed of the 333 km range vehicles was increased to 120 km/h.
This beauty
is offered with a host of accessories including child seats, foldable storage
boxes, camping sets, lamps, radios and an inflatable airbed. Through June 2023, 44,662 Bingos have been
sold at the dealers.
Thanks to
the new 50kW three-in-one water-cooled flat wire motor, the Wuling Bingo Lingxi
Premium Edition, launched in September 2023, has a cruising range of 410 km and
a top speed of 130km/h. The rear torsion
beam of the chassis adopts a new closed beam design. The stiffness of the torsion beam is increased
by 41%.
Chevrolet
Aveo 2024 (310C) Mexico: April 2023
This
hatchback is built in China on the base of the Groove, with smaller wheels and
the engine the 1485cc, known from the previous Aveo (Chinese third generation
Chevrolet Sail), but with a 6-speed manual or CVT transmission (instead of
5-speed manual/4-speed automatic). A
sedan was introduced in June 2023. For
the hatchback version, the exclusive “Hello Yellow” color is available.
Wuling
Xingyun
China:
September 2023
This hybrid SUV
on the Baojun RC-5/Valli platform was unveiled in August 2023. The length, width and height of the new car
are 461, 181 and 167 cm, the wheelbase is 270 cm. The ICE is the 100 kW 2-litre Atkinson
engine, known from the Kaijie and Asta hybrids, mated to a 100 kW electric
motor. The new car has four main body
colors to choose from: Xingyao (starshine) white, Xinghui (starlight) coffee,
Xingye (starry night) purple, and Xingqing (star magic) green. Six optional colors offered in the “Wuling
Xingyun Super Film Factory” are Barbie Pink,
Iceberry Pink, Violet Purple, Thermal Orange, Space Silver, Wizard Green, and
other colors as well.
Wuling
XingGuang (Starlight) (F510C) China: tbe late 2023
Wuling’s
first sedan will be equipped with an electric motor with a
maximum power of 100 kW (the same unit as in the Baojun Yunduo), or with a
plug-in hybrid system consisting of a Liuzhou Saike 1.5 litre Atkinson-cycle
engine with a maximum power of 78 kW, and an electric motor. The length, width and height of the car are
483.5/186/151.5 cm, and the wheelbase is 280 cm.
GSEV
(Global Small Electric Vehicle) platform
As of August
2022, cumulative sales of SGMW cars on the GSEV (Global Small Electric Vehicle)
platform ) have exceeded one million units, since it introduced its first
electric model in 2017. In the first
half of 2022, 92% were Wuling HongGuang MINI EV (20 or 30 kW, rear-mounted
motor, live axle; prices from 32,800 yuan), 1% were Wuling
Nano EV (24 or 29 kW, 2-seater, motor in front, front-wheel-drive; prices from 56,800 yuan), and 7% were Baojun KiWi EV (40 or 50 kW,
rear-mounted motor, double wishbones; prices from 87,800 yuan. The 2-seater 30 kW and 4-seater 30 or 50 kW
Wuling Air EV with rear-mounted motor and live axle is on the way.
SAIC-GM-Wuling
In 2021,
SAIC-GM-Wuling sold 1,660,166 units in the domestic market As early as 2015, SAIC-GM-Wuling became the
first car company in China with an annual production and sales volume of over 2
million units. The sales volume has exceeded 2 million units for four
consecutive years.
The
SAIC-GM-Wuling Indonesia subsidiary was officially put into operation in 2017.
It is not only the first Chinese auto company to invest in Indonesia, but also
the first time that a Chinese auto brand has invested in equipment and
resources overseas to build its own brands and products. In 2021, 25,650 vehicles were sold.
Liuzhou
Wuling Automobile Industry
Liuzhou
Wuling Automobile Industry Co., Ltd. (established in October 2006 by Wuling
Group, integrating its parts, engine and commercial special vehicle business
segments) has been offering since February 2020 the RongGuang
lwb based EV50 60 kW electric panel van (model code G100) with advanced looking
front, and a drive
range of 245 or 300 km. In October 2020,
a 5-seater (panel van) model was added, after the SGMW-Wuling
RongGuang EV models (see above) followed in July 2020. About 5,500 EV50 were sold in China in 2022.
The BYD
V3 shares the same body with the Wuling EV50, but has a more
powerful motor of 75 kW, a 330 km drive range, and a more energy dense BYD
blade battery. Another (60 kW) variant
is the BAW Xiaohema (little hippo) with a drive
range of 270 km.
ELMS
(Electric Last Mile Solutions), established in Michigan, USA, sold the EV50 as
Urban Delivery from autumn 2021 to June 2022.
ELMS was purchased in October 2022 by the Southern California-based
automotive company Mullen Automotive, Inc., with the EV50 sold as Mullen Campus
(2 or 5 passengers) and releasing in May 2023 the price of the 2-passenger
Mullen ONE (developed by ELMS), with a 9-inch extended front end, expected to
be the first electric van for sale in the US market in the Class 1 commercial
vehicle segment, to be assembled in Tunica, Mississippi. Mullen also now owns the ELMS plant in
Mishawaka, Indiana, giving Mullen the ability to produce up to 50,000 vehicles
per year. Before the acquisition, Mullen
planned for the Class 1 EV to be based on the wider Chinese DFSK EC35.
Currently,
the Mullen Class 1 EV cargo van features a 46-killowatt lithium-ion battery
pack with a 110-mile range. It is
expected that the solid-state polymer technology will deliver more than 200
miles of range on a full charge for the Mullen Class 1 EV cargo van. In general, solid-state batteries offer
higher energy density, faster charging time, smaller size, and better safety
compared to traditional lithium-ion cells.
Mullen will begin testing this technology in its Class 1 EV cargo vans
starting in Q4 2023.
In July
2023, production began of the FEST (Future Electric S mart T ransportation)
E-box M panel van for delivering to customers in Europe, Turkey, Latin America
and other countries. FEST Auto
Technology Pte. Ltd. is incorporated in Singapore.
Linxys
Guangxi
Automobile Group, established in May 2015, and previously known as Liuzhou
Wuling Motors Co., Ltd., together with Liuzhou Wuling Automobile Industry Co.,
Ltd., where Guangxi Automobile holds 39% of the shares, run Linxys, an MPV project of Wuling only
without any direct connection to SAIC-GM-Wuling (SGMW), though Linxys-badged
EV50 models are in the pipeline, preceded by Chuang Ling EV50 models, a brand
with a diamond-shaped logo, created in December 2019, some of
which used lithium ternary instead of iron phosphate lithium batteries.
This G200
MPV in cooperation with Tianqi Meiya is 452 cm long, 170 cm wide, on a 278 cm wheelbase,
and equipped with a 64 net kW
1.6-litre four-cylinder Atkinson cycle range extender, next to a 80 kW electric
drive motor (truck versions 120 kW). A
543 cm long high-roof 80 kW pure electric panel van on a 338 cm wheelbase is
also expected.
Wuling's new
brand "Linxys Automobile" was officially released at the end of June
2023, when the Linxys Huangjin (Gold) was launched in the
small truck market segment with single row and double rear wheels, featuring a
front-mounted 64 net kW 1.6-litre four-cylinder Atkinson cycle range extender,
with a rear-mounted 120 kW electric motor, driving the rear wheels. The Chinese
name is Lingshi.
In July
2021, the Wuling Linxys V50 became available in Peru. This is a 4-seat-row 11-passenger minibus,
derived from the EV50, and with the 1485cc gasoline engine. This model is also exported as Wuling G120
with 5, 7, 9 or 11 seats, or as panel van.
Japan
On September
4, 2022, according to Guangxi Automobile Group, Wuling New Energy and Japan ASF
Co., Ltd. held the mass production contract signing ceremony of the G050 microvan project. The Japanese side pays the research and
development expenses and entrusts Wuling New Energy with the joint manufacture
and promotion of Guangxi new energy vehicles to enter the Japanese market for
the first time. Deliveries started in
May 2023.
In good
Japanese manner, the ASF (And Smart Future) 2.0 is 339.5 cm long and 147.5 cm
wide, on a 243 cm wheelbase. The height
is 195 cm and the motor has a maximum output of 30 kW, while the 30 kWh battery
enables a driving mileage of 209 km.
So, after
Wuling started copying the Mitsubishi Minicab Kei microvan 40 years earlier, it
will now sell its own electric Kei microvan in Japan.
The
Mitsubishi Minicab MiEV was released in the Japanese market already in December
2011, the only EV vehicle in its class.
Toyota Pixis, Daihatsu HiJet, and Suzuki Every electric mini-commercial
vans, all to be produced by Daihatsu, will be released in fiscal year
2023. Honda will launch a battery
electric variant of the N-Van in Japan in spring 2024.
With thanks to: https://www.chinacarforums.com/
25 September, 2023