Photo/Li Suo (NBD)

On May 22nd, SAIC-GM-Wuling announced that the Wuling Hongguang MINIEV family will be sold at a starting price of RMB 29,800 (USD 4,600) for a limited time (from May 22nd to June 30th), with a maximum discount of RMB 13,000 (USD 2,000).

With the promotion of the "going electric campaign in the countryside" in 2023, Chinese automakers like Chery BYD, Changan Automobile, Leap Motor, and Jianghuai Automobile have also begun to work on related policies.

“In the future, we will also launch corresponding preferential policies based on market feedback and changes in consumer demand,” said the relevant person in charge of SAIC-GM-Wuling said in an interview with NBD.

Wang Guangyu, deputy general manager of Jiangling Motors' new energy passenger car company, said in an interview with NBD that the most suitable new energy vehicle model for extensive promotion in rural markets is small-sized electric vehicles (i.e., A00-level new energy passenger cars) priced below RMB 50,000 (USD 7,700).

“small-sized electric vehicles will become an important force to promote new energy vehicles in rural areas.” The relevant person in charge of SAIC-GM-Wuling also believes that models represented by Wuling Hongguang MINIEV can effectively meet people’s needs for short-distance travel due to their convenience, lower costs and safety.

According to the “Research on Electric Vehicle Travel in Rural Areas of China” released by the China Electric Vehicle Hundred People’s Association, it is estimated that by 2030, the number of cars per thousand people in rural areas of China will be nearly 160 vehicles and the total number will exceed 70 million. If future mobility needs of rural residents can be met, it will leverage a car market worth CNY 500 billion (USD 77 billion).

Cui Dongshu believes that with the further promotion of new energy vehicles in rural markets, the market space for elderly mobility vehicles will be squeezed.