Will there be enough Malaysians willing to pay RM99k for this ‘Box’
Wuling Motors (Wuling) first electric vehicle in Thailand, the Air EV Lite is officially marketed at 395,000 Thai Baht (which is about RM52,000). The Air EV Lite is the most affordable compact vehicle for electric vehicle (EV) consumers who are looking for an electric car for operational vehicles or daily mobility partners.
Now, it must be noted that the Malaysian government protects its 2 national car brands, Perodua and Proton as they employ thousands of Malaysians and provide very healthy incomes for the many Malaysian automotive vendors and parts suppliers. This means, the ‘protection’ does not allow any foreign car manufacturer to sell a vehicle below the ‘magical’ RM99k price.
So, even with this Wuling electric car being priced in Thailand and also Indonesia at around RM50k, the selling price in Malaysia will have to be pushed ‘UP’ to RM99k. Just like with the Neta V electric car which is sold in Thailand for just RM67k but priced in Malaysia at RM99k.
So, the Air EV Lite has a 30 kW motor, which is equivalent to 40.2 horsepower and it is rear-wheel drive and powered by a 17.3 kWh Lithium Ferro-Phosphate battery capable of driving up to 200 kilometers when fully charged.
This type also applies an easy home charging element that provides convenience in charging anywhere even at home with a minimum power of 2,200 Watts. The battery used in the Air EV Lite is also guaranteed safety with IP67 standards and has been tested in various extreme conditions (according to their manufacturer).
Furthermore, Air EV Lite is easy to own with affordable ownership costs. In addition, the Lite variant is also supported by a factory vehicle warranty of 100,000 kilometers or 3 years, a battery warranty of 120,000 kilometers or 8 years, a warranty of the main electrical components up to 100,000 kilometers or 5 years, and free maintenance costs up to 50,000 kilometers or 2 years. Terms and conditions apply.
This Wuling Air EV is marketed in five color options consisting of Pristine White, Galaxy Blue, Avocado Green, Lemon Yellow, and Peach Pink. In case you were wondering, this Wuling EV sells for just 30,000 Yuan in China which is about RM19,680.00 only. Imagine that!
