Finally plugging in for the masses. The cheap plug-in ones are really coming now. For 20 to 25,000 euros you can buy cars with five doors, color screens and unlike the large predecessor Dacia Spring, which only scored one in 2021, who knows, maybe a few stars with the Leapmotor T03, Hyundai Inster, Citroën ë-C3 and Dongfeng Box. in the Euro NCAP. That seems very late four years after the launch of the Spring, but they can do a little to a lot more for a comparable or marginally higher price. You might want to place a bet on it. How are those cars going to fall? Given the complaints about EV prices being too high, you would expect a lot of interest. Will importers’ champagne corks pop at the end of next year for the breakthrough in the budget class? I wouldn’t dare make any hard predictions. If the sales figures of the Spring say anything about the size of the market for these types of mini cars, it is small at 3,777 cars in four years. Yet Dacia sold more than 1,400 per year in 2022 and 2023, quite good for a spartan and tiny car with 45 and later 65 hp. But that was in the purchase subsidy era, and that will really be over from January. On the other hand, the new generation of plug-in dwarfs has much more to offer with at least 95 hp, sufficient pulling power and reasonable to very complete equipment. The Leapmotor T03 has already positively surprised me for 20 grand; driving well, well equipped, quite efficient, no serious misses. I will be driving the Inster and the ë-C3 soon, but for the friendly-looking Dongfeng Box I first have to track down the telephone number of the PR agency on duty. It’ll be fine. According to a colleague, the Box will be a sales hit. Interesting question: What would those cars have to be able to do? I think they have to meet four criteria. One: They have a real range of 250 to 300 kilometers. Two: They charge three-phase with 11 kW and with a fast charger with at least 50 kW. Three: They look presentable. Four: The price/quality ratio is above average. The WLTP values are passable: 314 for the Citroën, 310 for the Box Launch Edition, 230 for the entry-level model of the Dongfeng, 327 for the basic Inster, 265 for the dirt-cheap Leapmotor. Does the Inster belong in this list? The most expensive one with its 49 kWh battery and a range of up to 370 kilometers is also a class above in terms of pricing from around 26 grand, but you can drive the basic model for € 21,345 thanks to a temporary Hyundai Smart Bonus, which means it is still becomes a direct competitor for its cheaper brothers. And other parties will also inevitably start to stunt in the private leasing sphere now that the buyer can no longer turn to the government. The fast charging capabilities are acceptable in most cases, except with Leapmotor, which is really below par at 45 kW. The Box goes up to 60, Hyundai peaks at 73, the ë-C3 goes up to 100. But Citroën does charge a surcharge of 400 euros for the three-phase charger that is standard at Dongfeng and Hyundai. With the Leapmotor T03 it is not even an option. One can argue about taste, but the majority of these cars look great. The cuddly Inster stands head and shoulders above the rest with its round eyes, but even the somewhat unsightly T03 takes revenge with a certain level of cuteness. Beauty is not an absolute requirement for survival. The hideous MG ZS achieved decent sales figures with strong support from importer Van Mossel. The calculating citizen is willing to be on display for a bargain. And I achieved 230 highway kilometers with that little Leapmotor at temperatures slightly above freezing. Not bad. Although it loads surprisingly slowly. But how often do you have to travel far with such a cart? And now that we have arrived at criterion four, you can buy that T03, with all the trimmings, for just under 20,000 euros. Amazing value for money, although Hyundai will immediately point to the super hip Inster, which with Smart Bonus no longer costs 1,500 euros. Strong point. At Hyundai you also buy a rock-solid dealer network and solid warranties. The difference with the MG audience and the upper electric middle class is that these little ones also have to appeal to a target group for whom 20,000 euros is a lot of money. This uncertain factor makes forecasts difficult. Given the uncertainties about depreciation and battery capacity, or otherwise the future prospects of the builder, wouldn’t potential candidates prefer to spend such an amount on a second-hand Prius for safety reasons? Or will they graze on the growing used car market for EVs for something bigger? An equally expensive second-hand Model 3 with much more range and space will probably be rejected by the MRB, but it could also become a thing with the 1,400 kilo Inster. Regardless of all the ifs and buts, one thing is certain: None of these plug-in Minis offer the same accessible ease of use as the petrol-fired B-segmenters that you used to buy for the same money. You won’t drive to the south of France with any of these cars unless you are a real adventurer. And for ten grand less you can get an excellent used Yaris Hybrid. In short, the market segment that these cars enter is extremely volatile. I’m guessing that the newcomers are in for a bumpy ride, and importers will have to make significant efforts to compensate for their minimal margins or evaporated by bonuses with volumes. Still, I’m taking a chance, because nothing is certain and I find this really exciting. If the four newcomers together sell at least 10,000 copies in a year, I will shave my head.
Source: www.autoweek.nl
