SAIC-GM-Wuling (SGMW), a Chinese automaker, has officially begun production of the Wuling Air EV at its plant in Cikarang, Bekasi Regency, West Java, Indonesia. Wuling is one of the world’s largest electric vehicles (EV) manufacturers, best known for its micro-EV, the Hongguang Mini. While that little tyke is only available in China, the Air EV is Wuling’s first global micro-EV model.
The company announced at the launch event that it plans to produce 10,000 units of the Air EV annually at its Indonesian factory, including models for the domestic market as well as export. Wuling has become a surprising success in Indonesia since entering the market in 2015, with over 90,000 customers to date.
The introduction of the Air EV is a testament to Wuling’s commitment to making Indonesia a hub for some key models while also assisting in the development of the country’s EV industry. Furthermore, the Air EV has already been chosen as an official car for the G20 Summit, which will be held in Bali, Indonesia, this November.
Many top Chinese and Indonesian dignitaries attended the launch event. They included Lu Kang, the Chinese ambassador to Indonesia, Airlangga Hartarto, the Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, and other Indonesian government officials. Shi Guoyang, President-Director of Wuling Motors Indonesia, stated at the event:
“The Wuling Air EV is the latest battery electric vehicle (BEV) developed by Wuling for Indonesia and the global market. We are proud of this Indonesian-produced EV that has the quality to be able to compete with rivals in the domestic market as well as abroad.”
The Air EV is a two-door electric vehicle designed for city driving. It measures 2,599/1,505/1,631 mm in length, width, and height, with a 1,635mm wheelbase.
To put this into perspective, the length, width, and height of the 8th generation Suzuki Alto 660cc that we have here are 3,395/ 1,475/ 1,490 mm, with a wheelbase of 2,460 mm.
As a result, Air EV is much shorter in length but much wider and taller than Alto. Its wheelbase, on the other hand, is understandably shorter.
The Air EV, which is based on SGMW’s Global Small Electric Vehicle (GSEV) platform, seats four passengers and is powered by permanent magnet synchronous motors capable of producing 30/50 kW. It has a driving range of 299 kilometers and a top speed of 100 kilometers per hour.
The Air EV will be available in Indonesia alongside other models such as the Formo, Almaz, Confero, and Cortez. It will be exported to Egypt and India later this year as Wuling’s first global car, with more regions to follow in the future.
To read our blog on “Some KIA & Hyundai models are vulnerable to USB cable theft,” click here