$25,000 seems to be the magical number when it comes to the upfront purchase price of EVs to get things going into overdrive in the EV world. Well, at least, that seems to be the general consensus on a lot of platforms. Which is why there has been a lot of excitement around a potential $25,000 compact car from Tesla. Before that particular vehicle becomes a reality, there is already some similar activity around the world, with several OEMs now ramping up deliveries of sub-$25,000 BEVs.
Consumers in China have already been enjoying several really cool BEV options under $25,000 for a while, but we are starting to see some of these compact electric vehicles from China getting to more markets. One of the most highly anticipated vehicles in this regard is the BYD Seagull. The Seagull is now entering more markets — although, it has been rebranded as the Dolphin Mini in those markets. The larger hatchback called the BYD Dolphin is already exported to several markets, so perhaps BYD wanted to ride on a name that is more familiar there. Whilst the Dolphin starts from well over $25,000 in a lot of places, the Dolphin Mini has recently been launched in several markets at upfront purchase prices well below $25,000.
The Dolphin Mini has been launched in Uruguay starting from $22,000 for the 30 kWh version and $24,000 for the 38 kWh version. The Dolphin Mini has also been launched in Brazil with an upfront purchase price of just over $20,000 for the smaller battery pack version and $23,000 for the larger battery pack version. The Dolphin Mini has also been launched in Mexico. As Zach wrote yesterday, “the 5-door compact electric hatchback comes at a shockingly low price of MXN$358,800 ($21,000). That gets you 190 miles (305 km) of range on a full charge. For just a little but more, MXN$398,800 ($23,000), you can get the BYD Dolphin Mini Plus and its 252 miles (405 km) of range.”
It’s not just BYD that is now shipping thousands of these kinds of vehicles to Central and South America. JAC is also shipping thousands of JAC E10X and JAC Yiwei 3 EVs to Central and South America. The 31.4 kWh JAC E10X is priced from around $22,500 in Mexico.
All this action is not just happening in Central and South America. The Dolphin Mini has also been launched in Jordan, Rwanda, and several other markets.
In Europe, Dacia has some good news. The updated Dacia Spring lands later this year starting from €22,700. These simple, compact affordable cars are sufficient for a lot of people’s daily needs. Dacia says, “The Dacia Spring has found its audience as a perfect solution for people looking for simple, affordable, and efficient zero-emission mobility. Data collected via the vehicle’s on-board connected systems shows that the average daily trip made by Spring users cover 37 km at a speed of 37 km/h. In 75% of cases, cars are recharged at home.” The updated Dacia Spring is also coming to the United Kingdom.
It has taken a while, but we are starting to get here. Soon, more countries will have access to affordable EVs in decent numbers and not just large premium sedans and SUVs. This will definitely help catalyze adoption of EVs in more places around the world.
Images courtesy of BYD and Dacia
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