A Chinese electrical vehicle maker is looking to make a splash in the US by launching its small affordable EVs in truck-loving Texas… Good luck with that.
Over the weekend, reports surfaced that Kandi Technologies Group will be bringing its K27 and K23 electric vehicles to a “limited area in Texas,” TechCrunch reports.
The K27 — a 17.69 kWh battery EV with a range of up to 100 miles (around 160 km) — starts at $20,499 and would be eligible for $7,500 federal income tax credit. Meaning some Texans will be able to buy it for around $13,000 — assuming there are no other fees.
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The K23 is a larger vehicle, but still small by American standards. It’ll ship with a 41.4 kWh battery with a claimed range of around 180 miles (290 km). The car is also slightly more expensive than the K27, with prices starting at around $30,000 before subsidies.
It goes without saying that these will be some of, if not the most, affordable electric vehicles on the American market. But Kandi is bringing its vehicles to Texas, a place renowned for loving trucks (the Ford F150 to be precise).
I’m no mind reader, but I suspect that the small EVs from Kandi might be a bit out there, for most Texans, but I’d like to be proven wrong.
Kandi says it’s targeting middle class US consumers who currently don’t really have much choice when it comes to EVs. The closest thing to the Kandi EVs that springs to mind is the Chevrolet Bolt, which is a bit more expensive with prices starting at around $36,000. The Bolt proved popular when it launched, but its sales have been tailing off ever since, which isn’t surprising when base-spec Tesla Model 3s start at $39,990.
For those that require a car for short daily commutes and trips to the shops, Kandi could be a good choice. Even more so for those that are keen to make the switch to electric power but don’t want to spend over $20,000.
“Kandi’s mission is to make electric cars accessible to all,” Kandi America CEO Johnny Tai said.
Whether the K23 or K27 are actually any good though remains to be seen. We’ll have to wait for the first US test drives to get the low down on that, we should expect some before the end of the year.
The Kandi vehicles are going to be sold in the Dallas Forth Worth area, which is a dense metropolis, where small city oriented EVs make a lot of sense.
While the Ford F150 might be the state’s favorite vehicle, the Honda Civic and Toyota Camry — two inoffensive affordable vehicles — are also very popular in the Lone Star State, so the Kandis might have some success with families that need a second or third car to run around town.
If you don’t live in Texas and want a cheap EV, there’s always Alibaba.
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Published August 3, 2020 — 08:47 UTC