SHANGHAI – General Motors‘ joint venture in China is launching a miniature electric convertible under a low-cost brand that has soared in popularity in the last year.
Called the Hongguang Mini EV Cabrio, the convertible will begin mass production next year, according to a release. Details on pricing and availability weren’t available at the time of the vehicle’s unveiling at the Shanghai auto show this week.
The car is the latest from the popular Hongguang Mini EV line developed by General Motors‘ joint venture with Wuling Motors and state-owned SAIC Motor. GM China has a 44% stake, while SAIC holds 50.1%, according to GM’s website.
The initial Hongguang Mini EV launched in July with a starting price of just a couple thousand U.S. dollars. It has sold more than 270,000 units over 270 days, according to the company.
That Mini EV was second only to Tesla’s Model 3 by the number of new energy cars sold in China last year and climbed past it into first place during the first quarter, according to figures from the China Passenger Car Association.
Another new model from Hongguang Mini EV, the Macaron, has received more than 45,000 orders in just 10 days, according to a release.
General Motors and its joint ventures delivered more than 780,000 vehicles in China in the first quarter of 2021, with the Hongguang Mini EV accounting for about 9%, according to GM.