While in Europe we seem to be satisfied with these famous electric cars for less than 25,000 euros, on the other side of the planet, at this price, customers have access to mid-range electric SUVs or sedans and especially advanced technologies.

Obviously, we cannot compare an EV in China with its equivalent sold in Europe for various reasons (transportation, standards, taxes, etc.), but the prices of certain electric models in China are sometimes enough to leave those who wish to buy a cheaper e-fuel model dreaming.

The simplest electric car?

For less than 5,000 euros in China, you can buy the Changan Lumin, a city car with three doors and four seats. It will be on sale from 2022 (only in China) and its price has dropped by more than 1,000 euros since this month. The cheapest version, “Sweet”, which has 155 km of autonomy on the CLTC cycle, costs 37,900 yuan, or about 4,835 euros at the current exchange rate.
Until March 2024, the Changan Lumin was priced from 49,900 yuan, or about 6,366 euros. Prices for the basic version with a 41 hp engine. and a 12.92 kWh battery have dropped by 12,000 yuan (about 1,531 euros) and now cost 4,835 euros; Another version of the “Sweet” with a larger battery, which provides an autonomy of 210 km, has dropped by 8,000 yuan (about 1,020 euros). The discount is less generous for the two models equipped with fast charging: the “Fragrant” version with a range of 205 km and the “Honey” version with a range of 301 km are discounted by RMB 5,000 (€637).

Changan Lumin in several pictures

Changan Lumin is a city car based on the Changan Epa0 platform. It is slightly smaller than the Fiat Panda: 3.27 meters long, 1.70 meters wide and 1.54 meters high, with a wheelbase of 1.98 meters. Inside, there are two color screens, one for the dashboard and the other a 10.25-inch touchscreen for the infotainment system.
The Lumin is equipped with a permanent magnet synchronous electric motor powered by a lithium-iron-phosphate battery, and in all versions its top speed is limited to 101 km/h. With the latest update, the power of the on-board AC charger has been increased from 2 to 3.3 kW. Lumin can increase from 30% to 80% in 35 minutes.
Changan Lumin’s main competitors are Chery QQ Ice Cream, Lingbox Uni and Wuling Hongguang Mini EV. All these names are unknown to us in Europe, and there is little chance that they will reach us for obvious reasons of standards. And if they ever come, it certainly wouldn’t be with prices this low.

You’ll have to count on at least double the price, so it’s not necessarily a bargain considering the services.