The Wuling Bingo Is The Best Value In EVs

What is it?

Wuling seems intent on dominating the lower end of the EV market here in China, and the Bingo is the next step in that conquest. Priced between 8,600 and 12,000 USD, it slots above city cars like the MINI EV, but below small hatchbacks like the ORA Funky Cat. It bridges the gap between “beats riding a scooter” and “a real car.”

Generically adorable

The Bingo’s design is generically adorable, with headlights and taillights that feel slightly too large for its body, like an anime character, or a baby owl. It only comes in four colors, black, pink, green, and grey, but you can throw in a snazzy black or white roof like this for about $150. At 3.95 m long, the Bingo is almost a meter longer than a MINI EV, but about 30 cm shorter than a Funky Cat. It’s small, but not too small to be useful. Oh, and those stickers, they’re courtesy of the dealership from which we borrowed the car.

One of my absolute favorite parts about this car, and the one that takes it to a next level of practicality, is the rear cargo area. It measures a very, very impressive 310L, that’s almost 100L more than a Funky Cat, mostly due to the fact that it’s waaaay deeper than you expect it to be.

Retro Flavor

Unlike the MINI EV, the interior styling of the Bingo has a retro flavor to it. The car we drove for this review was top spec, which means it had every bit of kit you can get for this model. That includes faux leather seats instead of cloth, and voice controls for media, AC, and even the windows.

Almost every Bingo trim-level has a single, 7-inch digital instrument cluster screen. Only the top-spec has a pair of 10.25-inch screens. Either way, all Bingos comes standard with Bluetooth audio and calling.

Front row shoulder and headroom are fine for this size of car, but the floor is really high. Second-row legroom is surprisingly copious, but headroom is tight for anyone over 1.8m (6’) tall. It occurred to me during my time with the Bingo that it really ruins the market for one of Wuling’s other models, the AIR EV. Despite being around the same price, the AIR EV is far smaller and less practical.

Here’s the part you’re not going to want to hear. While the AIR EV is definitely headed for international markets, there’s been no announcement regarding the Bingo. Just when you thought Wuling was going to give you guys the good stuff, they pull the rug right out from under you. My condolences.

Not a tin can

Bingos with the smaller battery pack have a single front mounted motor making 30 kW and 110 Nm of torque. Step it up to the larger battery pack, and you get a whopping 50 kW and 150 Nm. The good news is that the Bingo has fast charging, so it can go from 10-80% in about 35 minutes! The bad news is that it’s only available on the larger battery pack. Smaller battery versions have to slow charge for about 5.5 hours.

50 kW doesn’t seem like a lot of power, and that’s because it’s not. But the Bingo also isn’t a lot car, weighing only 1120 kg when equipped with this bigger battery. There is no official 0-100 km/h time, because its top speed is 100 km/h. Once you reach that speed, you can activate the cruise control that’s available on some models. No fancy adaptive cruise, we’re talking regular old cruise control.   

Driver and passenger airbags are standard on the Bingo, but there’s definitely no side-curtain bags in this thing. There’s ABS, but no electronic stability programming, so hopefully you can wrangle that 30-50 kW all on your own.

Credit where credit is due, even at slightly higher speeds, the Bingo comes off as a much more refined automobile than I expected. I’m not being deafened by tire noise, motor whine, or wind, and it doesn’t feel like I’m talking to you from inside a tin can.   

The Bingo has a very simple McPherson strut front suspension and torsion beam rear. That’s not a major improvement over the Mini EV, but the longer wheelbase and wider track definitely help the ride. The ride of the MINI EV is, frankly, awful. That car feels like an oxcart. The suspension of the Bingo on the other hand, is uncomfortable in a way that reminds you aren’t rich enough to afford a better car, but without really rubbing it in your face.

One place the Bingo absolutely stomps the MINI EV is in terms of steering feel. This is an admittedly low bar, because it simply means that it doesn’t steer like a discount golf kart, but it’s an improvement nonetheless. The brakes don’t have the best feel to them, but there are disk brakes front and rear on this top spec model, so I’ at least I didn’t have to worry about being able to stop. Regen is weak, and there is no one-pedal driving mode.

Takeaway

The reality is, I can always find things to complain about, but the price tag of the Bingo allows you to hand wave almost anything. What’s important is that it feels like the type of cheap and practical EV that so many of our fans have been begging for automakers to produce. It’s a remedy for those who think the EV market is dominated by too many overweight, overpowered, and overpriced options.

With enough space to haul groceries and enough range to get you where you need to go, the Bingo is likely a great solution for a great many buyers, and it doesn’t ask you to drive around in something that’s only slightly better than walking.

Specifications

Wuling Bingo 303km

Motor: Front-mounted

Power: 50 kW, 150 Nm

Battery: 31.9-kWh

Range: 303 km CLTC

Top Speed: 100 km/h

Size: 3950*1708*1580 mm

Wheelbase: 2560 mm

CDM Price: 12,000 USD

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