BEIJING: Call it a different kind of sticker shock.

The Beijing Auto Show that opened to the public this week is a showcase for how hypercompetition in China ​has driven new car prices in ⁠the world's largest car market to a fraction of the level of the next-largest market, the U.S.

The contrast is stark.

The ‌average new car in the U.S. in March had a list price of $51,456, according to Kelley Blue Book.

In China, there are more than 200 battery-powered ​models, including hybrids, for sale at less than the equivalent of $25,000, according to DCar, an information and trading platform.

Reuters compiled a list of the five best-selling ​electric vehicles in ​China that start under $12,000 using DCar data.

These small EVs aren't available for sale in American showrooms - and may never be - but for about the price of an average new car in the U.S., a consumer in China could buy all five ⁠of these EVs.

 

Geely EX2: Starting price, $10,060

The pure electric Geely EX2 was the top-selling model domestically for any kind of vehicle in 2025.

The small EV comes with a bevy of nifty features: a front trunk, storage compartments throughout the cabin and a 14.6-inch central touchscreen running on a system that Geely developed. The top-trim version has a range of about 255 miles on the Chinese test standard.

Known as the "Star Wish" in China, the ​EX2 was a hit from its ‌2024 launch and ⁠Geely began sales in Brazil, ⁠Indonesia and Thailand last year.

"When you get in, you don't feel like you are in a small car," auto analyst Felipe Munoz said. "It feels better ​in terms of quality and bigger in terms of size."

 

Wuling Hongguang MiniEV: Starting price, $6,560

Of the top-selling budget ‌EVs, the MiniEV leans heaviest on the cheap-but-cheerful aesthetic of older, low-cost cars.

Wuling has stretched ⁠the micro car for 2026 to accommodate four doors and a bit more seating room in the back for adults. But the boxy city car remains tiny by American standards.

You could park two of the previous-generation MiniEVs in the space needed for a regular Ford F-150, the top-selling U.S. vehicle.

Marketed for its cute quotient and cost, the basic model has a top speed equivalent to just 62 miles per hour and a China-rated battery range of just 127 miles.

Wuling also has a larger subcompact EV that starts at just over $8,000 in China. The retro-looking Bingo Pro is designed for highway travel with a battery range of 250 miles based on Chinese testing standards.

 

BYD Seagull: Starting price: $10,200

BYD Yuan UP: Starting price: $10,945

BYD Qin Plus DM: Starting price: $11,675 (not pictured)

BYD is China’s biggest player in small EVs. The firm's top three ‌models starting under $12,000 accounted for 700,000 vehicle sales over the past 12 months in China.

The ⁠Seagull was an immediate sensation when it was released three years ago, stunning analysts with its ​performance, styling and above all its price.

The 2026 Seagull comes with an optional lidar remote sensing system for driving assistance including automated lane changing, a new fast-charge feature and a battery range of about 314 miles on the premium version, according to Chinese testing standards.

BYD economized on the Seagull at launch ​by equipping it ‌with a single "monoblade" windshield wiper. Some analysts hailed that as a smart way to make savings. Some drivers ⁠complained it did not handle heavy rain.

The 2026 model gets ​a standard set of two wipers. (Reporting by Qiaoyi Li, David Dolan and Kevin Krolicki; Editing by Thomas Derpinghaus)


Reuters