BEIJING, April 28 (Reuters) – 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.
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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
A staff member cleans the floor next to a Geely GEOME Xingyuan electric vehicle (EV), also known as Geely EX2, displayed at the Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, or Auto China, in Beijing, China April 26, 2026. REUTERS/Xiaoyu Yin Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab
The pure electric Geely (0175.HK), opens new tab 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.
Visitors check the interior of a Geely GEOME Xingyuan electric vehicle (EV), also known as Geely EX2, displayed at the Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, or Auto China, in Beijing, China April 26, 2026. REUTERS/Xiaoyu Yin Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab
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
A woman poses next to the fifth generation Wuling Hongguang MiniEV electric vehicle displayed at the Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, or Auto China, in Beijing, China April 24, 2026. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab
Of the top-selling budget EVs, the MiniEV leans heaviest on the cheap-but-cheerful aesthetic of older, low-cost cars.
Wuling (0305.HK), opens new tab 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
Visitors check a BYD Yuan UP electric vehicle (EV) displayed at the Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, or Auto China, in Beijing, China April 26, 2026. REUTERS/Xiaoyu Yin Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab
BYD Qin Plus DM: Starting price: $11,675 (not pictured)
BYD (002594.SZ), opens new tab 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.
