Wuling sells 270,000 of best-selling Hongguang Mini EV in China in 9 months

The SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile Co., sold some 270,000 of its Hongguang Mini EV within nine months, making it the best-selling EV in China.

The Chinese carmaker is also aiming to sell 1.2 million vehicles next year, almost equal to the number of EVs produced by all other Chinese carmakers in 2020.

The Hongguang Mini has a top speed of 100 kilometers an hour and 12-inch wheels.

Shortly after its debut last July, the vehicle gained a following among young women, prompting Zhang Yiqin, Wuling's head of branding and marketing, to tap employees who understand their customer base, which is now around two-thirds female.

The success with the Hongguang Mini was also driven by a marketing campaign conducted almost entirely online.

Zhang's team often communicates with consumers via various social media platforms.

Another of the car's key selling points besides its rock-bottom price of $4,500is the ability to uniquely customizing their vehicles by transforming the car’s panels and body with stickers.

Some sport the Nike swoosh while others have cartoon characters from Hello Kitty and Doraemon.

Shanghai-based SAIC owns 50.1 percent of Wuling, while GM’s China unit has a 44 percent stake. Guangxi Automobile owns the remaining 5.9 percent.