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For the average price of a car in the US, you could buy 5 new Chinese EVs
Reuters found five top-selling Chinese EVs that start under $12,000, while the average U.S. new-car price was $51,456 in March.
Reuters identified five best-selling Chinese electric vehicles starting under $12,000 that, combined, cost roughly $51,456—the average U.S. new-car price—yet remain largely unavailable in American showrooms.
China's affordable EV market spans over 200 battery-powered models under $25,000 according to platform DCar, with BYD reporting 700,000 sales of its top three budget models over the past 12 months.
The fifth-generation Wuling Hongguang MiniEV starts at $6,560, while the 2026 BYD Seagull costs $10,200 and includes optional lidar; these models offer ranges up to 314 miles on Chinese test standards.
Auto analyst Felipe Munoz said, "When you get in, you don't feel like you are in a small car," underscoring how efficient mass production pressures American automakers to rethink pricing strategies.
While these vehicles face limited access to U.S. markets, Geely's EX2 launched in Brazil, Indonesia, and Thailand last year, signaling how Chinese manufacturers are testing affordability strategies globally before broader expansion.