- Kandi Technologies Group, a Chinese auto company, recently debuted two ultra-affordable electric vehicles it’s bringing to the US.
- After federal tax credits, Kandi’s K27 and K23 hatchbacks will cost $12,999 and $22,499, respectively, the company said.
- Kandi said the first 1,000 preorders of each model will be discounted, bringing their total cost down to $9,999 and $19,999 after federal tax credits.
- Kandi America plans to start deliveries in the fourth quarter of this year, and will initially focus on selling the cars in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
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A Chinese car company is launching two new battery-powered vehicles in the US, and if all goes according to plan, they’re set to be the cheapest EVs available stateside by far.
Kandi Technologies Group announced earlier this month that it’s bringing the two EVs to market through its Kandi America arm this year, officially debuting the cars and opening preorders not long after. The cars – a tiny K27 and slightly larger K23 – will each cost less than $30,000, making them a fair bit cheaper than the Nissan Leaf, Chevrolet Bolt, Hyundai Kona Electric, Tesla Model 3, and any other BEV currently sold in the US.
According to Kandi America, the K27 and K23 will retail for $19,999 and $29,999, respectively, which comes out to a paltry $12,999 and $22,499 after federal tax incentives. On top of that, Kandi also announced on Wednesday that it’s discounting the first 1,000 preorders of each model, bringing the overall cost of a K23 to $19,999 and the price for a K27 to a mere $9,999.
The deals are hard to pass up based on numbers alone, and we’ll soon see how the EVs stack up on the value scale.
Keep scrolling to take a closer look at the K27 and K23.
Kandi Technologies Group — a Chinese manufacturer of electric vehicles and auto parts — is bringing two pint-sized electric vehicles to the US market, virtually debuting the cars on Tuesday.
They're set to become the cheapest EVs in the US, undercutting the Nissan Leaf, Hyundai Ioniq Electric, and other affordable options even before tax credits.
The tiny K27 model carries a retail price of $19,999, which comes out to $12,999 after federal tax breaks, according to Kandi America.
Not to mention, Kandi is dropping the price for the first 1,000 preorders for each model, meaning you can get your hands on a brand-new EV for just $9,999 after federal incentives and before other charges.
The ugly-cute EV comes with a 17.69 kWh battery, giving it a claimed range of 100 miles ...
... and a top speed of 63 mph.
All of that makes it ideal for city driving, Kandi says.
The larger K23 isn't cute — far from it, in fact — which might make it a hard sell among US buyers, who are already slow to switch to EVs.
But it's definitely the more capable offering of the two, at least according to the preliminary information Kandi has put out.
And with an MSRP of $29,999 — $22,499 after federal tax credits — it's pretty darn affordable, too.
Kandi is running the same promotion with the K23's first 1,000 preorders, bringing its price down to $19,999.
Kandi says the K23 "the size of a small SUV," which is a bit of a stretch. In reality, it's a bit smaller than the Honda Fit.
So while it seems to be significantly more spacious than its little sibling ...
... it's still pretty small.
And it only seats four.
Kandi claims an estimated range of 188 miles, which isn't too shabby when compared with other EVs on the cheaper side of the spectrum.
It comes with a 41.4 kWh battery, roughly the same as the base-model Leaf.
It boasts a top speed of 70 mph, according to Kandi, which theoretically makes it a bit more suited for highway driving than the K27.
Affordability is great — especially in an EV market with no sub-$30,000 options — but Kandi's cars will need to be more than inexpensive to capture the attention of US buyers.
Both models are available to preorder now with a $100 refundable deposit.
Sales will initially focus on the Dallas-Fort Worth area, where Kandi America is based. The company says deliveries will start in the fourth quarter of this year.
