This small car, barely larger than a Smart, is one of the best-selling cars in the world under its Chinese name. Assembled by a Latvian manufacturer for Europe, it will land in France in early 2023, less than €12,000 bonus deducted.
In China it is known as the Wuling Hongguang Mini EV and it is a real business card. There is no need to look far for the reasons for its success: this small electric city car is particularly affordable, while still offering 4 seats on board. In Europe, it will not be marketed under its Chinese name, it will be under the name of Freze Nikrob EV. Its price has also been raised a little on the way, but it will still be the most affordable car in Europe from the start of 2023. The recruitment of dealers in France is underway, the French importer confirmed to us on 28 November 2022.
Why Freze Nikrob instead of Wuling Hongguang Mini EV?
This car is an example of a licensed model. Thanks to parts imported from China and supplied by Wuling, the manufacturer Dartz assembles this electric model in the Baltic countries, which it then markets in Europe under the Freze Nikrob EV badge.
Where the story gets a little complicated is that the company Dartz Motorz, based in Latvia, is rather known for large armored SUVs with a particular style. One wonders how it came to resurrect (by changing its spelling) the name of an old Russian brand (Frese & co) of electric vehicles from the 1900s. Dartz Motorz bought this brand in 1910, and no doubt wished reuse his name (but the exact motivations are unclear). All to produce a small urban electric car, a carbon copy of a Chinese model, quite far from its universe. Despite a somewhat original context, the Freze Nikrob EV arrives in Europe with a competitive price, and that’s what we’ll remember.
A price of €11,900 in France once the bonus has been deducted
In France, this micro city car is mainly aimed at an urban clientele. For its French importer, the idea is to offer an affordable alternative for motorists who drive in cities subject to the restrictions of Low Emission Zones (ZFE) and who cannot afford to buy new cars at 40 000 €. The first points of sale in France will primarily target these major cities, before multiplying on the territory.
The Freze Nikrob will not stop there. Unlike some heavy quadricycles, accessible with or without a licence, such as Citroën Ami or Microlino, this model is a real car. Like the Dacia Spring, its performance is still limited. It can reach up to 105 km/h, but the highway will not be its playground.
Two versions should be introduced in France: the “standard” with 200 km of autonomy and the “long range” with 300 km of autonomy. Despite these appellations, there is really nothing to do with Tesla. It is probably the most affordable version that will attract attention and that will be found most often at the point of sale.
For that price, what do we get?
For this price of €11,900, once the ecological bonus has been deducted, we have an electric car with 4 wheels, an engine and a steering wheel. What more ?
More seriously, at this price, it is a 2-door micro city car, less than 3 meters long which can accommodate up to 4 people. However, do not count on a large trunk, you will be disappointed.
Here are the first characteristics released by the brand:
| Standard | Long Range | |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 2.92m | 3.06m |
| Total mass | 1070kg | 1070kg |
| Powerful | 29kW (40hp) | 32kW (43hp) |
| Battery | 13.8 kWh | 26.5 kWh |
| Autonomy | 200km | 300km |
| Charging time | 6 hours | 7 hours |
| Max speed | 100 km/h | 105 km/h |
| Rims | 12 inch | 12 inch |
The technological equipment is reduced to the essentials, even if the model is still equipped as standard with LED headlights, a reversing camera, central locking and a Bluetooth car radio. For the moment, it has not been subjected to Euro NCAP crash tests, but in the absence of many driving assistances, it should not do better than the Dacia Spring and its only star on this point. . This does not prevent it from being considered safe in China, during the tests carried out.
The model also ignores fast charging (DC). This may be what will put some buyers off. On this point, the Dacia Spring offers a 7.4 kW AC on-board charger and accepts DC recharges up to 30 kW, which allows a little more versatility in use. Not so with this Freze Nikrob.
The selection of the first dealers for France is in progress, the car should therefore be marketed from the beginning of the year 2023. The convertible version should follow a little later in the year.
