The Elveon Mini E Sedan is one of the cheapest electric cars available in Denmark. But while its low price might seem attractive, there are some significant compromises. A tiny battery, limited range, slow charging and questionable driving dynamics make this a rather unusual electric car. After spending a few days behind the wheel, I have to ask; is it really worth buying?
We are driving what is marketed as Denmark’s cheapest car brand, Elveon. The model is called the Mini E Sedan, although that name is actually exclusive to the Danish market. In China, where the car originates, it goes by a different name.
This is a small electric city car designed to appeal to buyers looking for an affordable way into electric mobility. I have been looking forward to testing it because it sits at the very bottom of the electric car market, competing with models such as the Renault Twingo, Nissan Pixo, Dacia Spring and BYD Dolphin Surf. However, the Elvion takes a rather different approach from most of its competitors.
Elveon Mini E: our pros & cons
The Elveon Mini E Sedan does have a few strengths. It is small, easy to park and surprisingly lively at low speeds. The colourful interior gives it some personality, and the rear-view camera is genuinely impressive. But the weaknesses are harder to ignore.
The range is limited, charging is slow, and motorway driving is neither particularly comfortable nor reassuring. Add the basic safety equipment and questionable handling, especially in wet conditions, and the Elveon starts to look like a car with too many compromises. I therefore struggle to recommend it as an obvious purchase, even at its relatively low price.
Spending a little more on something like the Dacia Spring or BYD Dolphin Surf could very well be money well spent, as you get a much more complete electric car in return. The Elveon Mini E Sedan makes the most sense if you primarily drive short distances around town and have access to home charging. But if you expect your car to do a little bit of everything, I would look elsewhere. It may be cheap to buy, but that does not automatically make it good value for money.
A design that resembles an oversized microcar
The exterior design is very much reminiscent of a microcar or enclosed mobility scooter. You could almost describe it as an oversized version of one, because there is very little that makes the car particularly exciting to look at. The Danish version comes with four doors, although a three-door version is available in other markets. I suspect the four-door configuration is the more sensible choice, and I cannot really see why anyone would want an even smaller version.
The name Mini E Sedan is also slightly confusing. This is not a sedan by any definition. It is much closer to a hatchback, and apparently the three-door version would even be marketed as a coupé if it ever arrived in Denmark. But that is a relatively minor detail.
The car sits on tiny 13” wheels, something I have not seen on many new cars in recent years. They certainly underline how small and basic this vehicle is, but they also raise questions about its driving characteristics. On the other hand, the exterior is available in some rather interesting colours, which give the little Elveon a bit of personality.
A colourful interior with mixed results
Inside, Elveon has opted for a surprisingly colourful combination of pink, brown, beige and coffee-inspired tones. It is something we have seen in several Chinese cars, although manufacturers often replace these more adventurous interiors with traditional black and grey colour schemes when their models arrive in Europe. Personally, I appreciate that Elveon has kept some character in the cabin. Some people might find the colours a little too much, but I think they give the interior a refreshing appearance.
The digital instrument cluster displays the speed and other essential information. However, it does not show energy consumption, which is a rather disappointing omission in an electric car where monitoring efficiency can be particularly useful.
There are three driving modes: Standard, Eco and Sport. The main difference is the accelerator response, which becomes more immediate in Sport mode. The difference is not particularly dramatic, though, and you have to pay attention to notice it. I have mostly driven in Sport mode because I prefer the slightly sharper response when pressing the accelerator.
The car also comes with a 7” touchscreen, which is included as standard in the Danish market. It is relatively responsive, and the rear-view camera is surprisingly good. In fact, I would say its image quality is better than what I experienced in the Suzuki Swift (review here).
Unfortunately, the software is another story. The system comes with a selection of Chinese apps, many of which simply do not work in Europe. Google Maps navigation system is also unavailable, meaning you will have to manage without built-in navigation.
Thankfully, Bluetooth and radio are available, but the audio quality is nothing to get excited about. I actually spent much of my test driving without any music because the sound quickly became irritating. The radio does not automatically search for stations either, so everything has to be done manually. I quickly gave up trying to use it.
On the positive side, the car comes with air conditioning and two USB-A ports for charging your phone. There are, however, some rather frustrating details. The cupholders are among the worst I have ever used. They simply cannot hold drinks securely, and I have had both water and soft drinks spill during ordinary driving.
The worst incident involved a bottle of soft drink that ended up all over the rear seats while a passenger was sitting there. There is no conventional glovebox either, although you do get the option of hanging two bags at the front of the cabin.
Around 40 hp, but surprisingly lively in town
The Elveon Mini E Sedan is powered by a 16 kW electric motor, equivalent to approximately 40 hp. That is not a lot of power, but thanks to the instant response of the electric motor and the car’s low weight, it feels surprisingly lively at low speeds. Compared with an older petrol car like the VW UP! with 60 hp I once drove, the Elveon actually feels quite responsive when accelerating from a standstill.
The test car comes with a small 16 kWh battery, although a larger 35 kWh version is also available. This is where the Elveon starts to make a little more sense. It is small, relatively light and easy to manoeuvre, making it well suited to urban driving.
Rear-wheel drive and tiny wheels create questionable handling
One of the more unusual aspects of the Elveon is its rear-wheel-drive layout. Combined with its low weight and tiny 13” wheels, this means the rear end can lose traction surprisingly easily. That might sound entertaining to someone who enjoys a playful driving experience, but in reality, it can also become a problem.
The car can start sliding even when you are not trying to provoke it. I drove the Elveon in wet conditions, and I have to admit that I felt rather uncomfortable behind the wheel. The rear end can lose grip with very little warning, which requires the driver to be particularly careful, especially on slippery roads. That is not the kind of behavior I would expect from a new car intended to transport inexperienced drivers and potentially young first-time car buyers.
Safety equipment is another area where the Elveon feels outdated. It comes with two airbags and ABS, but modern driver assistance systems such as lane departure warning and automatic emergency braking are missing. In many ways, driving this car feels like stepping into something from 15 or 20 years ago. There is something refreshing about driving a car without endless electronic assistance systems, but that does not mean its safety equipment is comparable to what we expect from a modern vehicle.
The motorway is not where the Elveon belongs
The Elveon Mini E Sedan is primarily designed as a city car. The fact that it is legally allowed on motorways is a bonus, but that does not mean it is particularly well suited to them. Its official top speed is listed at 90 km/h, although I managed to get the test car up to approximately 105 km/h. That does not change the fact that it feels most comfortable at speeds between 80 and 90 km/h.
At motorway speeds, the car starts to feel unstable, and there is a considerable amount of noise coming from the electric motor and wind resistance. Above 90 km/h, you almost must raise your voice to have a normal conversation with your passengers.
Overtaking also requires patience. If you find yourself behind a lorry travelling at 80 km/h, there is very little performance available to get past it quickly. Acceleration is limited, and you should therefore stay in the right-hand lane and avoid unnecessary overtaking. Personally, I would only use the motorway when absolutely necessary.
The claimed range is difficult to achieve
With the smaller 16 kWh battery, the official driving range is approximately 205 km. However, that is not what I experienced during my test. In mixed driving, I managed around 130-140 km on a full charge. Naturally, the actual range depends on driving style, speed, temperature and road conditions, but I would not expect to achieve the claimed 205 km in everyday use.
On the motorway, things become considerably worse. Here, I would expect a range closer to 100 km, depending on the conditions. I did quite a lot of motorway driving during my test, as it was necessary for getting between my home and the places where I usually test cars. This made it very clear how quickly the small battery is depleted at higher speeds.
Around town, however, the picture is different. The Elveon modest weight, small dimensions and limited performance make much more sense in an urban environment. One thing I really miss is a rear wiper. When it rains or the rear window becomes dirty, visibility quickly becomes a problem. The side mirrors are not particularly impressive either, although I would not go as far as calling them useless.
Charging: A reminder of the early days of electric cars
Charging is another area where the Elveon Mini E Sedan falls behind modern electric vehicles. AC charging is limited to just 3.3 kW. This means a full charge takes approximately eight hours, while going from 0 to 80 per cent takes around five hours.
There is also the option of DC charging through an adapter. However, this adapter is not included with the car and has to be purchased separately. With the adapter, the car can theoretically accept up to 21 kW of DC charging power. In practice, I experienced charging speeds of around 13-15 kW.
That is still painfully slow compared with modern electric cars. Charging from 10 to 100 per cent takes approximately three hours, while my experience was that going from 50 to 100 per cent took around half an hour. It reminds me of some of the first electric cars introduced to the Danish market, which were also limited when it came to fast charging.
The small battery does have one advantage: there is not a huge amount of energy to put back into it. However, the limited charging speed still makes the car less flexible if you need to charge away from home.
Who should buy the Elveon Mini E Sedan?
The Elveon Mini E Sedan is primarily intended as an affordable city car. It might appeal to people who only need a small vehicle for short journeys, or perhaps young drivers looking for their first car. But I struggle to see the real appeal.
Even though Elveon is marketed as Denmark’s cheapest car brand, the low price does not necessarily make it a good purchase. When you compare it with cars such as the Dacia Spring and BYD Dolphin Surf, spending a little more money gets you a considerably more complete vehicle. The BYD Dolphin Surf, for example, feels like a completely different type of car, with a much more developed overall package.
The Elveon also sits somewhere between a conventional car and microcars such as the Citroën Ami and its sister models. Those vehicles are generally limited to 45 km/h and are not allowed on motorways. Here, the Elveon does feel more like a proper car, but it still comes with many of the compromises associated with much smaller vehicles.
I am also not entirely convinced that Denmark has a particularly large market for this type of vehicle. In cities such as Paris and Milan, small cars designed for short journeys and limited parking spaces are much more common. In Denmark, however, many people living in central urban areas simply choose public transport instead.
That could ultimately make public transport one of the Elveon ‘s biggest competitors. If I were to buy one, I would also want larger wheels. At least two inches more would be a good starting point, although larger wheels alone do not guarantee better safety. What really matters is improving the car’s overall grip and making its handling more predictable.
