A Reddit post from China is giving EV fans sticker shock of a very different kind: One new electric SUV costs just $14,075 out the door, and its owner said home charging works out to less than a penny per mile.
For drivers wondering how affordable EV ownership can get when vehicle prices, incentives, and electricity rates align, the numbers are hard to ignore.
What happened?
Calling it their first car, the Reddit user shared a line-by-line tally showing that a Leapmotor A10, a "small electric SUV with driver-assistance features," came to 95,388 RMB ($14,075) in total in China.
According to the post, that figure included an 86,800 RMB ($12,808) vehicle price, along with 4,348 RMB ($641) for insurance, 3,840 RMB ($566) in purchase tax, and 400 RMB ($59) for registration and handling.
Running costs were also unusually low. The owner said they installed a home charger and set up a separate electricity meter, allowing them to use off-peak overnight power at 0.23 RMB ($0.034) per kilowatt-hour. At that rate, they estimated the A10 costs about 0.03 RMB per kilometer to drive ($0.007 per mile).
In the comments, the buyer said they looked at several competing models before deciding on the A10 because "it's the only vehicle in this class that packs both 500 km of range and LiDAR."
TCD Picks » Good Store Spotlight
Get 10% off your next purchase with code TCD10
Why does it matter?
The numbers show how sharply EV ownership costs can drop when buyers have access to lower-cost models and inexpensive home charging.
Drivers who charge at home can often avoid the volatility of gas prices, while EVs also tend to have fewer routine maintenance needs than gas-powered cars because they do not require oil changes and have fewer moving parts.
What's being done?
The Reddit post said government incentives for new energy vehicles covered the installation of a dedicated home charging meter, helping keep EV charging separate from normal household electricity use.
The wallbox came from the carmaker, the owner said, but installation was not included. Instead, they hired a local electrician and wrote, "It only cost me 50 RMB [$7.38] and took half an hour to finish everything."
The owner said the A10's driver-assistance tech is strongest on faster roads and "performs excellently on highways and expressways," even if city driving still requires close attention.
The owner wrote, "It still blows my mind too."
Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
