Microvans in China are selling like hotcakes – why not in the US?

Have you seen those smart little cars driving around town? They’re kinda cute and they get really good gas mileage. Of course, most people need a little more space, so what if they had a micro minivan? Did you know that these little vans circulate in many other countries? They have them in Europe, Asia, India and in many countries in South and Central America. Why not in the United States?

Is it because we have so many rules and regulations regarding cars, or do people just want more power in their cars? Do people in the United States travel more distances with more things on them? Do we want everyone to have some big minivans so that when they go to the store they buy more? It is difficult to say why we do not use these fuel-efficient vehicles in our own country.

There was an interesting article in the Wall Street Journal on May 11, 2011 titled “GM Strongly Betting on China’s Rural Markets: Success of Microvans Drives Other Unadorned Vehicles for Emerging Consumers” by Norishiko Shirouzu. The article looks at how GM wants to sell 5 million of these microvan vehicles by 2015 in China, and if you think they can do it, well, I certainly do. Apparently, according to the article, they sold 2.35 million in 2010.

You see, China’s middle class keeps growing. By the way, in China living in the middle class means earning around $ 1500 per year, so it is very different than here in the US, but now there are something like 500 million people in China. Interestingly, these microvan-type concepts are not only hot items in China, but also in India, where Tata Motors recently announced the new Magic IRIS as a replacement for all those three-wheelers that people now drive to transport their goods. .

In the city I live in, it is legal to drive your golf cart on the highway, and we have oversized bike lanes that allow people to do this. In fact, it’s kind of funny in the bike lane that has a picture of a bicycle stamped on it, along with a picture of a golf cart. It’s actually quite fun, but it works. People take their golf carts to the grocery store, to Starbucks, and even drive them through a fast food drive, it works.

If people only have short distances to go, why do they need a full-size car, and why do they need to spend all that money on insurance and monthly payments? They do not do it. It really doesn’t make sense. So, I dare to ask the question; Why are we not selling these micro minivans in the United States of America? American companies are making them, why don’t they sell them here too? If you have the answer to my question please email me, in the meantime please consider all this and think about it.

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