Can the Wuling Hongguang Mini run the air conditioner while charging?
4 Answers
No, inserting the charging gun will prompt a warning that the charging cover is not closed. The display screen will not show 'ready', and the air conditioning compressor will not start; only the blower will operate. Here are the charging precautions for the Wuling Hongguang Mini: 1. Charging methods: You can use the included charger with a household 220V power supply or utilize paid roadside charging stations. 2. Only supports slow charging: It cannot use fast charging stations to complete charging within one and a half hours. The Hongguang Mini is the first four-seat new energy vehicle under the Wuling brand of SAIC-GM-Wuling. It features a two-door design, creating a cute visual effect with vertical front and rear styling. The front face of the Hongguang Mini adopts a narrow grille, paired with a lower through-type air intake and headlight groups on both sides, giving it high recognizability.
I've been driving the Wuling Hongguang Mini for almost two years now, and I often turn on the AC while charging. It gets too hot near the charging station in summer, but the AC cools things down in just a few minutes. However, there are two things to note: first, the AC consumes charging current, so what was supposed to be a 6-hour charge might stretch to 7 hours. Second, the battery management system needs to allocate energy properly—running the AC for long periods on hot days may reduce charging efficiency. It’s recommended to charge up to 80% before turning on the AC to save time. The car’s electronic display shows real-time power distribution, so I always wait until the battery reaches 70% before cranking up the AC for cooling. After all, the car’s AC is even more energy-efficient than a wall-mounted unit at home.
As a commuter who frequently drives an electric vehicle, it's completely fine to turn on the air conditioning while charging the Wuling Hongguang Mini. Once during winter charging in sub-zero temperatures, I sat in the car with the heater on for two hours without any tripping or alarms. However, the design prioritizes using power from the charging station for the AC, which extends charging time. I tested that with the AC set at 26°C, charging 20% of the battery that normally takes 30 minutes increased to 35 minutes. It's acceptable for occasional emergencies, but doing this long-term may affect battery life, especially with older charging stations that have unstable voltage. The new Wuling Hongguang Mini models using DC fast chargers show almost no time impact when running AC while charging.
Tested by a Wuling Hongguang Mini owner: using air conditioning while charging is feasible. Press the AC button with the charging cable plugged in, and the central display will show the air conditioning's power consumption. However, be mindful of the charging cable's temperature. Once, after using a portable charger with the AC on for 3 hours continuously, the cable felt quite hot to the touch. It's recommended to use the manufacturer's matching charging pile for better power compatibility. Also, keep the car doors unlocked during charging to prevent the system from automatically cutting power. On rainy days when charging outdoors, I turn on the AC to defog the windshield, as fogging up is more dangerous than slow charging.
