VALA Group, the Chinese lifestyle-vehicle maker founded by 51 Credit Card's Sun Haitao, has entered the electric mini-car segment with the vala kcar, a compact camper priced at 99,800 yuan (about $14,100) for the standard version, according to PCauto. The move comes as China's camper-van market grows rapidly, with registrations up 64.2% year-on-year in the first half of 2026.
A new category: 'personal living space'
VALA, which does not build its own vehicles but partners with manufacturers such as Beijing Auto, Wuling, SAIC Maxus and Seres, positions its vehicles as "personalized living spaces" rather than mere transportation. Sun, who previously founded 51 Credit Card and listed it in Hong Kong in 2018, says the company targets daily high-frequency use—commuting, napping, childcare, working, or relaxing—rather than occasional camping trips.
The vala kcar, co-developed with Wuling, measures just 3.68 metres long and 1.53 metres wide, making it one of the smallest vehicles with full living functions. It features a flat floor and flexible interior layout, enabled by its pure-electric platform. The standard version costs 99,800 yuan, while a fully equipped version is 139,600 yuan (about $19,700). Prices are Chinese guide prices before taxes and incentives.
Sun draws inspiration from Japan's K-Car culture and the "fourth consumption era" concept popularised by designer Kenya Hara. He argues that in an age of material abundance, consumers increasingly value simplicity, sharing and personal fulfilment over brand names. "Everyone needs their own cave," Sun says, envisioning a future where autonomous driving makes it possible for every family member to have their own vehicle as a private, movable space.
Market leadership in a niche
VALA has already established a strong position in the camper-van segment. In the first half of 2026, China's camper-van registrations reached 5,315 units, with VALA selling 1,171 units for a 22.0% market share—more than the second- and third-place brands combined. In the pure-electric camper-van category, VALA holds a 93.1% share. In Q1 2026 alone, VALA delivered 564 vehicles, up 469.7% year-on-year, exceeding its full-year 2025 sales.
Sun rejects the label of camper or mini-RV, insisting VALA is creating a new category he calls "urban family life vehicles." He notes that while most Chinese buyers prefer large cars, models like the Mini Cooper and Geely Geometry E Firefly still sell steadily, showing demand for small, easy-to-park vehicles that express personal taste.
The electric K-Car trend is gaining traction elsewhere too. In July 2026, BYD launched the "Sea Otter," a pure-electric K-Car developed for the Japanese market, which received over 5,000 lock-in orders in its first week, about 70% from owners of Japanese petrol K-Cars trading in.
VALA's design philosophy deliberately avoids excessive automation. The company keeps manual curtains and physical buttons, and its V+OS living cabin will include features like CO2 monitoring and sleep heart-rate tracking, but Sun says the company rejects "meaningless automation" in favour of practicality and human-centric design. This approach, he believes, resonates with consumers who no longer pay for tech gimmicks but for experiences that make life more attractive.
