If it looks like a Mini-Ev, drives like a Mini-EV, look closer- it might be a Lingbox Uni. Following the Chery QQ Ice Cream and the Dongfeng Fengguang MINI EV, Lingbox has cloned the Mini-EV, too. Called the Lingbox Uni, the profile and design are near identical to Wuling’s creation. Cover up the Lingbox’s not-inspired-by-Bluetooth logo and we won’t be able to tell the Uni from the Mini.
Apparently, the copying machine stopped
working when it got to the rear of the Uni, so Lingbox’s designers actually did
some designing. Rounded lights and Lingbox lettering over the rear hatch give
the Uni some character! Much better than a clone- why didn’t they continue
designing the whole car?
Interestingly, the cloning comes to an
abrupt halt on the inside, too; Unlike the Mini Ev’s cute, minimalistic
interior, the Uni’s looks dated and cheap. Traditional dials and a monochrome
screen aren’t very fitting for an EV. The gear shifter lives between the two
front seats; while phone storage and some physical buttons are placed under the
center air vents. Kind of bland, huh?
Measuring 2930/1517/1620 mm with a 1940 mm
wheelbase, the Uni is 13mm longer, 24mm wider and just 1 mm shorter than the
real deal. A 20kW motor should give the Lingbox Uni more kick than the Mini
EV’s 13kW unit. We don’t know what kind of battery or range the Uni will get,
probably similar to the Mini EV. Pricing is likely a bit cheaper than the
Mini-EV, as that’s how cloned cars work in China.
