Indian Autos Blog reader, Rafi Khan (Instagram.com),
snapped the Baojun E100 EV on test in the country. As reported earlier, MG
Motor India has imported multiple vehicles, including a sedan, an electric SUV,
and this E100 EV, though the company has no launch plans, at least made public,
for these products. Upon closer inspection, the poster on the rear windscreen says the
E100 EV is on a project test by International Centre for Automotive Technology
(ICAT) for the Government of India.
Baojun, a low-cost brand from China conceived for
low-tier cities, is a joint venture of SAIC Motor (the parent company of MG
Motor), Wuling Motors and GM China. For the Indian market, Baojun's SUV, the
Baojun 530, will be used to launch MG Motor as a brand, as per reports. The
market introduction is to take place by June 2019.
Coming to the E100 EV, the urban EV packs a single
electric motor that outputs 40 PS and 110 Nm of torque. A 14.9 kWh
lithium-ion battery pack delivers this energy with a claimed charge time of 7.5
hours. A full charge provides a range of 155 km, however continuous improvement
to the technology has improved it by 30 percent to 200 km. The E100 EV can
attain a top speed of 100 km/h.
Seemingly inspired by the Smart ForTwo, the E100 EV
measures just 2,488 mm in length, 1,506 mm in width, 1,617 mm in height and has
a 1,600 mm wheelbase. Needless to say it seats two people including the driver,
but with a tight turning radius of 3.7 meters, the E100 EV is positioned as a
green urban runabout for China's congested cities.
