The SAIC-GM-Wuling joint
venture hosted the official debut of its latest electric car, the E300, which
is sold under the Baojun brand in China. Slotting above the E100 and E200, the
electric vehicle sports a futuristic design that combines sharp edges with soft
creases and kind of reminds us of the Honda E up front.
The automaker said that the
front bumper “echoes the pattern of radar waves” and that the lower part of the
doors is scratch-proof. The car is 2,625 mm long, 1,647 mm wide and 1,588 mm tall, with a 1,750 mm wheelbase and
12-inch wheels wrapped in 145/70 tires.
While very few details were
shared through the company’s press release, local media reports that it will
launch later this year with two, three or four seats. And before claustrophobia
gets the best of you, the latter will be an extended wheelbase version likely
named E300+ with a 30 percent more powerful electric engine at around 55 HP.
GM’s subsidiary said that the
cabin will sport a minimalist styling, with a two-spoke steering wheel located
in front of a floating instrument panel, air vents, buttons and not much else.
Additional details about the interior features, boot capacity and so on have
yet to be released.
Power comes from a tiny
electric motor that kicks out 39 hp and is fed by a 16.8 kWh lithium-ion
battery. The joint venture refrained from announcing official specs like
acceleration, top speed, total range and charging time, but they will do so
before the E300 goes on sale. It is estimated that it will cost between 60,000
and 70,000 yuan in the People’s Republic, after a government subsidy, which
equals to US$ 8,717 and US$ 10,170 at today’s exchange rates.
