When BYD unveiled the fully electric YangWang U8, many of us saw it as China’s most prominent emulation of the Land Rover Defender. However, a newcomer from a different brand has emerged to challenge this perception. The BAIC Jishi 01 takes strong inspiration from the British off-roader, incorporating subtle elements reminiscent of the Range Rover, along with a plug-in hybrid powertrain. Following the SUV’s appearance on China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology last June, BAIC published the first official photos of the Jishi 01 showing the exterior and interior design prior to its launch which is scheduled for August 22.
The Jishi 01 is unashamedly copying the
style of the Land Rover Defender in terms of proportions, surfacing, and
styling cues. The profile looks nearly identical due to the wheel arches, side
gills, door handles, and straight character line, with the black pillars and
roof making it look even more like a Land Rover product. At the front, the boxy
grille is flanked by Y-shaped headlights sending Range Rover vibes, while the
upright rear end features a side-hinged tailgate with a spare wheel cover. The
lidar sensors mounted on the exterior suggest that the equipment will include
plenty of ADAS.
Interior shots reveal a large tablet-style
infotainment touchscreen in the middle of the dashboard combined with a digital
instrument cluster and a drop-down roof-mounted display for the rear
passengers. The three-row SUV is available in 6-seater (2+2+2) and 7-seater
(2+2+3) configurations, with the former featuring two captain chairs in the
second row. The company published an extra gallery on Weibo showing the
camping-friendly nature of the model which can be equipped with an awning, and
a multi-functional rear door featuring built-in tray and storage compartments.
The Jishi 01 is a large SUV measuring
5,050 mm long, 1,980 mm wide, and 1,869 mm tall in standard configuration, with a wheelbase of 3,010 mm. The company will also offer a longer variant stretching to 5,295 mm long. Those figures place it between the Defender 110 and 130 in
terms of footprint.
The plug-in hybrid powertrain comprises a
turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine, dual electric motors, and a 56kWh
battery pack. The petrol engine produces 150 hp but only
works as a generator with the front and rear electric motors – producing 201 hp and 268 hp respectively – being responsible
for moving the wheels. As reported by Autohome, the PHEV has a pretty long
EV-only range of 235 km, while the combined range with a full tank
of petrol is 1,115 km measured under the WLTC protocol.
Jishi is a new brand set to be introduced
in the Chinese market by BAIC. As reported by Car News China, the brand was
originally created by Rox Motor and called Luo Ke but financial problems led to
the cooperation with BAIC which renamed it. Its first model – the Jishi 01 –
will be locally manufactured by Beijing Automobile Works (BAW), with its market
launch expected soon. Chances are that the SUV will be exhibited at the 2023
Chengdu Motor Show starting August 25, which is three days after Jishi’s
dedicated launch event.
