BAW Yuanbao 3-door

The cheap Wuling Mini EV, which was sold in a quantity of 426,000 units last year, will get another competitor. The Beijing company BAW, which is part of the BAIC concern, has shown its version called the BAW Yuanbao (also known as BAW S3).

The three-door electric car has exactly the same form factor as the Mini EV: “cubic” proportions, flat body panels, large side doors and a small trunk. However, BAW deviated from the “canonical” parameters and made the Yuanbao larger than its competitor.

If the Mini EV has a length of no more than three meters, then the BAW Yuanbao is 3151 mm long, and its wheels are 13-inch instead of 12-inch. Width – 1498 mm, height – 1585 mm, wheelbase – 2050 mm. Expensive versions will have LED headlights and 360-degree cameras.

The four-seat interior of the BAW Yuanbao is the richest among competitors: it is equipped with a digital instrument panel and full-fledged touchscreen of the media system (both with a diagonal of 10.25 inches). Air conditioning and bright upholstery are provided. But neither the second row of seats nor the trunk can boast of spaciousness.

Technically, the BAW Yuanbao is similar to the Wuling Mini EV. It has a rear-wheel drive with a solid axle and spring suspension. The electric motor produces 27 hp and 85 Nm. There are three options for inexpensive lithium-iron-phosphate batteries to choose from, their capacity is not named, but the passport mileage is announced: 120, 170 or 200 km according to the outdated NEDC cycle. Charging lasts six to eight hours, and the maximum speed is 100 km/h.