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Tiny Chinese micro-truck seen with vintage-style roof rack, whitewall tires and rear screen ahead of May 25 launch
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–> by Chris Chilton
2 hours ago
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by Chris Chilton
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The Baojun Yep micro SUV already looks pretty cool thanks to its boxy body, square fender flares, and Lilliputian dimensions. But it appears that buyers who want to stand out, even more, will soon be able to accessorize the midget off-roader with a range of retro accessories.
New pictures of the Yep fitted with a shiny chrome roof rack and chrome mirror caps, bumper covers, hub caps, and whitewall tires appear on Baojun’s official app together with an announcement that the truck will debut on May 25. The roof racks are apparently strong enough to hold 66 lbs (30 kg) of luggage, and will no doubt prove helpful in carrying everything you can’t fit in the minute interior space.
Adding some modernity to that classic look is a large square digital display on the side-hinged rear door between the two taillights that looks like a smartwatch, which we wrote about a couple of weeks back. The Apple Watch-style display can be used to show messages to other drivers and is an idea we’ve seen before on concept cars, but it is going to be massive on production vehicles in the next few years.
The Suzuki Jimny-esque Yep measures just 3,381 mm (133.1 inches) long, 1,685 mm (66.3 inches) wide, and 1,721 mm (67.8 inches) tall, meaning it’s 214 mm (8.4 inches) shorter than the ICE-powered Suzuki. But that’s not the only difference. While the Jimmy comes exclusively with combustion power, the Yep says no to ICE and is available only with electric power.
Related: GM’s Adorable Chinese Baojun EV Has A Gigantic Smartwatch On Its Tailgate
According to papers filed with the Chinese Ministry of Information and Technology the Yep will launch with a single motor that sends its 67 hp (50 kW / 68 PS) and 103 lb-ft (140 Nm) to the rear wheels, though dual motor, all-wheel drive variants are expected later. Let’s hope so because the RWD SUV is limited to just 62 mph (100 km/h), while an LFP (lithium-ion phosphate) battery of unknown size gives a claimed 188 miles (303 km) of driving range.
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One aspect that sounds particularly interesting is the ADAS driver safety system, which Car News China says comes from DJI, a company best known for its drones. But anyone familiar with DJI’s craft knows they come with collision avoidance tech, though it’s most often used for avoiding trees, not other SUVs.
Baojun is a sub-brand of the SAIC-GM-Wulling (SGMW) joint venture that competes with other domestic Chinese companies like Chery and Geely. The company also recently revealed images of the Yep as a pickup truck, though it hasn’t confirmed whether it’s serious about bringing that body style to the market. Car News China reports that the Yep will cost around 100,000 yuan ($14,385) and be built in the SGMW plant in Chongqing, alongside the phenomenally successful Wuling Air and other Baojun cars.
