Meet the Baojun Yep: The Mini Urban SUV with a Mighty Personality and a Roof Rack for Your Groceries
Ahoy there, you petrolheads and electric vehicle (EV) enthusiasts! Today we dive into the world of Baojun's latest toy, the Yep mini urban SUV. And when I say "mini," I mean "might as well call it a shoebox on wheels." But don't be fooled, this little rascal is more than meets the eye.
In their official app, which I assume is not a game of Candy Crush, Baojun unveiled some tantalizing snaps of the Yep. It's all decked out with roof racks that look like they've been nicked from a 1960s beach buggy. And they can carry a whopping...66.1 lbs (30 kg). Yes, that's right. You can put your groceries on the roof. Or, if you're into that kind of thing, a very small, very light kayak.
Now, the Yep is supposedly targeted at the young, hip crowd. How do I know? Well, there's a bloody massive Apple Watch-styled LCD screen on the back for you to flash cheeky messages at fellow road users. "Overtaking you," "Still overtaking you"...you get the drift. This, according to Baojun, allows the youth to express their personalities. Nothing screams individuality like a customizable car rear, I suppose.
Now, there's been a deluge of images of this thing online. It's harder to keep track of than a cat with a bad case of wanderlust. Some pictures show the Yep masquerading as a pickup truck. Yes, you read that right. A mini urban SUV pretending to be a pickup. And no, we're not sure if this will actually make it into production, or if someone at SGMW Design had too many pints at lunch.
Oh, and it also comes in six new official colours. No word on whether "invisible" is one of them.
Then we've got the fan art. My personal favourite? The image of the Yep doing what appears to be a failed impression of a Land Rover. Or the one where it's carrying a kayak or a ton of gear. On its 66.1 lbs (30 kg) -rated roof racks. Now that's ambition!
In terms of specs, this pocket rocket measures in at 133.1/66.3/67.8 inch (3,381/1,685/1,721 mm), with a wheelbase shorter than the queue for the latest iPhone. It tips the scales at 2217.9 lbs (1006 kg), which is about the same as two adult male lions. The heart of this beast is a single 50 kW motor, offering a top speed of 62 mph (100 km/h). Perfect for outrunning lawnmowers.
The battery? It's an LFP one, offering a range of 188 miles (303 km) according to the ridiculously optimistic CLTC standards. And to make things more interesting, they've teamed up with drone maker DJI to include an ADAS system called Lingxi. Because who doesn't want a drone company involved in their car's driving?
The Baojun brand is part of the SGMW joint venture, which is a bit like a supergroup of car manufacturers. They've recently decided to shower Baojun with attention, collaborating with Alibaba and DJI to create the KiWi EV. Now they've turned their sights onto the Yep.
This week, they've released pictures of another new EV, previously codenamed the Baojun EQ100. Now it's the Baojun Yunduo, a hatchback-MPV hybrid, all set to take on the BYD Dolphin.
As for the Yep's price tag, it's around USD 14,400 (RMB 100,000). It'll be born in the SGMW plant in Chongqing, where it'll rub shoulders with the Wuling AirEV and other Baojun models. So there you have it, folks. The Baojun Yep: a mini urban SUV for those who like to live on the edge of 66.1 lbs (30 kg). For those who want to express themselves on a screen normally found on a wrist, not a car. For those who look at a roof rack and say, "Yes. Yes, I do need a place to carry my feather-light kayak."
Courtesy of Sugar Design
And before I finish, let me remind you of the most critical point. Remember, this little firecracker is geared towards the younger generation. So, if you're about my age, you might want to consider whether it's a good fit. Unless, of course, you want to use that rear LCD to tell tailgaters to "back off or I'll hit you with my walking stick."
In a world that's getting more and more electrified, this mini urban SUV is certainly a quirky addition. It may not be the most powerful or the fastest, but it does have personality. And a 66.1 lbs (30 kg) roof rack. Did I mention that?
And on that bombshell, it's time to end. Baojun Yep, ladies and gentlemen: The future of mini urban SUVs. Or a good laugh, at the very least. Either way, I think I need a lie down.
Yours truly,
Captain Electro.
