GM Launches a $5300 Electric Car in China

When it comes to all-electric vehicles (EVs) (not the Priuses and Vezels out there) in Pakistan, nothing of note comes to mind.

However this new electric car from General Motors in China might break the mold. Called the Baojun B100, this tiny two seater EV can run 155 km on a single charge and costs around Rs. 563,000 (or 35,800 Chinese Yuan).

It is so popular in China that over 5,000 people registered for the first 200 cars. Another 500 cars were made available the next day.

The problem is that the B100 is only available in China. GM co-developed the Baojun B100 with SAIC, one of the largest car makers in China.

Its tiny, like half-a-Mehran tiny.

Dimensions and Turning Radius

It comes with a 5.25 ft wheelbase and is 5.48 ft tall with a turning radius of 12.14 ft. A car this size is perfect for navigating tight corners and jam packed urban areas in Lahore, Rawalpindi or Karachi.

Interior

Moving on towards the interior, the B100 features a minimalistic cabin with a 7 inch touchscreen up front with Wi-Fi and infotainment capabilities. The airvents are integrated into the dashboard, similar to Tesla Model 3.

The steering wheel offers the standard set of controls with volume and side mirror adjustment.

Like I mentioned earlier, the car is around half the size of a standard Suzuki Mehran however that doesn’t mean it compromises much in terms of space.

The cabin is spacious, for two people, and has ample boot space.

You might notice that there is no e-brake (or handbrake, as we call it). Look closely, there is a tiny handle which serves as the e-brake on Baojun B100:

Performance and Range

Being an EV, the B100 uses an electric motor, capable of producing 110 Nm of torque with 39 horsepower (29 KW of power).

As you might know about Toyota’s Prius and other hybrid cars, you can’t go too fast in electric mode. B100 is an exception in this case and can manage up to 100 km/h on highways.

As mentioned earlier Baojun B100 has a maximum range of 155 km, when fully charged. Speaking of charged, the EV charges up fully in 7.5 hours through a regular wall socket.

The suspension includes an independent front-wheel suspension and single-arm rear suspension on the back.

Safety Features

Safety features include ABS with electronic brake force distribution. In addition, the regenerative braking saves power while braking. It also comes with ISOFIX locks for seatbelts, particularly for child safety, parking sensors and a pedestrian alert system.