MG patents Baojun Yep electric SUV design in India

The design will largely remain unchanged from the China-spec model, save for the branding.

Published On Jul 21, 2023 08:00:00 AM

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We have already reported to you about MG’s plans to bring the Baojun Yep electric SUV to India to be sold as a rebranded MG EV. The Baojun Yep was recently unveiled in production-spec in China, and now, just months later, MG’s parent company, SAIC, has filed a design patent for the SUV in India. The all-electric SUV is expected to hit the market by 2025.

Baojun Yep EV SUV expected to hit the market by 2025
Production will be heavily localised
Will share platform with the Comet EV

Baojun Yep design patent filed in India

As is evident in the design patent, MG’s rebranded Baojun Yep for India will likely remain largely unchanged from the China-spec model. The only change will be the MG badges at the front and rear, and perhaps a few additional badges as is typical to MG. For reference, even the MG Comet is pretty identical to the Wuling Air EV in China, the only difference being that the Comet gets body-coloured bumpers in India, while the China-spec model gets dual-tone bumpers with black inserts.

The Yep is a retro-themed EV SUV with a 3-door layout and accommodates four seats, similar to the Comet EV with which it will share its Global Small Electric Vehicle platform (GSEV). The front profile has simple square LED headlights with a rugged-looking bumper, plastic cladding on the lower half of the body, roof rails, bulky protruding wheel arches and a straightforward rear end design. Like the Comet, the Yep also gets an asymmetrical window design; and in China, it even gets an optional LCD screen on the tailgate that can show personalised messages.

The Yep measures 3,381mm in length, 1,685mm in width and 1,721mm in height, and has a wheelbase of 2,110mm. Compared to the Comet, the Yep is 407mm longer, 180mm wider and 81mm taller, with its wheelbase being 100mm longer.

Baojun Yep powertrain and battery details

The Baojun Yep SUV features a single electric motor on the rear axle that generates 68hp and 140Nm of torque, and its top speed is limited to 100kph. This power is provided by a 28.1kWh lithium-ion phosphate battery that has a range of up to 303km (CLTC). The India-spec model, however, could differ in its specification as the battery pack will be locally sourced, as is the case with the Comet EV.

When will Baojun Yep come to India as an MG?

Our sources tell us the process for bringing the Yep to India will kickstart only after MG India's second round of investment, to finance the second plant in Halol in Gujarat. It's likely to launch sometime in 2025, and while it is not expected to see any direct rivals even then, it will take on the likes of the Citroen eC3 in India.

Speaking of its launch, it is not yet known what the compact electric SUV will be named in India, but we expect it to be priced at a premium over the Comet EV. Thanks to the localisation efforts that MG is already undertaking with the Comet EV, it is likely to be reasonably priced.

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