China now is not only home to the world’s largest car market but also to one with biggest sales of battery-electric vehicles. Even Tesla plans to produce their cars there.
Baojun, one of the China’s best-selling brands, says that BEVs should make up for around 20% of total car sales in 2025. Which is why Chevrolet’s sister-brand is offering the E200 BEV for sale there as an update of the E100.
But as you may know well, making two-seat BEVs isn’t really a natural business case because they cost just as much to develop as four-seaters. With government subsidies, the E200 goes for 40,000 yuan (around 200,000 baht). Without state help, it’s 100,000 yuan (500,000 baht). Last year, Baojun sold 50,000 E200s mainly in its hometown of Liuzhou.
Considering that Chinese-made BEVs can come to Thailand with no import duty, the E200 could retail for some 600,000 baht if adding other petty taxes. That’s the price level of an Ecocar like the Toyota Yaris.
Yes, that’s already the first challenge. And the next one would probably be its size as Thais usually don’t like extra-small cars with less practicality and perceived levels of crash safety.
That’s also a reason why you can hardly see a Fomm One, a super-compact BEV priced at 668,000, on Thai roads. Which is probably why the E200 won’t sell in Thailand, even if it was to be rebadged as a Chevy.
But there’s still much to like about the E200. Its 2.5m length makes it a doddle to handle in tight road space and U-turns. The 1.6m width helps for ample elbow room for two on board. And speaking about that, the minimalist cabin has a new-age look with sassy colours and shapes. China’s Smart, perhaps.
But probably not a Smart when it comes to the driving bit. As the E200 has been developed primarily for Chinese urban streets, Mercedes-Benz’s small car division had to ensure that Smart can handle European mountain roads and motorways.
The E200 comes with an electric system developing 40hp and 110Nm. A 22kWh battery allows for 200km driving range which is certainly enough if you live and work in the same city.
Around Baojun’s test track, the E200’s drivetrain does what other BEVs do: pick up power instantly upon the driver’s desires while delivering that electric swoosh on the ears. Of course, it isn’t super-quick, but sluggish it ain’t.
Capping the top speed to 100kph is a good idea. It’s not that the E200 can’t go faster but for how it handles that matters more. This is an 830kg car with very compact dimensions. So while the ride’s acceptably comfortable, the E200 does have its limitations in handling. Drive over a mid-corner bump at speed and the E200 feels very much on the edge.
But use it as how its maker wishes you to do, the E200 makes much sense. It’s easy to drive at real-world speeds and offers a seating package suitable for single-person commuting, something so evident in Thailand.
Like what some other brands are doing, the E200 could initially be deployed into various state or university campuses in the country. But that’s only an idea.
