We reported earlier that MG Motor India will introduce 7 new cars and SUVs in the Indian market in the next 2 years. Most of these models will come with electric & hybrid powertrains, as MG Motor India has no plans to introduce ICE-only vehicles. In fact, MG Motor had patented the design of Baojun Yep rugged mini SUV with design inspiration comes from Suzuki Jimny. What’s interesting is that the Baojun Yep compact SUV will also receive a five-door version in select markets.
The company has also started testing the 5-door version of the Baojun Yep. Rumoured to be called the Baojun Yep Plus, the new compact EV SUV is likely to be launched in the Chinese market in the first quarter of this year. What’s interesting is that MG Motor will also launch an all-new Comet EV based compact SUV in our market in 2025. We believe that the Comet EV-based SUV could be the Indianized version of the Yep Plus.
The Baojun Yep Plus is basically the longer version of the Yep electric SUV that is on sale in the Chinese market. Going by the spy images, it is visible that the 5-door model will ride on longer wheelbase. The 3-door mini EV measures 3.4 meters in length, while the LWB Yep Plus is expected to be closer to 4 meters in length. The spotted model looks largely identical to the 3-door Yep, featuring the retro-boxy styling. The big changes are made to the side profile, which accommodates bigger doors.
The report claims that the Baojun Yep Plus will get a larger battery pack than the one offered on the 3-door Yep mini EV. The small EV is packed with a 28.1kWh battery unit, which is claimed to have a range of 303km. The 3-door EV SUV comes with a rear axle mounted electric motor that produces 68hp and 140Nm of torque. It is claimed to offer an electronically limited top speed of 100kph.
The India-bound MG compact electric SUV will be based on the SAIC’s Global Small Electric Vehicle (GSEV) platform, which also underpins the MG Comet EV and the Baojun Yep. It could be the mildly revised version of the Baojun Yep. We believe that MG could launch both derivatives of the compact electric SUV in our market with 3-door model to come first in early next year.
