This is not some crazy Chinese concept car that somehow ended up in a parking lot. Nope. This is the Baojun KiWi EV, it is very much a production car and one of the wackiest Chinese cars ever. The design is mad, with super short overhangs, tiny wheels, the headlights immediately under the windshield, and bumpers that are fully integrated into the car’s lower body.
Baojun is a brand under SGMW, SAIC-General Motors-Wuling Motors, a 3-way joint venture that sells cars under the Baojun and Wuling brands. The joint venture was founded in 2002.
The Baojun KiWi EV was launched in 2020. Initially, it was called the Baojun E300. In 2021, it was renamed Baojun KiWi EV. In 2023, it received a small facelift. The car that I saw is a pre-facelift example.
The interior is almost as crazy as the exterior. The windshield is enormous! But the craziest thing is the endless distance between that windshield and the steering wheel, caused mainly by safety demands. The A-pillar is quite thin so visibility seems fine. The faux-leather seats look cool in gray with ‘KiWi EV’ branding on the headrests.
The drive selector and a separate electronic handbrake button are mounted on the steering wheel column. It has a row of buttons on the right side of the wheel, angled away from the driver. There is a small letterbox driver’s display in front of the steering wheel. In the middle of the dash is a big square air vent. Just crazy, but so cool.
The warning light button is in the middle on the left side of the wheel, angled away from the driver again.
The Baojun KiWi EV is a 3-door 4-seat car, but the seats in the back are only large enough for kids or grandma. Note the hinges for the rear door, located on the roof, they are designed to look like streamlined pods. The tire size, you won’t believe is, is 155/70 R13! Yes, the KiWi EV has 13-inch wheels.
A huge window again, great for visibility. Size: 2894/1655/1595, with a 2020 wheelbase and a 1040 curb weight. The KiWi EV is a rear-wheel drive car. The motor puts out 40 kW and 150 Nm, good for a 105 km/h top speed. Electricity is stored in a 31.9 kWh LFP battery which takes the KiWi EV 305 kilometers far.
Baojun (宝骏) means Treasured Horse. The logo is a stylized horse head, printed on the charging port’s door. The windshield wipers are huge! In 2021, the KiWi EV sold for 78.800 yuan. The current model sells for 87.800 yuan ($12K). Eight is a lucky number in Chinese culture, so there’s always a lot of ‘8’ in pricing. Well, I guess, everyone who owns a Baojun KiWi EV is lucky for driving such a crazily brilliant Chinese electric car.