This is a Changan Lumin, seen on the parking lot of a Changan dealer in south Beijing. The Lumin is an electric minicar launched in 2022. The Lumin has a cool ‘cute’ rounded design with large lights, white aero wheels, black pillars, and pop-out door handles.
Originally, Changan wanted to turn the Lumin name into a new separate EV brand. However, the company changed its plans and the Lumin is now a model under the Changan brand. The Lumin has drum brakes at the rear, just like a Volkswagen ID.3, the rear brakes are rarely used in anger in small electric cars like the Lumin, and it saves the company a few yuan in the process.
The Changan Lumin is based on the EPA0 platform, it is a front-wheel drive car powered by a single electric motor. The output is 30 kW (48 hp) and 87 Nm, good for a 101 km/h top speed and a 0-50 in 6.2 seconds. Of course, consumers don’t buy a Lumin for power. Buyers want a small and practical city car that is cheap to run and is small enough to park everywhere. The Lumin can legally go on the highway but not many will venture that far.
The interior is nice, with a clean design and shiny knobs. It also has an old-school mechanical handbrake, which is quite common in this kind of car. The Changan Lumin seats four adults. Size: 3270/1700/1545, 1980. the trunk is 104 liters or 1140 liters with the rear seats folded down.
Another old-school detail is the keyhole. Very rare in a new Chinese car. It is furthermore equipped with a 7-inch driver’s display and a 10.25-inch infotainment screen. Pretty good for the segment. Buyers can choose between various LFP batteries, depending on their needs and budget: 13.41 kWh for 130 km, 17.65 kWh for 205 km, and 28.08 for 301 kilometers.
The badge on the lower left: Changan. The Lumin has English and Chinese branding. On the hood and on the back are Lumin badges, with a red dot above the i. The badge on the right is the Chinese name of the Lumin:
糯玉米, Nuoyumi, which is also the Chinese name of waxy corn. Changan offers the Lumin in 11 exterior colors, 3 interior color combinations, and 5 trim levels.
The car in the photos is a Changan Lumin Sailing in Barley Yellow with a Charming Gray/Black interior. The Sailing is equipped with the 17.65 kWh battery. It costs 50.900 yuan or $7025. That’s a mighty good deal for such a cool and unusable small electric car in China.