Beijing (北京) is one of the oldest Chinese car brands, named after the capital city. Beijing Automotive Group (BAIC) is the owner of the Beijing brand. The brand sells a series of off-road style SUVs with ICE, HEV, and PHEV power trains.
The Beijing brand launched the second-generation BJ40 in 2024. It is a cool-looking car. Very boxy, a bit retro, with lots of off-road-ish black cladding around the vehicle. Everything looks sold & large, like the mirrors, door handles, and wheel arches. It also has running boars, an ADAS sensor at the front fender, mud flaps (yeah!), and a spare wheel on the back.
Interior
In recent years, Beijing’s interiors have improved a lot. Only a few years ago, the screens were small with buttons and switches all over the place. And now, look at this! A luxury cabin with leather seats, orange stitching, and a huge sunroof. The driver’s display measures 10.25 inches, and the giant touchscreen is a twin-12.8-inch unit. The drive selector is at the center tunnel, accompanied by a control knob. It also has a 12-speaker audio system and a 256-color ambient lighting system.
There is a lot of space in the back too. The BJ40e is a large car: 4790/1940/1964, 2760. The curb weight is 2640 kg.
Specifications
The Beijing BJ40 is available with ICE and EREV powertrains. The BJ40e is the EREV version. EREV powertrains are known for their complexity, and the BJ40e is no exception. The AWD system consists of a 1.5-liter turbocharged range extender and two electric motors, one at the front and one at the rear. The combined output is 403 kW (548 hp) and 655 Nm. The top speed is limited to 180 km/h and 0-100 takes 5.5 seconds. It has an 82-liter fuel tank and a 40.3 kWh ternary lithium battery. The EV range is 152 kilometers and the combined range is a massive 1200 kilometers.
Characters at the bottom: 北汽集团, Běiqì Jítuán, BAIC Group. That is short for 北京汽车集团有限公司, Beijing Automotive Group Co., Ltd. The BJ40e is quite capable off-road, with an approach angle of 38 degrees and a departure angle of 37 degrees.
The Beijing BJ40e is available in two trim levels, and the name(s) are brilliant: the BJ40 EREV Magic Nuclear Power Drive Standard Edition and the BJ40 EREV Magic Nuclear Power Drive Advanced Edition. The Beijing brand often uses trim-level names that refer to China’s space program or its energy program. “Magic Nuclear Power Drive”, that’s a great one for bragging at the bar!