Baojun Introduces Larger and Mightier Yep Plus To Boost SUV Sales
by AutoExpert | 16 January, 2024
In response to feedback and sluggish sales, Baojun, a collaboration between China's SAIC, Wuling, and General Motors, is taking an improvisational approach by introducing a larger version of its compact SUV, the Yep.
Meet the Yep Plus, adding two doors and extra practicality to the cute SUV, which only saw 14,683 units sold in 2023. Priced at 83,800 yuan (approximately US$11,800), Baojun had hopes for more robust sales.
While the standard Yep, with a 28.1 kWh battery, covers 188 miles (303 km) per charge with 67 hp and two doors, the Yep Plus extends its range to 249 miles (401 km) and boosts power to 101 hp. With a top speed of 93 mph (150 km/h), Baojun aims to attract more buyers with increased performance and practicality.
The Yep Plus maintains the boxy, off-road-ready design of the standard Yep, even though it's intended for city living. Sporting a two-tone paint job, it gives off a vibe reminiscent of a smaller Ford Bronco Sport. Details on the interior are yet to be revealed, but the Yep comes with a standard 10.25-inch touchscreen and a matching-sized instrument screen, offering unexpected tech features for its price.
Though the Yep Plus seems to have lost the trunk-mounted screen for communicating with vehicles behind, it might be available as an option. Expected to hit the Chinese market in the first quarter of 2024, the Yep Plus's pricing remains undisclosed, but Chinese media estimates it to be around 150,000 yuan (about US$21,100).