With the advent of electric cars, companies that have never manufactured an automobile before are venturing into EVs, at least in China. The latest example is Yue 01 EV launched by a third-wave Chinese automaker called EV House.
The company was previously known as Xinte Automobile. During the pandemic, it withdrew itself from the market but then in August 2021, it re-appeared with a new name, new team, and new strategy that targets the young consumer group, and also signed a manufacturing agreement with VGV, a subsidiary of the state-owned Sinotruck, one of China’s largest truck makers founded in 1930.
Yue 01 is the second vehicle launched by EV House after the Young Guangxiaoxin mini EV that was introduced in 2021. Yue 01 measures 3,750/1,655/1,550 mm with a 2,415 mm wheelbase and is very much comparable in dimensions with the Wuling Bingo EV or slightly larger than the new Suzuki Swift we have here.
The styling elements consist of triangular-shaped headlamp housing with dashed LEDs and a fully closed fascia up front. The side profile shows strong creases and a thick C-pillar whereas the rear gets a full-width tail light setup with a similar dashed LED treatment, dissected by the EV House logo. Other styling cues include a rear spoiler, a charging port on the front fender, dual-color exterior colors, and 15-inch aluminum alloy wheels.
The minimalistic interior with a dual-tone color scheme features a 10.1-inch vertically oriented central control screen, a 7-inch LCD instrument panel, a two-spoke flat-bottom steering wheel, and circular air-conditioning outlets. The center console has a rotary gear knob, a wireless charging pad, and two cup holder slots while overall the number of physical buttons is minimal as the functions are integrated into the screens.
Available in 6 variants, the Yue 01 is priced between 59,800 – 79,800 yuan ($8,300 – $11,000) making it cheaper than the 660cc Suzuki Alto variants here.
The top-spec variant comes with functions such as keyless entry, remote start, remote control, OTA updates, voice recognition, and advanced driving assistance capabilities including adaptive cruise control and autonomous parking, which are enabled via two ultrasonic radars. The entry-level model has seats made up of fabric material while the rest of the variants get imitation leather seats which can be folded down to create additional storage space.
All Yue 01 variants are powered by a front-mounted electric motor that outputs 35 kW and 125 Nm with a top speed of 100 km/h. Two lithium iron phosphate battery pack options are offered: 24 kWh and 32.56 kWh, providing 251 km and 335 km CLTC cruising range respectively. Under fast charging, it takes 30 minutes to replenish the battery from 30% to 80%. The slow charging time has not yet been revealed as yet.
The Yue 01 by EV House is yet another addition to an endless array of electric vehicles available for car buyers in China, the world’s largest automobile market.
