MG Motors Filed Design Patent For Baojun Yep Electric SUV In India - Chinese Dominance?

Baojun Yep, the all-new electric SUV, has just hit the roads in China, and it's creating quite a buzz. This sleek and eco-friendly SUV is making waves for its stunning design, impressive features, and compact size.

There were speculations about the possibility of Yep EV making its way to India, bearing the badge of MG Motors. Confirming the earlier speculations, MG's parent company, SAIC, has now filed a design patent for the Yep EV in India.

It is evident from the design patent that the electric SUV will likely retain its original design from the China-spec model. The only noticeable changes will be the MG badges at the front and rear, along with a few additional badges as it is customary for MG vehicles.

As per reports, MG will only introduce the Yep after processing its second round of investment, to finance MG's new manufacturing plant in Halol, Gujarat. We can expect a launch date somewhere around 2025.

The Yep electric SUV has a retro-themed boxy design resembling the Maruti Suzuki Jimny and Ford Bronco. The SUV uses the same Global Small Electric Vehicle platform (GSEV), used in the MG Comet and comes with a similar 3-door layout with four seats.

Baojun Yep SUV has a 28.1kWh battery pack that powers the rear axle-mounted electric motor, producing 68bhp of power and 140Nm of peak torque. Yep can reach a top speed of 100km/h, and has a range of 303km.

The battery of the Yep can be charged from 30-80 per cent in just 35 minutes using a DC fast charger and from 20-80 per cent in 8.5 hours using an AC adapter. However, this could vary in the Indian-spec model, as the battery pack will be sourced locally.

Yep is feature packed and gets a three-spoke steering wheel, drive selector, and a proper functional glove box along with a 10.25-inch infotainment system, a digital instrument cluster, a battery temperature management system, a rearview camera, heated front seats, an electrically adjustable driver's seat, and four USB ports.

The top-end variant of the electric SUV also gets ADAS with adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, forward collision warning, blind-spot monitoring, a 360-degree camera, and an automatic parking assist.

One of the most interesting features of the Yep electric SUV is the optional LCD screen, which is given on the tailgate and it can show personalized messages and can be adjusted using the connectivity app.

The Yep electric SUV is expected to come with a higher price tag compared to the Comet EV. But with MG's localisation efforts, the SUV is expected to be reasonably priced in the Indian market.

Thoughts On MG Filing Patent For Baojun Yep SUV Design In India

With the new developments regarding the Yep SUV, it is quite clear that MG is trying to dominate the entry-level EV segment. Currently, MG Comet is the most affordable EV in India. And for the customers, this new upcoming SUV will be an additional option to consider.