The model is a spiritual successor of the Jiangnan TT which was nothing more but a rebadged second-gen Suzuki Alto for the Chinese market
What does the second-gen Suzuki Alto from the ’80s have in common with a Chinese EV? As weird as it sounds, in the case of the Jiangnan U2, the answer is common design heritage. Jiangnan Automobile, a company that used to produce the rebadged Suzuki Alto as one of the cheapest cars in China, is making a comeback this year with a significantly more modern offering.
The Jiangnan U2 is also not a fully original vehicle, as it is heavily based on the Ruixiang Hoen O2 from BAIC. Even though it shares most of its body panels with the latter, it has a distinctive front end that may be related to the Jiangnan TT (2001–2010), which was the name of one of the second-generation Suzuki Altos that were rebadged and sold in China from 1984 to 1988.
Read: Elon Musk Says Tesla’s Closest Rival Will Come Out Of China
Some will say that the black fascia with rounded rectangular LED headlights is loosely reminiscent of the Honda e, but that’s what you get with retro-futuristic designs. The Ruixiang Hoen O2 has a similar sleek profile with a short bonnet, short overhangs, and an aerodynamic windshield. The EV also gets flush door handles a duo-tone look, a panoramic sunroof, a rear spoiler, and large 17-inch alloy wheels.
The Jiangnan U2 measures 3,840 mm (151.2 inches) long with a wheelbase of 2,521 mm (99.3 inches), placing it in the urban EV segment. We don’t have detailed photos of the interior, but we can see seats with fabric upholstery and a free-standing infotainment display on the center console. As reported by Autohome, the Jiangnan U2 will be available with two powertrain options producing either 74 hp (55 kW / 75 PS) and 120 Nm (88.5 lb-ft) or 107 hp (80 kW / 109 PS) and 160 Nm (118 lb-ft), both sending power to the front wheels.
It will also come with two different types of lithium iron phosphate batteries, each with a range of 305 kilometers (190 miles) and 406 kilometers (252 miles), according to Chinese standards. The Jiangnan U2’s price or availability in China is unknown, but the company is known for making cheap cars, so it should be cheap Zotye used to own Jiangnan, which made Suzuki- and Fiat-based models in China before going bankrupt.
We will be keeping an eye out for more details about the new era of the brand and its EV offerings.
Some people will say that the black fascia with the rounded rectangular LED headlights reminds them a little bit of the Honda e, but that’s what happens when you have designs that are both retro and futuristic. The Ruixiang Hoen O2 has a similar sleek profile with a short bonnet, short overhangs, and an aerodynamic windshield. Additionally, the EV has large 17-inch alloy wheels, a panoramic sunroof, flush door handles, a dual-tone appearance, and a rear spoiler.
With a wheelbase of 2,521 mm (99.3 inches) and a length of 3,840 mm (151.2 inches), the Jiangnan U2 falls into the category of urban electric vehicles. Although we do not have any in-depth images of the interior, we are able to see seats with fabric upholstery and a center console-mounted, free-standing information display.
