What interesting choices we have
The new BAIC B30e Dune looks cute enough to be taken as not serious in some ways. It has straight lines and curved edges, it isn’t overly aggressive in looks and kind of has its own vibe. So the name Dune actually works, it kind of reminds you of a modern take on what would be a combination of dune buggies and the old IH type vehicles before anyone dreamed up the phrase Sport Utility Vehicle. It puts a smile on your face.
Then it puts the power down, and in so many ways. It has a very flexible power platform, using either one (for the 4×2) or two(for the 4×4) electric motors to do most of the work. There is a gasoline engine that can power the wheels or just create the energy for the batteries depending on what you are requesting with your foot or one of the 7 drive modes. It is pretty seamless, in the sense that you aren’t constantly being told what the engine or motor are doing and why. The platform just wants to give you the power, and sorts it out as needed. The engine may come on at start-up for example if the battery is low, or it would come on at higher speeds to create more oomph and because at highway speeds is when the fuel engines are more efficient.
There is a huge argument for both ways with this car, really. The 4×2 is a nice simple urban vehicle that doesn’t need the go-rough stuff, while the 4×4 with RealTime Intelligent 4-Wheel Drive and seven modes and 215-mm ground clearance really make it workable in the dirt, or water, or mud, or snow. I would use it to bring the kids to school primarily, though.
The car, as I said, makes you smile with its looks. It isn’t really being anything it is not. And it has fun details. The cover for the interior rear area that keeps your stuff out of sire doubles as, get this, a small fold-out table. There is an extending hook on the interior rear hatch to hang stuff on.
It drives nicely, though we haven’t brought it out to highway speeds. It is quiet enough to sneak up on sleeping dogs and chewing goats. You have a wealth of choices in terms of what you want the car, and there is a particular detail that is very useful for those that actually go camping or want to power serious equipment. There is a mode that will allow to have the car put out power to supply household appliances, some of them at least, and it has the three-pronged socket to match. So it would act similarly to what you would use a generator for if camping. Because the fuel engine can still power the cars (unlike some where the internal combustion engine only acts to charge the battery) you should always have a way to drive home or charge the car if you have fuel in your tank.
Fresh thinking that brings innovation. It probably never occurred to many people that the world needed a fully electric off-road capable SUV or crossover, but guess what? They make sense, they fill a need or a market or a desire.
The B30e Dune is not like the cars of old, where one model is meant to fill most needs. In today’s world there are increasing differences of lifestyles and demands and we thankfully have the production abilities to create increasingly specific platforms. So, while this vehicle may not mix right for someone looking for the most traditional of vehicles, it may be spot-on for those who get the whole idea. Or want something that kinda’ looks like a modern combination of a dune buggy and an old bronco. Which is pretty cool actually.
