The BAIC B81 has been unveiled at Auto China 2026, and, as indicated by the ‘B’ in its name, it is yet another rugged electric SUV with road presence, suitable for everyday city driving yet capable* of off-road adventures—with an asterisk, that is.
At first glance, the B81 looks like a metal block on wheels. It features hard lines and squared-off corners as you’ve come to expect from a military-inspired vehicle—BAIC even placed two booth presenters in SWAT-inspired uniforms just in case it wasn’t clear enough.
Anyway, the design reminds us of the Kogata (Type 73) mixed with the G-Wagon. The front fascia features circular headlights inside square frames, a large grille with vertical slats, and a rugged bumper with two fog lights.
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The rear gets reverse lights on the bumper, blacked-out taillights, a split-opening rear gate, and a step board for easy ingress and egress.
Moving onto the side, this is where you get an appreciation of the B81’s boxy silhouette. The mirrors are chunky, the windows are shaped like an old television set, and the fenders protrude with a generous amount of space for aftermarket tires should you wish to upgrade from the stock rubber.
This is where the asterisk* comes in. The B81 sits on large 22-inch wheels with highway tires. They’re great for driving on the expressway and give the SUV that premium look, but if you want to take this rig on the trails, you’ll probably want to swap them for smaller rims and beefier all-terrain tires.
Aside from that, the SUV comes with a 4x4 drivetrain with front, center, and rear locking differentials. As of writing, the powertrain specifications have not been officially released, but reports say the B81 will be a range-extended electric vehicle, so expect it not to rely on charging stations when it officially comes out.
The BAIC B81 will be launched later this year. By then, we should get a clearer picture of the specs, pricing, and whether or not this SUV will make its way to our local market. Until then, we’ll just have to admire this tactical box on wheels from afar.
More photos of the BAIC B81 at Auto China 2026:
