The Geely Panda was revived as a cute and boxy mini-EV earlier this year. Now called the Panda Mini EV, it’s Geely’s answer to the Wuling Mini EV and Wuling Air, as well as the Jetour Ice Cream’s that’s also available locally. But now, there’s a new version of the Panda Mini EV that might appeal to the outdoorsy types.
It’s called the Geometry Panda Knight EV, and it gives the mini electric car a bit of a crossover makeover. The Panda Knight EV is sold under Geely’s new marque, but it’s still the Panda Mini EV through and through. If anything, the front end reminds us of a little bit of the Ford Bronco.
OTHER STORIES YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED:
Quezon City government promises protection to cyclist in viral road rage incident
License of driver in viral road rage video suspended; could be permanently revoked
Of course, there are other bits that make it look more ‘adventurous’ aside from the blacked-out headlight panel. The Panda Knight EV gets a more substantial front bumper with faux nudge bars and a pair of tow hooks. It also gets grab handles on the hood, but we assume those are cosmetic and not for hanging on if the car ends up in axle-deep mud.
Body cladding is a given, and it surrounds the entire bottom half of the car. At the back, it gets a unique taillight arrangement and bumper to match the butch front end. Curiously, the car has a ladder on the side, and we doubt you’ll need to reach the roof. We say it’s purely for aesthetics. Unique alloy wheel designs complete the crossover look.
Mind you, it doesn’t look like the Panda Knight EV gets any mechanical upgrades over the standard model. The ground clearance appears similar to the Panda Mini EV, and it also uses the same powertrain combination. It’s powered by a single electric motor that powers the rear wheels, and it’s good for 40hp and 110Nm of torque. As for range, it’s good for 200 kilometers on a single charge.
It doesn’t seem likely that this model will make its way to the Philippines. But if you’re curious, it retails for 50,000 yuan, or about P390,000 at current conversion costs.
