It drives quietly, barks loudly: what surprised the affordable Russian electric car
The Russian brand Evolve has introduced a new generation of electric crossover i-Joy. The production of the car will be organized in the Lipetsk region, and the Izvestia correspondent managed to test a pre-production sample. There are many amazing things about this car: from the luggage door and the ability to bark to the stated price.
The news about the completion of production of the Evolute i-Pro sedan seemed strange to many. Why remove from the Russian market the most popular model of the Russian brand, which is also in demand in taxis? Wait for the presentation of the new i-Joy, the company hinted. Izvestia was among the first to get acquainted with the new model, and the logic of Evolute's actions became clearer. In fact, the new i-Joy will replace two models at once — the crossover of the same name and the i-Pro sedan, becoming the most affordable electric car of the brand — from 1.79 million rubles. It is clear that this is a price tag, taking into account the state subsidy, but honestly, when have we been offered new products for less than 2 million rubles lately, except for Lada?
The new Evolve i-Joy: how is it better than the old one
The new i-Joy looks like a car much more expensive than it is asked for — fashionable boomerang optics, Xiaomi and BMW door handles, faceted body. The previous Evolve i-Joy, as well as the Evolve i-Pro, were electric versions of budget gasoline models and looked unnecessarily modest.
The dimensions of the Evolve i-Joy are 4306×1868×1654 mm and the wheelbase is 2715 mm. Ground clearance — 180 mm
The design of the car, which is sold in other markets under the DongFeng brand, was created by European stylists known for their work at BMW (Nicolas Huet), Ferrari/Maserati and Alfa Romeo (Ramon Gina). The style is called Magic Cube, that is, the "magic cube" is a magnetic puzzle that allows you to add unusual geometric shapes from a cube. So the designers put together an unusual car.
The crossover attracts attention with its proportions — an impressive distance between the axles for this class, short overhangs. In terms of dimensions, it is slightly shorter than another B+ class crossover, and the wheelbase (2715 mm) is larger than that of a car by a class, or even two classes higher.
The car will be available in five colors: orange, sand, white, green and silver.
It looks cocky, and the protective plastic body kit is the envy of an SUV. However, the drive is only front-wheel drive, and the distance between the axles is too large for off-road adventures. What is a minus in one case becomes a plus in another. Thanks to the size of the wheelbase and the electric vehicle platform, it was possible to create a spacious rear row with a flat floor. The rear doors are wide, like a sedan, and open to a wide angle. Considering that the i-Joy was included in the recommended list of cars for purchases in taxi companies, all these are undoubted advantages.
The new Evolute i-Joy: interior transformation
In profile, it's more like a hatchback, but the luggage door is double-leaf with a folding side, like in a Range Rover. This design has both critics and fans, but the board, as stated, can withstand a load of 150 kg. You can sit in the rain under the raised top flap with a cup of coffee or a fishing rod. Or even go out into nature altogether — a special adapter allows you to power household appliances directly from the battery. In the cabin, you can recline the backs of the front seats, remove the head restraints from them and thus arrange two berths. Or put a tent on the roof, such an opportunity, judging by the photo of the company, is provided. Although what looks like roof rails looks like an imitation.
The interior can be either beige or gray.
The "magic cube" continues to rotate with numerous faces. The trunk is roomy for a small car and is well equipped by modern standards — a shelf, hooks, and a 12 volt outlet. The policy can be installed lower, thereby increasing the volume of the trunk. There are various storage containers throughout the cabin, with and without lids. Separately, we note the wide shelf on the front panel, deep door pockets and a deep glove compartment. They promise to install an additional compartment under the hood, above the electric motor.
There are cup holders almost everywhere — in the folding armrest at the back, in the tray between the front seats; another one, for a large-caliber glass, comes out of the fast-charging console. Recesses under the glasses are made even in the folding side of the luggage door.
The new Evolute i-Joy: interior and equipment
Interior decoration does not look cheap, which should appeal to private buyers. The front panel is soft, covered with a suede-like material. The door sills are soft even at the back. A perforation is made on the plump door card linings, through which the backlight pulsates.
The few hard plastics have different textures and shades, which also makes the interior look more elegant.
The equipment is also by no means budget—friendly - there is already a large multimedia display in the database, electrified front seats with eco-leather upholstery, and the passenger seat on the right is height-adjustable. The climate control is single-zone, but there are air deflectors for the second row. The starter kit includes front and rear parking sensors, an all-round viewing system, front and side airbags, plus inflatable blinds. Once upon a time, a Japanese manufacturer told me how much he saves on small things — for example, by leaving only one auto-powered window key instead of two and only one pocket in the back of the front seat. The Chinese technology partner of Evolve does not save money "on paper clips" — all electric windows in the Evolve i-Joy are equipped with auto mode.
The electric car accelerates from zero to "hundred" in 8 seconds, the stated maximum speed is 150 km/h.
However, it was not without the inherent oddities of automakers from China. For example, only the front seats are heated, despite the fact that the winter package includes heating of the windshield, windshield washer nozzles and steering wheel. The test car was also certified, made in China, and there was no steering wheel adjustment for departure. Hopefully, it will be available on Russian crossovers. It would also be useful to lengthen the seat cushion, as it will seem too short for tall drivers.
The glass of the tailgate has been stripped of its "wiper" for the sake of modern design trends. This controversial decision has already been used by GAC on the GS3 crossover. In bad weather, the glass is instantly overgrown with dirt, and it has to be cleaned manually. If not for this, one could praise the i-Joy for its excellent visibility — the front pillars are thin, the side mirrors are large. Moreover, it is worth praising for the usual physical mirror adjustment unit.
The claimed power reserve is 386 km on the WLTP cycle and 471 km on the CLTC cycle.
Another solution that is fashionable in China and controversial for the Russian climate is electric lock handles. The door is also unlocked from the inside with a button, although there is an emergency mechanical opening handle. Will the mechanism work confidently in the cold? Interestingly, the car body gets dirty only up to the door handles. The doors themselves close the thresholds, so passengers won't get their clothes dirty when boarding.
The funny thing is that there is an external speaker — you can communicate with the world using a simple set of sounds. For example, to reward a car that missed you with applause, and not to miss it — literally bark, or even worse. There is a "farting" soundtrack in stock.
Naturally, there are several melodious sounds in the arsenal to warn pedestrians. Inside, it's quiet on the move — the electric motor is covered from above with a noise-insulating hood, only the humming of winter tires is clearly audible.
The new Evolute i-Joy: How is he going
The traction electric motor produces 163 hp and 290 Nm at its peak. The crossover takes off with a slip, but the speed dial is smooth and even, even in sports mode. As it accelerates, the speedometer jumps over the numbers 137, 142, 153, until it hits 157 km/h. Moreover, this speed does not frighten — the car confidently holds a straight line. The steering wheel is filled with excessive force in sport mode, and it can be adjusted separately by switching to standard mode — that's where a kind of feedback appears.
The suspension (front McPherson, rear beam) is soft, but the cornering rolls are small due to the low center of gravity. The longitudinal swing on the waves is moderate. The suspension moves are too short, which is why it "kicks" when passing large speed bumps, and you need to slow down to a minimum.
The brakes grasp confidently, but the ABS still needs to be calibrated — on slippery surfaces, disinhibitions are noticeable, which, however, do not seem dangerous. In addition, the car can be slowed down by returning energy to the battery — three levels of recovery are available. It is a pity that its intensity cannot be changed using programmable buttons on the steering wheel — it would be convenient.
The new Evolute i-Joy: what power reserve does it have?
The capacity of the liquid-cooled battery is slightly less than that of the previous i-Joy with a capacity of 51.87 kWh. However, it belongs to the LFP type, which has advantages over the previous generation's Li-NMC crossover battery. For example, it is capable of withstanding a greater number of charge-discharge cycles before it begins to degrade. It is not afraid of deep discharge and does not overheat.
You won't have to stand at the outlet for long: Evolute promises that with a power of 65 kW, it will take only 18 minutes to replenish the charge from 20 to 80%. One full charge should be enough for 386 km on the WLTP cycle and for a more encouraging 471 km on the CLTC cycle. It's about zero outside, and the car encourages you to drive fast. As a result, it is estimated that each real kilometer traveled cost "one and a half" electric. The average consumption during the test was 19-21 kWh per 100 km. This corresponds to a guaranteed range of 250-270 km. In summer, and if you drive slowly, the mileage on a single charge is likely to exceed 300 km. And in cold weather, it would not be superfluous to provide as an option a fuel stove, which was equipped with the previous Evolutes. There is a place under the hood for it. In addition, experiments with Russian batteries on the previous i-Joy showed that with a more dense layout, it is possible to achieve an increase in capacity by 10 kWh.
In any case, if you go somewhere with a tent, it's not far. i-Joy is still designed for a large city — its advantages such as a well-developed charging network and free parking are revealed here. A powerful body kit made of unpainted plastic protects the body from surprises in a cramped parking lot. By the way, all exterior bodywork is galvanized.
The new Evolute i-Joy: how much does it cost
In addition to the basic version, the crossover is offered in two more trim levels, featuring advanced driver's assistants and a panoramic roof. And again, thanks to the state subsidy, the price tag of the most expensive crossover does not exceed 2 million rubles, although without support the car costs almost a million rubles more.
Sales have already begun, but for now i-Joy is being assembled using a large-scale method at the Evolute company's site near Moscow. Small-scale assembly with welding and painting will start in the Lipetsk region at the beginning of next year. For this purpose, a separate line with a high level of automation will be installed. It is emphasized that the materials for painting will be Russian.
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