Dongfeng Box EV official Malaysia pricing – 95 PS, top speed 140 km/h, up to 430 km range, from RM101k

The Dongfeng Box is set to go on sale in Malaysia very soon – according to distributor Central Auto Distributors’ (CADB) social media pages, the launch is expected to happen this Friday, November 22. However, the company has released official pricing of the compact EV, which is set to do battle with the BYD Dolphin.

Unlike what was intimated before, the car will indeed be offered in two variants. The base E2 will start at RM100,700 on-the-road without insurance, while the previously-detailed E3 will retail at RM113,700. There’s also a two-tone paint option for the E3 that will bump up the price some RM200 to RM115,700.

All models are powered by a single electric motor at the front that produces 95 PS (70 kW) and 160 Nm of torque, enabling a top speed of 140 km/h. Against its main rival, the Dolphin Dynamic Standard Range, the Box has the same amount of power but slightly less torque (-20 Nm).

The differences between the E2 and E3 models lie mainly in the capacities of their lithium iron phosphate batteries. The base model has a minuscule 31.45 kWh pack that even on the wildly optimistic CLTC cycle can only muster 330 km of range. It’s a good job the E3 has a larger 42.3 kWh battery, faring slightly better with a range of 430 km – 10 km farther than the Dolphin Dynamic Standard Range.

Dongfeng has not disclosed the maximum DC charging input for the Box, merely saying that charging the battery from 30 to 80% takes around 30 minutes. That’s the same for both the E2 and E3, suggesting that the latter can support a higher wattage to compensate for the larger capacity. This is true of the AC charging input, quoted at just 3.3 kW for the E2 and 6.6 kW for the E3.

Design-wise, the Box’s cutesy rounded aesthetic carries hints of the smart #1, notably through the wraparound windscreen design and distinctive C-pillar cutout – both giving the car an in-vogue “floating roof” look. Still, these amount to a mere tip of the hat to the original rather than being a full-on copy (Chery, I’m looking at you), and we should point out that the inclusion of some of the smart’s “premium” features, including the flush pop-out door handles and frameless windows, is unheard of in this segment.

The rest of the design is rather simple, but neat touches such as the three-dimensional LED head- and taillights and full-width front light bar help lift the Box’s barebones look. The E3 rides on 17-inch two-tone five-spoke alloy wheels that are a step up from the E2’s steelies with aerodynamic covers (still 17s, mind).

The Box’s strong first impression continues on the inside, with a modern design and a surprisingly generous use of quilted faux leather. Notable features include decorative straps ahead of the front passenger and a floating centre console that houses a Qi wireless charger, an armrest storage box and additional open storage underneath. There’s even a drawer in place of a conventional glovebox, although users may balk at the paucity of available space.

As for the tech on board, the Box has a positively tiny five-inch digital instrument cluster, although the infotainment touchscreen is generously sized at 12.8 inches across (sound familiar?). The interface is fairly basic (there’s no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto as yet), but the living room-style home screen with its cat avatar (you can tap on it to get it to stretch) and customisable inspirational quote is very unique.

Other features include automatic air conditioning, a frameless rear-view mirror, a 360-degree camera system with a transparency function, 32-colour ambient lighting, six speakers and proximity locking and unlocking (accompanied by very loud activation sounds that can thankfully be turned off). No powered seats here, of course, but interestingly, both front seats have height adjustment, although the two-spoke steering wheel still only adjusts for rake, not reach.

Safety-wise, the E3 is the only one to come with driver assistance features, such as autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane centring assist, traffic sign recognition and park assist. Unfortunately, the Box is offered with just two airbags across the range.

GALLERY: Dongfeng Box E2 in Malaysia

GALLERY: Dongfeng Box E3 in Malaysia

Looking to sell your car? Sell it with Carro.