- The Dongfeng Nammi 06 is a new electric crossover that slots above the Nammi 01 hatchback.
- This small SUV is 169 inches long (4,300mm), or about the same size as the Nissan Kicks.
- It’s currently only announced for China, but it could make its way to the rest of Asia and parts of Europe.
Dongfeng might be one of the biggest car brands you’ve never heard of. Based in China, this conglomerate is a joint venture partner with both Nissan and Honda, using their learned expertise over the past two decades to eventually craft its own line of cars. In the EV era, the brand hasn’t quite made as big of strides as BYD or Geely, but perhaps this latest SUV can take change those fortunes.
Meet the Dongfeng Nammi 06. This small crossover might just be the cutest EV crossover you’ve laid your eyes on.
Looking like the lovechild of the Kia EV9 and the gas-powered Nissan Kicks (which feels apt, since many of Dongfeng’s cars have a not-so-secret Nissan base underneath them), this model will slot above Dongfeng’s other small cheap car, the Nammi 01. Nammi, sometimes marketed as a sub-brand depending on wherever it is sold, exists as a low-cost, full-featured brand. While the Nammi 01 is a hatchback, the Nammi 06 is a 169-inch long (4,300 mm) crossover. Nammi also sells a version of the Dacia Spring called the Nammi Box. That’s unrelated to the export name of the Nammi 01, which is sold in some markets as the Dongfeng Box. Confusing, yes, we know.
We don’t know battery specifications for the 06 yet, but the MIIT (Ministry of Industry and Information Technology) says that the crossover will be a single-motor design with up to 181 horsepower. Pricing isn’t announced yet, but our friends at Car News China expect the Nammi 06 to start at around $13,800. This low price would make it competitive with other small SUVs and hatchbacks in China’s market, like the BYD Yuan Up or Geely Xingyuan. For reference, the Nammi 01 is offered with batteries anywhere from 29 to 43 kWh in size. I would expect the Nammi 06 to skew a bit larger, but I don’t anticipate this SUV’s largest battery surpassing 60 kWh.
This thing is great news for Chinese drivers who will now have a yet another reasonably priced and sized EV to choose from. However, this car could end up very relevant to our readers in other parts of the world. As the Nammi 01 makes its way into markets outside of China, it’s only reasonable to guess that the Nammi 06 may follow suit.
Photo by: Dongfeng
So far, the Dongfeng Box/Nammi 01 has got into the hands of some reviewers and EV enthusiasts in places like Singapore. Reviews have been generally positive, with writers praising the level of equipment and interior space for such a compact vehicle. That bodes well for the Nammi 06, I think.
Contact the author: Kevin.Williams@InsideEVs.com
