Chinese BAIC will start selling a frame SUV with a drone included

The hybrid frame SUV Xiangye 700 is a modernized version of the BAIC BJ60, which, among other things, is well known to Russians and is officially presented on our market. The new product attracts attention not only with its chrome finish, but also with a landing pad for a drone, provided as an option.

Information about the future new BAIC product was published by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the People’s Republic of China. Xiangye 700 is a deeply modernized version of the famous BJ60 model. The length of the car is 5,040 mm, the wheelbase is 2,820 mm. The SUV has a massive radiator grille with chrome elements, new bumpers and a mandatory attribute of a real all-terrain vehicle – a spare wheel on the fifth door.

However, the main technical feature lies on the roof. The list of options includes a landing pad and, presumably, an interface system with an unmanned aerial vehicle. For expedition enthusiasts, such a “bird” can become an indispensable assistant in reconnaissance of the area or finding the right path in off-road conditions. In addition, the car is certified to tow a trailer weighing up to 2.5 tons.

Under the hood, the Xiangye 700 has a sequential hybrid powertrain based on a 1.5-liter gasoline turbo engine with 185 hp, which acts as a generator. The exact battery capacity and range have not yet been disclosed, but the very fact of using a sequential hybrid circuit speaks to BAIC’s desire to combine off-road performance with acceptable fuel efficiency. In the future, such cars may become a good alternative to traditional SUVs with internal combustion engines mechanically connected to wheels.

Previously, the American installed a rotary engine from a Mazda RX-7 in an old army Willys.