SsangYong teases ‘E100’ electric SUV, H1 2021 launch

SSANGYONG Motor has released the first teaser images of its debut into the electric vehicle marker, offering up two images of its upcoming electric mid-sized SUV.

Set to be launched in the first half of next year, the all-electric SUV has been developed under the project code name ‘E100’and features a mixture of both traditional SsangYong design cues and along with new ones.

The first image is taken from directly in front of the car and reveals a typically (for an EV) aerodynamic, closed in front end with few functional air intakes but plenty of imitations along with plenty of heavy contouring.

The upper grille is narrow and no taller than the familiar blocky headlight arrangement while the lower one sports a trapezium shape met at the top and sides by prominent contour lines.

Those contour lines ease sidewards into deep-set cheeks we assume will house the foglight arrangements.

Between the grille is number plate mount and yet another contour line, combining with the deep-set cheeks to give the E100 a definite under bite, similar to that of a moody English Bulldog.

The other main item of note on the front of the car is the new, illuminated figure-eight badge not currently brandished by any of the current models.

Save for the characterful under bite, the whole front end does not look dissimilar to that of the Tivoli compact SUV.

This resemblance to the Tivoli is more evident in the second teaser image which has been shot from a front three-quarter view, not only revealing the true extent of the under bite but also the same curved rear-hip line and thick, angled C-pillar.

A parallel set of roof rails meanwhile underpins the traditional SUV look and shape.

Details on the E100’s components and powertrain are all yet to be released – as is the Australian launch date – but SsangYong has started to drip feed a few details here and there in regards to its physical construction.

For starters, the bonnet is reportedly an all-aluminium unit – a brand first – while other ‘light-weight’ materials have been used for the rest of the body shell.

“The design is inspired from nature, especially animals that have adapted to their environment through evolution, such as shark's fins and scales to minimise wind and water resistance, thus expressing design maturity with a dynamic style,” SsangYong said in a statement.

The Indian-owned Korean brand also expects the E100 to “bring a significant addition to the marketplace” with its “future-focused” exterior and interior design as well as “a new level of product quality”.

While there are no current Australia-specific details or specifications, with SsangYong Australia chief operating officer Chris Mandile said he was enthusiastic about the new vehicle and its potential introduction into the local line-up.

In an added boost to our chances of securing it Down Under, a good portion of the E100’s ongoing development has been carried out here.

So far this year ending June, SsangYong Australia has shifted 656 vehicles across its six-model range, with the bulk of the sales coming from its Musso and Musso XLV pick-up trucks.