BAIC BJ30 Coming to Malaysia Next Year, Petrol and PHEV - BJ60 Also Being Studied

China’s state-owned Beijing Automotive Group (BAIC) and its appointed Malaysian authorised distributor, Edaran Otomobil Elektrik (EOE), will be bringing the BAIC BJ30 to the local market in 2025.

Commonly referred to as the brand 'Beijing' in China, BAIC will start making waves in the country with the arrival of the BAIC BJ40 Plus as well as the BAIC X55 II, which will be locally assembled in Pegoh, Melaka.

With prices estimated to be around RM180,000 to RM190,000, they are already planning to make yet another impact in 2025 with a more affordable and fuel-efficient model, the BAIC BJ30.

The second-generation SUV, recently launched in China, comes in two different variants with a total of five model offerings - 2WD and 4WD. As fuel prices are expected to rise in the near future, the top two electrified models might just be the winners, considering they are hybrid models.

All non-hybrid variants of the Beijing BJ30 are powered by the same 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, which produces 187 PS and 305 Nm of torque.

The HEV variant of the BJ30 gets its power from the same engine but tuned to produce 157 PS and 235 Nm, paired with a single electric motor on the front for the 2WD version and two electric motors for the 4WD version.

Total power output for the former peaks at 334 PS and 550 Nm, while the latter kicks it up to 409 PS and 685 Nm. Top speed is rated at 170 km/h for the HEVs and 190 km/h for the non-hybrids.

Apart from the BJ30, they are also studying the possibility of bringing in a more premium and luxury model, the BJ60 as well as the U5 for fleet use. Judging by the looks alone, the BJ60 has the potential to be a hot seller if they are able to price it right alongside the BJ40 and BJ30.

Stay tuned for more details, folks.