It's the dawn of the new era for Ssangyong Motor under the new management of a certain Korean firm promising to transition the company in the age of electrification. With such rebirth comes the arrival of the first electric vehicle from Ssangyong; the Korando E-Motion. Let's find out what's it all about Ssangyong's first electric crossover that sparks the beginning of the new age of South Korea's SUV specialists.
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| 2022 Ssangyong Korando E-Motion |
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| 2022 Ssangyong Korando E-Motion |
The first-ever Ssangyong Korando E-Motion, priced at 38.8 Million Korean Won plus additional costs, showcased that for the revived Ssangyong under new ownership by a start-up Edison Motors, it's better late than never to join the electrification arms race, although none of the established Korean carmakers created electrified crossovers based on theirs, which makes the Korando E-Motion pretty much unrivaled at its own right.
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| 2022 Ssangyong Korando E-Motion interior |
While it looks nearly identical to the normal third-generation Korando crossover, the E-Motion features a grille-less front view for a sensible approach compared to electric cars sporting gargantuan faux grilles that spoil their credentials. It even comes with secret touch panels lurking through the side doors for gimmick purposes. Inside, it features blue accents to differentiate it from the normal Korando. Thanks to its clever handling with the electric powertrain, the E-Motion is still as roomy as the normal Korando and the boot space is nearly identical to the normal one as well, making it capable of all situations, be it for work or for leisure.
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| 2022 Ssangyong Korando E-Motion |
The Korando E-Motion's electric powertrain features a 61.5kWh Li-ion battery pack and an electric motor at the front generating 190PS of power and 360Nm of torque, making this FF-only crossover good for 307km in one full charge. As for charging times, it will take about 11 hours to charge at home or 80% in 33 minutes while charging at a 100kw charging station.
Because being front-wheel-drive only without some C3 Aircross-style trickery that gets you through dirty situations, the Korando E-Motion feels like it only works on the tarmac. Speaking of tarmac, the front MacPherson struts and rear multilink suspension made the Korando E-Motion behave like a European crossover rather than a Korean crossover, which is a good thing. Not exciting but it feels good to drive on a normal basis.
Boasting high-quality levels of safety, the Korando E-Motion features highly-advanced driving aids offered on a Ssangyong, including the highly intriguing but game-changing Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control, giving this electric crossover a semi-autonomous approach that will make drivers noticed while driving on a freeway. It's a shocker but it's worth checking out.
Ssangyong Motor is now under new ownership with big electrified ambitions and this Korando E-Motion is the start of a new era. Although it lacks the attention of the established ones, it has the potential to impress Gen Z customers with its value for money. This is a budget-conscious electric crossover that meets the challenges of the new normal and it truly is a start for the new Ssangyong Motor. The joys of being Korean-owned.
Photo: Ssangyong Motor Company
