SsangYong J100 electric SUV spied undergoing field tests

With its South Korean peers already flooring the pedal towards electrification, SsangYong Motor isn’t about to be left behind. The automaker’s J100 electric SUV has been spied undergoing tests in real-world conditions, both with and without camouflage.

The SsangYong J100 has been spotted undergoing testing in South Korea as early as July 2021

This is SsangYong’s second battery electric vehicle (BEV), following the launch of the Korando e-Motion. But unlike the latter, the J100 is designed and engineered from the ground up, not being based on any existing combustion model in SsangYong’s lineup. 

Sightings of the J100 out in the field have been made as early as July 2021, in an apparent bid by SsangYong to dispel speculation that the concept sketches it released the previous month were merely posturing. In the spy photos, the vehicle was shown sporting a black-and-white pattern all over its body, while occasionally covering the fascia, doors, and rear end with black canvas material.

More recent spy shots show the electric SUV's rear area without camouflage  [Image: Woopa TV] 

A more recent image taken this year, released by Australian car website Drive, shows the J100 still wearing the canvas on the front and sides, but with the rear end exposed to reveal details on the tailgate, tail lamps, and bumper. The black and white camouflage paint is now gone, replaced with a predominantly green body color matched with silver accents on the spoiler, tailgate trim, handle, and rear diffuser. Even the wide C-pillar has been retained.

Judging by the boxy appearance, the J100 in the metal does resemble the initial sketches showed by SsangYong. According to the carmaker, the model will be positioned between the compact Korando crossover and the full-size Rexton SUV. The J100 is rumored to come with a body-on-frame chassis to help it challenge the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado. 

The near-prototype hews very closely to the initial concept sketches

Equally up in the air is whether SsangYong will retain the J100 codename for the production version, or adopt a different moniker prior to the model’s launch, scheduled sometime this year. It could be the first vehicle (electric or otherwise) that SsangYong launches under new ownership, now that the automaker’s acquisition by Korean EV maker Edison Motors has been finalized as of January 2022. 

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