Dongfeng EC36

The cabin of the Dongfeng EC36 might not be as up-to-date as its all-electric powertrain claims to be, but the layout is decent-looking with the dual-tone black and beige theme helping the matters. This three-row van has enough space to accommodate seven people comfortably, while also having all the essential features one expects in an entry-level van.

The cabin of the Dongfeng EC36 gets a four-spoke steering wheel, which along with the instrument console housed in a curved binnacle behind it, looks quite dated. The centre console here has curved sides, with AC vents at the top, a touchscreen infotainment system in the middle and manual controls for the AC at the bottom. A small squarish panel between the front seats has the rounded drive controller knob, while the cabin of the Dongfeng EC36 also gets essential features like front power windows, rear AC vents and bottle holders for the convenience of all the occupants.

The Dongfeng EC36 retains the boxy appearance of the C36 passenger van, which itself is based on the C35 cargo van, but gets a more passenger-oriented cabin with seats in the rear rows. The overall design of the Dongfeng EC36 has remained unchanged over the C36, which itself is a very old design that debuted in 2009. In that sense, the EC36 looks very dated, with its boxy looks and old-school design elements not doing much favour for it.

Like the C36 van on which it is based, the Dongfeng EC36 has a sloping front profile, comprising of the large windscreen and bonnet placed in angular form. The bonnet, which has a protruding design towards the bottom, houses a closed two-slat grille, while the vertically-placed headlamps with curved upper edges are positioned on the corners of the front fascia. The headlamps, along with the trapezoidal fog lamps placed on the corners of the body-coloured front bumper, feature all-halogen illumination.

The side profile of the Dongfeng EC36 has a traditional van-like appearance, with squarish window panels and angular door panels, while having a characteristic kink line for the front row window panels. The door handles and rearview mirrors are blacked out. The rear profile of the Dongfeng EC36 also looks outdated, with plain rectangular designs for the rear windscreen, vertical tail lamps and housing for the license plate.

The Dongfeng EC36 shares the rest of the mechanical setup with the Dongfeng C36 van, which includes Macpherson struts at the front and leaf springs at the rear. The boxy profile and stiff leaf springs mean that the driving experience and ride quality over well-paved roads are not plush and engaging. However, the Dongfeng EC36 feels easy to drive with its compact dimensions helping the matters in tight city driving conditions.

The all-electric Dongfeng EC36 has a 60kW electric motor powering its front wheels, which is capable of generating 200 Nm of maximum torque, and enables the EC36 to reach a top speed of 100 kmph. The Dongfeng EC36 also comes with a 41.86kWh lithium-ion battery, which takes around 8 hours for a full charge and claims a maximum range of 300 km.

Only the basic safety features are present in the Dongfeng EC36, such as dual front airbags, ABS with EBD, front and rear parking sensors and ISOFIX mounts for child seats.

The Dongfeng EC36 loses out on the race of entry-level electric MPVs, with its outdated design and not-so-excellent driving dynamics and performance. However, this van manages to catch attention with its affordable pricing and the ease with which one can drive it.