Dongfeng Nano Box

Available with two upholstery themes – dual-tone blue and white and all-black with contrast orange accents, the Dongfeng Nano Box has trendy features like the 7-inch full-TFT instrument console behind the three-spoke steering wheel and a 10-inch floating touchscreen infotainment system at the top of the centre console.

With sleek-looking AC vents below the infotainment system and rounded AC vents on the corners of the dashboard, the Dongfeng Nano Box has a wide design for the lower centre console which gets physical dials for the manual climate control system.

The rest of the equipment list of the Dongfeng Nano Box is pretty basic, with the hatchback getting a 2-speaker audio system, electronic gear shift knob, and decent storage spaces. While the cabin space feels a bit cramped due to its compact dimensions, the boot space of 300 litres is pretty impressive. 

Based on the Renault K-ZE, the Dongfeng Nano Box has tweaked front and rear profiles, which give it its own identity. The compact dimensions of the Nano Box gel well with the slightly upright stance and boxy profile of the hatchback, making it look proportionate from all angles.

At the front, the Dongfeng Nano Box has a large trapezoidal cover for the charging port, which takes the place of the conventional grille of the car. This charging outlet cover has gloss black garnish on its sides, flanked by thick stripes of LED DRLs accompanied by clear lens turn indicators. There are separate housings for the broad headlamps on the upper corners of the front bumper, which get funky-looking white surrounds. 

The Dongfeng Nano Box looks quite muscular for a car of its size, thanks to the prominent bulges over the front and rear wheel arches, which also get thick mouldings over them. The body-coloured side body mouldings, roof rails, and wheel caps for the 14-inch steel wheels complete the side profile of the Dongfeng Nano Box. This electric hatchback has a clean-looking rear profile, with a wide and swept-back halogen tail lamp cluster, while the rear bumper has muscular-looking cladding and a scuff plate. 

Dongfeng has kept things simple with the Nano Box, which retains the suspension, wheels, and brakes from the Renault K-ZE with which it shares its overall platform. With Macpherson struts at the front and a torsion beam at the rear, the Dongfeng Nano Box feels easy to drive, thanks to its small turning radius, compact dimension,s and light steering setup. 

Powering the Dongfeng Nano Box is a front-mounted electric motor, which is paired with a single-speed transmission and generates 44 bhp of maximum power and 125 Nm of maximum torque. While the performance feels quick at lower speeds, the pull at higher speeds can be better. The Dongfeng Nano Box claims a top speed of 100 kmph and a 0-60 kmph sprint time of 6 seconds.

There are two battery pack options for the Dongfeng Nano Box. The lower-spec variant gets a 26.8kWh battery claiming a 301 km range, whereas the 27.2kWh battery offered in mid and higher-spec variants claims a 331 km range (both ranges are CLTC-certified).

Being an entry-level compact car built for cost-conscious buyers, the Dongfeng Nano Box is pretty basic when it comes to features. This electric hatchback has dual front airbags, ABS with EBD, a tyre pressure monitoring system, reverse parking sensors, and a reverse camera, with it not being offered with ADAS. 

For cost-conscious buyers who prefer entry-level cars for their ease of driving and low running costs, the Dongfeng Nano Box is a decent option with good enough performance and range for short-distance daily commutes.