Power Wheels Magazine A Notch Above
After driving and reviewing several premium pure electric vehicles (BEV), plug-in hybrids (PHEV), and range extenders (REEV) during the better part of this year, we realized two things: First, electrified mobility seems to be the way to go. Battery technology has improved by leaps and bounds, along with the quicker charging times. BEVs now have longer driving ranges. EV charging stations are spreading around the country, improving the EV infrastructure. Better still, you can choose to get a PHEV or an REEV if you don’t want to deal with Range Anxiety.
Electrified mobility is on the rise as shown by the growing number of participants in the Philippine Electric Vehicle Summit (PEVS), which is now on its 14th year.
The second thing we realized is that the EVs are becoming more affordable. With the number of new car brands entering the Philippines market, the newcomers seemed determined to immediately capture a large chunk of the growing EV market by lowering the prices of their vehicles. Case in point is the Changan Lumin – an electric 3-door subcompact hatchback that would make an ideal city car for urbanites, young professionals, and newlyweds. The base model Lumin S (Standard Model) comes with a 17.7-kilowatt-hour battery, 190-kilometer range, and a P699,000 price tag.
The Changan Lumin is an electric 3-door subcompact hatchback that would make an ideal city car for urbanites, young professionals, and newlyweds. (And Minions, too! Yipeee!)
Small But Capable
We got to test the Lumin L (Long Range Model), which comes with a 28.1-kWh Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) battery that extends the range to 301 kilometers on a single charge, and costs P100,000 higher at P799,000. Measuring just 3.3-meters long, 1.7 meters wide, and 1.6 meters high, this cute electric subcompact can comfortably seat 4 average-sized adults while the 104-liter (4 cubic feet) luggage space swallows their stuff. Folding the 50/50 split rear seats can expand the cargo space up to 500 liters (18 cu. ft.) after the two backseat passengers have alighted. Or jettisoned. (Heh-heh-heh – Ed.)
It may look deceptively small outside, but 4 grown adults can actually travel comfortably inside the Lumin. Chevy is around 5’9″ but he can still fit in the backseat, albeit for a short trip.
Its permanent magnet synchronous (PMSM) electric motor delivers around 36 kilowatts (48 horsepower) to the front wheels (FWD) through a single-speed direct-drive automatic transmission. The electric motor also makes 87 Newton-meters of instantaneous torque to take this 925-kilogram Changan from 0 to 50 km/h in 6 ½ seconds and reach its top speed of 100 km/h in about 15 seconds. Admittedly, this cute lil’ Lumin is not meant to be a fire-breathing dragster but an efficient city commuter that can easily keep up and cruise comfortably with modern traffic.
This little cutie is an efficient city commuter that can easily keep up and cruise comfortably with modern traffic.
Efficient Use of Energy and Space
Combining both Changan Auto’s advanced technology and CATL’s battery efficiency models, our Lumin L comes with two driving modes. Eco Mode limits top speed to 87 km/h, modulates throttle response, and maximizes energy efficiency to reach 9.6 kilometers per kWh (10.4 kWh per 100 km). Sport Mode allows full power and torque delivery (with increased energy consumption, of course) for quicker acceleration to reach its electronically-limited 100 km/h top speed faster. Sport Mode makes this cute Lil’ Lumin jump quicker from stoplight to stoplight but lowers its efficient use of energy.
Speaking of efficiency, Shawie makes efficient use of her time by going to the market and the grocery while our clothes are going through the spin cycle at the laundry mat. If it wasn’t raining, she might even have the car washed!
Our Lumin L is built on Changan’s modular EPA0 platform that maximizes cabin space for four passengers within its 1.98-meter wheelbase. Its independent front MacPherson struts and semi-independent rear twist beam with trailing arms work with the 14-inch steel wheels shod in 165/70R14 Sailun ESL tires to absorb road undulations. While the tall sidewalls of the 70-series radial tires help absorb some road shock, we found the ride a bit choppy, firm and bouncy for our taste, perhaps because of the Lumin’s short wheelbase and light weight, especially when it’s just the front seats that are occupied.
The tall 70-series sidewalls of 165/70R14 Sailun ESL tires help absorb some road shock…
… but we kinda find the ride a bit bouncy, especially when there are only one or two occupants inside. We guess adding more weight helps, so…The more, the many-ier!
Keeping the Minions Safe
Despite its sub-million-peso price, Changan did not skimp on the Lumin L’s safety features. It comes with dual front airbags, side impact beams integrated into the body structure, and a crash sensor, which, thankfully, we were not able to test. There are ISOFIX anchors at the backseat to secure a child seat, which we also did not test because our children are no longer Minion-sized but are now full-grown adults. We did, however, test the rear parking sensors and the rear camera that made backing from our narrow street into our two-car garage much easier.
The Changan Lumin has a lot of safety features and technology packed into its little subcompact 3-door hatchback body. (Si! The Minions know it!)
The regenerative braking system did not decelerate the Lumin strong enough to allow us not to step on the brakes, so we got to experience the front discs and rear drums working together to slow down and stop the car. Heavy traffic didn’t allow us to drive fast enough to feel the anti-lock brakes (ABS) and electronic brakeforce distribution (EBD) work in unison. We think we felt the Hill Assist Control (HAC) prevent our Lumin from rolling back while we were queueing up the steep parking ramp at SM City North EDSA but we don’t remember the Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) displaying a real-time pressure alert. Oh, well…
We had a blast experiencing the features, the drive, and the practicality of this subcompact Changan.
We drove it to Muntinlupa to attend the first Media Day of Jetwash Automated Touchless Car Wash.
Cute and Cuddly Looks
The Lumin’s cheerful-looking façade and circular LED halo daytime running lights remind us so much of the Minions that we are beginning to think that yellow may be a better color than the white finish of our media test drive unit. The flush-mounted hidden exterior door handles take some getting used to, and the plastic wheel covers, while apt and cute, feels like a throwback in time when alloy wheels were an option. Ditto the Lumin L’s Anti-Theft Device and Security Alarm, which sound like aftermarket security accessories from the 80s.The Engine Immobilizer takes the cake, though, especially since this BEV does not have an “engine”. (Heh-heh-heh, again… – Ed.)
That’s right, Kevin. Not only did we fit everything inside the cute lil’ Lumin, (including you three Minions) we also found that it’s a fitting, economical, and efficient city car.
Talk about fully loaded! Shawie, Chevy and I went to Waltermart and then to SNR and bought two months worth of groceries. We all got into the Lumin with the groceries and drove home.
The Lumin factory interior is simple with a minimalist dashboard, digital instrument display, and a few controls and switches for the air conditioning, power windows, door locks and central locking. The standard equipment includes radio and a mobile phone/tablet dash mount integration but our white media unit has been fitted with an aftermarket touchscreen multimedia system, so there were some bugs that needed to be debugged.
The interior of the Lumin is simple with a minimalist dashboard, digital instrument display, and a few controls and switches.
Our white Lumin L media unit has been fitted with an aftermarket touchscreen multimedia system that Kevin or Stuart needs to teach us how to operate properly.
Charging the Lumin’s LFP battery is a pretty straightforward operation. Just plug in the supplied 200V AC charger and charge it overnight or find a DC fast charger that will take the battery from 30% to 80% in 35 minutes.
And because we got the Lumin L already fully-charged, we only got to charge the LFP battery once – when we were about to return it to the Changan Pasig showroom a week later. We would have wanted to subject a Lumin L to our series of long term tests and actually test its battery charging cycles to get more accurate energy consumption data but Changan International Corporation and Inchcape Philippines have ended their partnership. Changan is currently transitioning toward a direct OEM subsidiary model in the Philippines as we write this Driven review.
We guess we’ll just wait and see what’s changing at Changan. (Hey, I like that! – Ed.)
