Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you may have witnessed the influx of electric vehicles from China as of late—many of them makes and models that may be unfamiliar to the majority of Filipinos. Case in point is the JAC Ytterby Air 405. This entry-level offering is priced at P1,195,000, which is not bad considering it comes with a 41kWh lithium iron phosphate battery that can do a claimed 405km of range.

To say that the Ytterby 405 is visually appealing is an understatement. The styling follows what JAC describes as a “Bubble Aesthetic Design,” hence the curves and circular cues all over. The front is definitely something that will turn heads as it is reminiscent of the Volkswagen Beetle, while the profile is a homage to the Mini Cooper Clubman.

Like the exterior, the interior also has generous bursts of bubbliness. The headrests and the air-conditioning vents are all circular as well as the door levers. What stand out—or should we say are slightly off-brand—are the angular diamond accents on the dashboard and the door panels, which, as we observed, is appealing to the ladies.

In terms of room, the cabin is spacious and feels closer to that of a midsize sedan rather than a compact. Proof of that is that it has enough real estate to fit a center armrest-slash-refrigerator that can fit up to three small mineral water bottles. They call it a ref, but it’s actually just a cubbyhole with an aircon vent inside. Hey, it works, so we’re not complaining.

Speaking of drinks and cooling, we found the lone cupholder lacking, especially if you’re ordering takeout for the family. The A/C vents are also positioned quite low, so you need to point them up for the wind to target your head (unfortunately, your arms will get in the way of the flow). As for passengers in the back, there’s a single A/C vent and a USB-C charging port. It would have been preferable if there were two of each, but one is better than none.

The cabin’s overhead lights, while bright, focus illumination on your lap similar to airplane cabin lights. While this might be ideal for reading, it does leave the other parts of the cabin in the dark, especially the rear seats which have no overhead lights of their own. Both visor mirrors, meanwhile, do have built-in LED lights so you can reapply cosmetics or fix your hair with ease.

The seats are made of leather with a matte finish and a grippy texture. They offer great support when the car is in motion, which means you won’t slide easily from side to side. Unfortunately, the same grippiness makes alighting the vehicle quite difficult—you will need to figure out a technique on how to properly twist and disembark.

While passenger space is abundant, we could not say the same for cargo space. The trunk is unable to accommodate grocery bags unless the tonneau is removed. Typical school backpacks have to be put on their side (bummer). You have the option to fold down the rear seats, but that’s just too much work for everyday hauling.

The sizzle in every EV steak is its acceleration, and the Ytterby Air 405 is no different. Keep it in standard mode and you can enjoy the full power of the 94hp motor. A short sprint on NLEX and a climb up to Antipolo with four passengers proved to be easy-peasy. For daily drives, switching to eco mode is advisable as it can extend range by about 10-20% thanks to regenerative braking and slightly slower acceleration. Doing so significantly reduces the fun factor, though.

Consumption checked in at around 15.6kWh per 100km—or about 6.4km/kWh, which is about the same as a typical internal-combustion car’s consumption in Metro Manila. Good thing EV charging only costs half as much (about P30 per kilowatt). If your frequent jaunts have a compatible GB/T charger, you can charge on the side. Type 2 chargers will also do as JAC threw in a GB/T-to-Type 2 charger for free (as well as a home AC charger).

The drive stick is perched on the right side of the steering column, which is unusual for modern vehicles, but give it a day or two, and shifting between D, N, R, and P will come naturally. On the left side are the turning signal and the wiper stick, which is nothing to write home about. The simulated turning sound is admittedly a fun touch.

Maneuverability is top-notch especially given the vehicle’s size. The hood is short. There’s no trunk. And the windshield is huge—a trifecta that will help ensure that you can efficiently guesstimate the car’s edges even without ADAS or 360° cameras.

One noticeable niggle is the side mirror, which is placed quite far from the A-pillar. This gap forces you to turn your head further than usual, which makes it challenging when you’re trying to change lanes.

Chinese EV manufacturers have developed the habit of eliminating most physical buttons. The Ytterby, while not completely devoid of these, is somewhere in the middle. The large 12.5-inch Floating Central Touch Screen is sensitive and easy to use thanks to its size, but it’s still a flat object. Even when you’re at a full stop, it’s not something you can control on the fly. There are multi-finger gestures that make navigating the menus a bit easier, but it still does not compare to having actual buttons.

Fortunately, there are physical controls on the steering wheel. There are two sets of multidirectional controls on either side, and from here, you can control the A/C and the audio volume. You will need to develop muscle memory, though, since there are no labels, and the controls change depending on which mode the tablet is on.

For those interested in a well-rounded (get it, rounded?) EV with cute quirks and futuristic elements, the JAC Ytterby Air 405 is worth considering. As roomy as it is, there’s still room for improvement, and perhaps that’s where its more mature sister (the Pro 505) comes in. It’s an exciting start off the line for JAC, and with a solid follow-up, it could very well carve out a nice slice of the EV market in the Philippines.