Dongfeng recently published the first teaser of its upcoming Mengshi M Series EV. Mengshi roughly translates to "warrior" in English, and it's one of Dongfeng's sub-brands. In this case, Mengshi is in charge of building hardcore off-roaders like the M50 Fearless, which made its debut in July.
Many call Dongfeng's efforts a blatant copy of GM's homework, as the M50 Fearless was nothing less than an H1 Hummer knock-off, but that's not technically true. In this case, Dongfeng acquired the rights to build a Chinese military vehicle based on the original Humvee. The deal dates back to 2004, and the agreement was signed with AM General.
Dongfeng is using that original agreement to its advantage, using the old Humvee rights to build modern civilian versions, including the M-Terrain EV. Well, now the M-Terrain has been revealed, and it's nothing like the combustion version. Instead, it's a GMC Hummer EV knock-off with as much power, and even a crabwalk function.
As you can see in the video, the M-Terrain does not share a platform with the M50 Fearless. The latter is still based on the original Humvee's ladder-frame chassis.
Like the 2023 GMC Hummer Pickup, the M-Terrain uses a standard skateboard design, with the batteries located as low as possible. But that's where the similarities end and the M-Terrain starts pulling ahead. Yes, this Chinese knock-off might be better than the real deal.
The top-spec Hummer has a tri-motor setup that produces 1,000 horsepower and 1,200 lb-ft of torque. Dongfeng went for a quad-motor setup, which produces 1,073 hp. While impressive, getting one up on Hummer was likely not the primary goal. Giving each wheel an independent power source opens up a world of possibilities.
The longer teaser video shows a large SUV and a pickup truck, while a short-wheelbase SUV appears in another shorter promo. We love the idea of a shorty with four electric motors and what seems to be impressively short overhangs. It will also be available with a range extender, so owners don't have to worry about getting stranded without electricity.
According to Dongfeng, the M-Terrain weighs roughly 6,900 pounds, though it's unclear which model it refers to. If this claim turns out to be accurate, it will make GM look like amateurs; the tri-motor Hummer EV weighs 9,063 lbs.
Even though the M-Terrain is an impressive product, there's no doubt Hummer inspired the designers. You'll note that it can also crab walk. GMC made a big splash with this unique selling feature that other brands want to replicate.
Currently, the M-Terrain is just a concept car, but the Chinese company claims it will enter production in 2023. We wouldn't bet against it because Dongfeng has quite an impressive resume.
It's the fourth largest state-owned automotive manufacturer in China, and it has partnered with several high-profile manufacturers in the past, including Honda, Volvo, Peugeot Citroen, Kia, and Renault. The most notable partnership was with Nissan, which resulted in the Dongfeng Rich 6 EV. We call it notable because it was the first-ever modern EV pickup truck, beating Rivian to the punch by two years.
There's a zero chance the M-Terrain will be sold in the US, not just because its maker has never exported a car here before. We can't imagine anyone driving around in a car with the word "dong" in its name.