Dongfeng Box in Canada: Price, Range & Specs

Dongfeng has named only two models as near-term targets for the Canadian market, and the Box is the cheaper of the two. Sold in China as the Nammi 01, it is a compact five-door hatchback aimed squarely at buyers who want a new EV without a $45,000 price tag. Here is everything the Chinese specification sheet tells us, translated into what it actually means for a Canadian driveway.

What the Dongfeng Box actually is

The Box is not a crossover pretending to be small — it is a genuine city car, about the footprint of a Volkswagen ID.3 at 4,020 × 1,810 × 1,570 mm and 1,312 kg. Dongfeng's China-market distributor, Nammi, sells it in two trims: a 330 km entry version with a 31.45 kWh battery, and the SmartFun version with a larger 42.3 kWh LFP pack rated at 430 km. The SmartFun is the configuration that carries the Edifier audio system, heated and ventilated front seats, and the spec sheet most likely to be imported.

One naming trap worth flagging: this is the Nammi 01, not the smaller "Nano Box" microcar that circulates in some export markets like the Philippines. Every figure below reflects the Chinese Nammi 01 SmartFun — Dongfeng has not yet published a Canadian-market specification, and there is no confirmed heat pump on the options list, which matters a great deal once winter shows up.

Range: CLTC rating vs. what you'll actually get

430 km is the number on the spec sheet, and it is also the number to distrust. China's CLTC test cycle runs at low, steady speeds with minimal climate-control draw, and it consistently overstates real-world range by 20-25% compared to how EVs are actually driven. Budget closer to 340 km in mixed city/highway use at moderate temperatures — and expect a further hit in a Canadian winter, especially since Dongfeng has not confirmed a heat pump for this car. Cabin heating on a resistive system can cut range by 30% or more below freezing, so a realistic cold-weather expectation is closer to 220-260 km.

That is still enough for the car's intended job: daily urban and suburban commuting, errands, and short highway hops. It is not a road-trip vehicle, and Dongfeng isn't positioning it as one.

Battery, charging and drivetrain

The SmartFun trim runs a 42.3 kWh LFP (lithium iron phosphate) battery — a chemistry choice that favors longevity and safety over outright energy density, which is consistent with a budget-focused city car. DC fast charging tops out at 61 kW, taking roughly 35 minutes to go from 30% to 80%. That is modest next to flagship Chinese EVs charging at 200+ kW, but perfectly workable for a car whose typical charge session will be overnight at home rather than mid-road-trip.

A single front-mounted motor produces 70 kW (95 hp) and 160 Nm of torque, driving the front wheels only. Dongfeng quotes a 0-100 km/h time of 12.5 seconds and a 140 km/h top speed — figures that confirm this is a car built for stoplight-to-stoplight city driving, not merging onto a 110 km/h highway with authority. One genuinely useful trick: vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability lets the battery power external devices directly, handy for camping gear or a power outage.

Interior and tech

For a car aimed at the budget end of the EV market, the cabin punches above its price point. A 12.8-inch floating touchscreen anchors the dash, paired with a 5-inch digital driver display. Front seats are heated and ventilated with memory settings, upholstered in synthetic leather, and audio runs through an 8-speaker Edifier system — a known audio brand, not a generic OEM unit. Cargo space is a modest 326 litres, in keeping with the car's compact footprint, and max AC charging draw is 6.6 kW.

None of this is luxury-tier, but it is meaningfully more than what buyers typically get at this price from established brands.

Estimated Canadian pricing

Dongfeng's Canadian pricing has not been finalized — the vehicle isn't yet certified by Transport Canada, and no launch date has been confirmed beyond a general late-2026 target for the brand's Canadian push. Based on the vehicle's China-market pricing and Dongfeng's stated positioning, the estimated Canadian price starts at $32,000 CAD before incentives.

One thing to get right, because it trips up a lot of shoppers: Chinese-built EVs are not eligible for Canada's federal EVAP rebate (formerly iZEV). That program excludes vehicles made in China regardless of brand or specs. The one rebate that does apply is Quebec's provincial Roulez Vert program, worth $2,000, and it does not exclude Chinese-made vehicles. Apply that in Quebec and the Box lands near $30,000 CAD net — among the lowest net prices of any new EV expected in the country.

It's also worth remembering the trade context: Chinese EV imports briefly faced a 100% tariff starting October 2024, since replaced under a 2026 agreement by a 6.1% tariff with a 49,000-unit annual quota. That change is part of why models like the Box are now realistically headed for Canadian showrooms rather than staying blocked at the border.

How it compares

Against other EVs with confirmed Canadian pricing, the Box's positioning is the whole story — and it is a narrower story than the raw price gap suggests. The BYD Dolphin, another Chinese-built hatchback, starts at $33,000 CAD before incentives, just $1,000 above the Box's estimate. For that $1,000 the Dolphin delivers 427 km of WLTP range — a stricter, more realistic test cycle than the Box's 430 km CLTC figure — and a 150 kW (204 hp) motor, more than double the Box's 70 kW. The two cars sit close on sticker price and nowhere near each other on capability: the Dolphin does 0-100 km/h in 7.0 seconds against the Box's 12.5, charges at 88 kW DC against 61 kW, and ships with a heat pump as standard — precisely the equipment the Box has not confirmed. Both are Chinese-built, so both are excluded from the federal EVAP rebate (formerly iZEV) and both qualify for Quebec's $2,000 Roulez Vert.

The comparison with a non-Chinese rival works differently. The Nissan Leaf starts at $44,998 CAD with 340 km of EPA range and a 120 kW (161 hp) motor — roughly $13,000 above the Box's estimated starting price. But because the Leaf is not Chinese-built, it qualifies for the full $5,000 federal EVAP rebate (formerly iZEV) on top of Quebec's $2,000 Roulez Vert, landing at $39,998. That is still about $10,000 more than the Box's estimated net price in Quebec — but it buys a stronger motor, 130 kW DC charging, and a dealer and service network that already exists in every province.

The pattern across all three: the Box's advantage is entry price, and entry price alone. Against the Dolphin that advantage is thin enough that range, power and charging speed should decide it. Against the Leaf the gap is real money, but the money buys a slower car with no confirmed cold-weather hardware and no Canadian support network yet. Buyers whose single priority is the cheapest possible new EV plate will find the Box hard to beat; buyers weighing anything else will not.

FAQ

Is the Dongfeng Box the same as the Nammi 01? Yes. Box is the name planned for Canada; Nammi 01 is how the identical car is sold in China. The SmartFun trim (42.3 kWh, 430 km CLTC) is the version most likely to arrive, not the smaller 330 km base trim.

Can I buy a Dongfeng Box in Canada right now? No. It is not yet certified by Transport Canada and is not on sale. Dongfeng has named it as a near-term import target, with the brand's broader Canadian push expected around late 2026 — watch for reservation or pre-order details rather than a dealer lot.

Does the Dongfeng Box qualify for any rebate in Canada? Not the federal EVAP rebate (formerly iZEV) — Chinese-built EVs are excluded regardless of specs. Quebec's Roulez Vert program ($2,000) does apply, since it doesn't exclude Chinese-made vehicles, bringing the estimated net price to around $30,000 CAD for Quebec buyers.

What is realistic winter range for the Box? Expect meaningfully less than the 430 km CLTC figure — likely in the 220-260 km range in freezing temperatures, since Dongfeng has not confirmed a heat pump. Treat the car as a city/commuter EV rather than a long-range road-trip vehicle.

For the full breakdown of specs, images and trims, see the Dongfeng Box vehicle page, or browse all Chinese EVs coming to Canada and our coverage of Dongfeng's Montreal EV showcase on China-EV.