JJ Motors Viva

The JJ Motors Viva is an electric vehicle manufactured by the Korean startup JJ Motors since 2021. It is essentially an EV-converted Daewoo Damas featuring a redesigned front fascia and delivers twice the power of the standard Daewoo Damas.

Overview

The vehicle largely retains the body design of the GM Korea Damas and GM Korea Labo, which were both discontinued at the end of 2021. Due to its conversion to an electric powertrain, it is not classified as a compact car but instead registered as a small truck, similar to the Hyundai Porter and Kia Bongo.

Although distributed by Viva Mobility, the vehicle is manufactured by Liaoning Hang Tian Neng Ha Car Co., Ltd.

The transmission is a propulsion-type automatic unit that provides only forward, neutral, and reverse functions. This configuration is commonly used in heavy industrial equipment such as forklifts.

The model utilizes the Hexa V 2.0 platform, a proprietary small electric commercial vehicle platform developed in-house. According to data from the Integrated Zero-Emission Vehicle website, the vehicle achieves a maximum speed of and a driving range of per charge at room temperature, or at low temperatures. The Korea Energy Agency’s automobile energy consumption efficiency report indicates a driving range of in city conditions, on highways, and up to in combined mode.

Safety equipment has been enhanced with the addition of anti-lock braking system, tire pressure monitoring system, electronic stability control, and a hill-start assist function. Solus HS21 tires are installed as standard equipment.

From a user standpoint, the most significant updates include the automatic transmission, which allows operation with a Class 2 driver’s license—and the adoption of motor-driven power steering. Although safety and convenience features have been considerably improved compared to the previous Damas, concerns remain regarding the vehicle’s Chinese manufacturing origin and the limited service and marketing infrastructure of Viva Mobility, a small and medium-sized enterprise, compared to major automobile manufacturers.

With the inclusion of national and local government subsidies amounting to approximately 16 million won, the estimated consumer cost in Seoul is around 12 million won.

The vehicle received certification from the National Institute of Environmental Research on November 5, 2021. Advance reservations began on December 10, 2021, and the official online sales platform launched in January 2022.

The model appeared in a Upa Blue Sky YouTube video on February 25, 2023. According to the featured owner, the vehicle, originally priced at 30 million won, was purchased for 9 million won after subsidies. The owner modified the vehicle by replacing the bumper and turn signals with those from the Damas 2, adding side decals, installing the steering wheel and tail lamps from the earlier Damas model, and affixing a DAEWOO emblem to the trunk handle.