The NZJ has a two motor, two trailer layout, with motor cars on either end and trailer cars in the middle. The layout of the motor car, from front to back is driver's cabin, motor room, passenger cabin and electrical cabin. Apart from the driver's door, all other doors are plug doors. The motor room houses the prime mover, fuel pumps, water tank, cooling equipment and other auxiliary equipment. The electrical cabin houses the control electronics, air conditioner equipment and controls and transformers. The two NZJ sets delivered to Nanchang Bureau are fitted with only 'hard' seats, which were arranged in a 2 by 3 layout. The trailer cars provides toilets, conductor's room, air conditioning controls. Batteries and 1200 litre fuel tanks are located on the trailer cars at the side closest to the motor car. The carriages are thin-walled structures without a central supporting beam, and are connected to each other with a size H15 tightlock coupler and imported rubber gangways. The motor cars have a streamlined fibreglass structure.
