Chinese automaker Chery Group’s new Omodo and Jaecoo electric vehicle (EV) models will be available in the South African market this year.
According to a statement, the Omodo C5 EV SUV will be made available in some parts of the globe, including SA, in the coming months.
Jaecoo is in the final stages of the layout of its new energy model, the J7 SUV, a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), which is expected to make its debut before the end of the year.
Officially launched at the Shanghai Auto Show in April, the EV models are at the forefront of Chery’s new electrification strategy, which it says is premised on intelligent mobility.
The new Omodo and Jaecoo vehicles are based on Chery’s third-generation plug-in hybrid EV platform, notes the company.
This system uses battery-electric propulsion and an ACTECO engine designed specifically for use in a hybrid application. It has a Miller-cycle combustion system that recycles exhaust gasses for a second pass through the combustion chamber.
According to Chery, the C5 EV is targeted at those seeking green and intelligent mobility solutions and has a range of 700km on a full charge.
“The Omoda C5 EV is not merely a concept and the first left-hand-drive models have already been shipped to destinations across the world,” says Tony Liu, executive deputy GM of Omoda South Africa.
“The model is under study for SA and other right-hand-drive countries like Australia, and we look forward to testing the model on local soil.”
According to Liu, its next-generation platform enabled Omoda to transition from internal combustion engines to electric propulsion in the C5.
Unlike other vehicle manufacturers that have to redesign their vehicle architecture to accommodate an electric motor and battery, the C5 platform offers the same interior space and driving dynamics as the turbo-petrol C5, despite a completely different drivetrain setup, he adds.
The Miller-cycle combustion system cleanses the emissions, and also ensures remnants of the injected fuels are burned for greater efficiency, Liu explains.
The company says the J7 SUV PHEV will have additional power from the hybrid system, and the larger electric batteries will enable the vehicle to travel for longer distances on electric power alone.
Chery has not yet provided the final power outputs and expected specifications of the J7 SUV.
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