As promised, Changan has launched its premium electrical SUV, the Avatr 11, in Thailand. For these of you who haven’t heard of the Avatr model, it’s a three way partnership with battery maker CATL, competing towards manufacturers like Tesla, Nio and Zeekr.
There’s definitely no scarcity of ambition, notably in terms of pricing. Two rear-wheel-drive variants are being made out there within the Land of Smiles – the two,099,000 baht (RM268,200) Customary Vary and the two,299,000 baht (RM293,700) Lengthy Vary, each of that are considerably costlier than the equal Tesla Mannequin Y.
That is even if each 11 fashions function the identical rear motor producing 313 PS (230 kW) and 370 Nm of torque, getting the automotive from zero to 100 km/h in 6.9 seconds (6.6 seconds for the Lengthy Vary) on its method to a prime velocity of 200 km/h.
As an alternative, Avatr presents a alternative of two nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) battery choices – a 90.38 kWh unit within the Customary Vary mannequin with a spread of 575 km, and a large 116.79 kWh pack that permits the Lengthy Vary model to journey as much as 680 km on a single cost. These figures are on the quite lenient NEDC cycle, nevertheless, so count on real-world vary to be considerably decrease.
Extra spectacular, particularly for a Chinese language EV, are the charging speeds. Because of a 750-volt electrical structure, the 11 can assist as much as 240 kW of DC quick charging, so topping up the battery from 30 to 80% cost takes simply quarter-hour for the Customary Vary mannequin and 25 minutes for the Lengthy Vary. Sadly, AC charging solely goes as much as 11 kW, though that’s nonetheless greater than most different Chinese language rivals.
The place the 11 really stands out is in its design. The automotive definitely appears totally different from different SUVs, being extra sports activities car-like with its low-slung roofline, a recessed vertical rear windscreen that creates dramatic-looking twin buttresses, and separate rear boot. Highlights embody dramatic C-shaped headlights, an upswept window line, full-width taillights and an energetic rear spoiler.
The doorways are additionally noteworthy – they arrive with a soft-close operate as commonplace, however the Lengthy Vary goes one additional with powered doorways that open and shut routinely. Additional differentiating the 2 variants are the alloy wheels – 21-inch two-tone models on the Customary Vary, 22-inch multi-spoke rollers on the Lengthy Vary.
Inside, the 11 is simply as showy as the outside, with a flowing dashboard design that juts outwards within the centre and 4 bucket-like seats upholstered in Nappa leather-based – with both a chevron or quilted sample. You additionally get a panoramic glass roof and power-adjustable entrance seats with reminiscence, air flow and a one-touch lie-flat operate that even consists of powered ottomans.
The spotlight, nevertheless, is most positively tech. The 11 comes with a minimum of three shows – a ten.25-inch instrument show, a 15.6-inch infotainment touchscreen and a second 10.25-inch touchscreen for the entrance passenger. What’s fascinating is that, in China a minimum of, Huawei supplies the software program the automotive runs on, together with its Concord OS, though it’s unclear if the Thai fashions run on the identical system.
This additionally consists of the voice management, which is visually represented by means of the illuminated “vortex” behind the centre display. The 11 permits passengers in every of the 4 outer seats to speak to the automotive, and the system recognises each English and Thai. You additionally get a 25-speaker Meridian sound system as commonplace.
Security-wise, the 11 comes chock-full of driver assists, which is unsurprising provided that Huawei has additionally supplied a full stack of semi-autonomous driving applied sciences. These embody autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise management with cease and go, lane centring help, lane change help, blind spot monitoring, rear cross site visitors alert with auto brake and rear collision warning. Nonetheless, Thailand misses out on the lidar sensors out there in China, which allow even larger autonomy.
Will the Avatr 11 make its method to Malaysia? That is still to be seen, provided that Changan’s right-hand-drive automobiles – which will likely be exported out of a forthcoming plant in Rayong – have solely been earmarked for nations like Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand and the UK for now. Nonetheless, Chinese language corporations do work very quick, so we wouldn’t be stunned if plans to promote vehicles right here get firmed up eventually.
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