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 actually no scarcity of ambition, notably in the case of pricing. Two rear-wheel-drive variants are being made obtainable 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 although 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 approach to a prime velocity of 200 km/h.
As an alternative, Avatr affords a alternative of two nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) battery choices – a 90.38 kWh unit within the Customary Vary mannequin with a variety 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 moderately lenient NEDC cycle, nonetheless, 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 increased than most different Chinese language rivals.
The place the 11 really stands out is in its design. The automotive actually appears to be like 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 embrace dramatic C-shaped headlights, an upswept window line, full-width taillights and an lively 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 items 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, nonetheless, is most undoubtedly tech. The 11 comes with at least 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 at the very least, Huawei gives 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 way of the illuminated “vortex” behind the centre display. The 11 allows 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 offered a full stack of semi-autonomous driving applied sciences. These embrace autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise management with cease and go, lane centring help, lane change help, blind spot monitoring, rear cross visitors alert with auto brake and rear collision warning. Nevertheless, Thailand misses out on the lidar sensors obtainable in China, which allow even better autonomy.
Will the Avatr 11 make its approach to Malaysia? That is still to be seen, provided that Changan’s right-hand-drive autos – which might be exported out of a forthcoming plant in Rayong – have solely been earmarked for international locations like Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand and the UK for now. Nevertheless, Chinese language corporations do work very quick, so we wouldn’t be shocked if plans to promote automobiles right here get firmed up in the end.
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