Chery announces its future plans, with the Omoda 7 as the star in Europe

It will not be the only novelty from the Chery Group in the Spanish market in the short term, since at the start of summer the Omoda 5 BEV will go on sale, a pure electric car with a 61 kWh battery and a WLTP range of 430 km; in autumn the Jaecoo 7 SUV will arrive in combustion and plug-in hybrid variants and, at the end of the year, the brand’s most iconic and luxurious SUV, the Jaecoo 8, will be marketed with plug-in hybrid mechanics.

But the list of brands and models with major Chery novelties seems unstoppable, since the imminent arrival of the Tiggo 9 PHEV, the Exlantix ET-BEV, and the Exeed VX and RX-PHEV have been announced for the Asian market and, further ahead, the Omoda 3 and Jaecoo 5. The Asian group, with the brands Chery, Omoda, Jaecoo, Exeed and Exlantix, will offer all kinds of models with different approaches, silhouettes and types of propulsion, although they intend to progressively strengthen electrification across all their models, either as a support to the combustion engine or as a power source for the electric motor.

We had assumed the Omoda 7 would be presented during the opening event of the Beijing Motor Show, but the executives of the Chery Group reserved the premiere for the following day, at an impressive international event with executives, political leaders, press and dealers from 37 countries around the world, attended by more than 2,000 people.

The Chery Group has placed great hopes precisely in the Omoda and Jaecoo, with which it begins its landing in Spain to expand its network across the European continent, and from which it estimates reaching sales of 1.5 million units by 2030.

The Omoda 7, a representative SUV

Without doubt, one of the model’s main characteristics is its design, a sporty SUV with a coupé-like profile, in line with what we have seen in its smaller sibling, the Omoda 5, with which it shares its platform. It is also aimed at a modern and tech-savvy audience that already seeks greater space needs, as it offers 4.62 metres in length, 1.8 in width and 1.6 in height, with a wheelbase of 2,700 mm. It announces high torsional rigidity (25,000 Nm/deg) and the ability to withstand an impact five times the vehicle’s weight.

Details such as the front light units with separate assemblies or the rear lights with blended LED design give it a particularly avant-garde touch, as do the diamond-cut 8-spoke alloy wheels with 20-inch tyres.

The interior also shows a modern and functional look, with a raised dashboard and a large 15.6-inch central screen that can slide longitudinally along the dashboard until it sits in front of the passenger seat, with high brightness and resolution, plus a 128 GB digital storage system. It features a two-spoke steering wheel inspired by gaming consoles and plenty of space for passengers. It will include a sophisticated sound system with noise-cancelling function and four voice zones with microphones in the headrests, two high-power wireless smartphone chargers, 18 safety and driver assistance systems, a voice-activated lane change assistant, an automatic parking system operable from the screen, three fragrance options for the air freshener, an 8-inch head-up display on the windscreen, 4 cameras, 2 ultrasonic radars, and more.

Although the brand has not revealed many technical details, the Omoda 7 PHEV will feature a turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, promising 156 CV of power and 220 Nm of torque, combined with an electric motor capable of providing an all-electric range of 95 km. The battery capacity is unknown, but it is assumed to be above 20 kWh, since the brand announces a full range of 1,250 km with a full petrol tank and a fully charged battery, with consumption of 4.9 l/100 km. It will be paired with an automatic gearbox with nine operating modes and will feature AC and DC charging.

The Omoda 5 BEV

With a body similar to its petrol sibling, but with different customisation details, such as the closed front grille, faired wheels and absence of chrome elements, the electric version of the Omoda 5 incorporates a 150 kW motor paired with a 61 kWh LFP battery. It has a connectivity system to receive OTA updates and wireless smartphone connection to check range, charging and other details. The boot capacity is 380 litres.

It announces a top speed of 172 km/h, a range of 430 kilometres, and a maximum three-phase AC charging power of 11 kW and 80 kW DC. Its consumption is 15.5 kWh/100 km, a very reasonable figure for the weight and dimensions of the model. Final prices are not yet known, but the brand’s executives assure they will be very competitive.

Jaecoo, a premium brand

The second brand to arrive in the Spanish market will be Jaecoo, with a more elegant style, similar in appearance to the Range Rover model line. The Jaecoo 7, which shares its platform with the Omoda 5 and 7, will be offered with a 342 CV combustion and plug-in hybrid engine and an electric range of 88 kilometres, while the Jaecoo 8 will only be offered with a plug-in hybrid system.

The Jaecoo 8 already stretches to 4.8 metres in length, 1.9 in width and 1.71 in height, a model designed to take on the high end of European SUVs, with excellent build quality, good materials and an overwhelming standard equipment list.

It features a 1.5-litre turbo four-cylinder petrol engine, combined with two electric motors, bringing its maximum output to 597 CV with a massive torque of 915 Nm. The DHT transmission system (Dedicated Hybrid Transmission) with three speeds is also new, along with a permanent all-wheel drive system. It also has a ground clearance of 172 mm and an advanced adaptive suspension system with adjustable settings that adapt to terrain conditions, with five modes: Mud, Wade, Mountain, Snow and Sand.

Its performance is also top-tier, with an acceleration of 0 to 100 km/h in 5.4 seconds.

As for the Jaecoo 6, a fully electric SUV with five doors, all-wheel drive and 208 kW of power, no decision has yet been made on its possible export to Europe.