China NEV Weekly Episode 9: Leap Into The Endless Sea Of New Brands

China NEV Weekly

China NEV Weekly

Welcome to Episode 9 of China NEV Weekly, this time with sports cars, sedans, SUVs, MPV, and no less than five new brands. Time to roll:

Nissan Sylphy EV

Nissan has wild plans to sell 20 locally made EVs in China by 2022. Most of these cars will be developed in cooperation with its joint venture partner Dongfeng, and they will be sold under the Nissan, Venucia, and Dongfeng brands. The first of this massive attack is the Nissan Sylphy EV, an electric variant of the Nissan Sylphy sedan. It will debut later this month at the 2018 Beijing Auto Show and launch on the Chinese car market in the second half of the year. Power comes from a 109 hp electric motor, good for a 144 km/h top speed. Range hasn’t been announced yet.

Dongfeng

Naturally, Dongfeng is bedding more than one partner. They also have joint ventures with Honda, Kia, PSA, and with Renault. With the latter, they have developed yet another electric sedan that will hit the market later this year. It will be sold Dongfeng’s Fengnuo brand, complete with a blue Dongfeng badge on the grille. The car itself will be called the E300. The Fengnuo E300 is based on the Renault Zoe Z.E., an electric version of the Renault Zoe sedan which was originally developed by Renault Samsung Motors in South Korea. Interestingly, the Fengnuo E300 keeps the Zoe Z.E.’s German-made (Continental AG) 94 hp electric motor, instead of sourcing something cheaper locally.

Yudo Pi 3

This is the new Yudo Pi 3, a compact electric SUV. It launched earlier this month, priced at between 110,000 and 126,000 yuan. It comes with a big Lexus-like grille, but it is only 4.3 meters long. Power comes from a 122 hp electric motor mated to a 38.5 kWh battery. Range is 251 kilometers (NEDC) and top speed is 140 kilometers per hour. Yudo Auto is one of the many new Chinese EV makers, but they are one of the few that actually bring a real car to the market. They also sell the smaller Pi 1, and for next year they plan to launch a larger SUV loosely based on the X-Pi concept car.

Sinogold GM3

Sinogold is another new Chinese EV maker, and they too have launched a real car, an MPV that looks far too much like the Citroen C4 Grand Picasso. They even share the exact same mirrors, and the exact same wheelbase. The Sinogold GM3 launched late last month, priced between 230,000 and 270,000 yuan. The electric motor delivers 163 hp, it is mated to a 66 kWh battery. Range is an impressive 405 kilometers (NEDC). Like any other new Chinese eV maker, Sinogol too has big plans. Their next car will be an electric SUV, followed by an electric sedan.

Leap Motor LP-S01

Leap Motor is yet another new electric car maker but they are extra cool because they are developing China’s first small electric sports car. The Leap Motor LP-S01 will be launched on the Chinese car market in March 2019. It is a 2+2, just over four meters long. Power comes from en electric motor with 170 hp, good for a claimed top speed of 190 kilometers per hour. Range is 360 kilometers. Price will start around 200,000 yuan or $30,160. The company is building their factory now, it will have an annual capacity of 250,000 car. It will build a whole range of Leap Motor electric cars, including the LP-S01 and an upcoming SUV.

JMC JMEV E500

New electric car makers aren’t they only ones launching new brands, existing car companies keep popping them out too. One such example is JMEV, a brand under the Jiangling Motor Corporation (JMC). The brand was launched in 2015, and currently, it sells a range of small and cheap electric hatchbacks. But that is going to change. JMEV is going upmarket with an avalanche of three new electric SUVs that will launch this year. The largest of those is the JMEV E500, a compact SUV based on the Yusheng S330. The logo of the brand is a big shiny e, which of course stands for electric. The electric motor puts out 122 hp, and top speed is 100 kilometers per hour. Interestingly, JMC is planning to launch a sub-brand within JMEV, focusing on premium-small SUVs. this brand will be called Yizhe. It never stops.

More China NEV Weekly soon…

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