The Chery Fulwin T7 compact electric SUV. Credit: Chery
- The compact electric SUV has a limited-time price starting at 94,900 yuan ($14,000), targeting China’s fiercely competitive budget market.
- All variants feature a 65.05-kWh battery, while the top trim is equipped with the Falcon 500 driver-assistance system.
Chery (HKEX: 9973) officially launched the Fulwin T7 compact electric SUV (sport utility vehicle) on Wednesday, stepping up its push into China’s fiercely competitive budget market.
The new model is available in 3 variants, with official starting prices of 97,900 yuan ($14,430), 108,900 yuan and 118,900 yuan, respectively.
Chery is offering limited-time discounts, which the company calls early-bird trade-in prices. After subsidies, the 3 variants are priced at 94,900 yuan ($14,000), 105,900 yuan and 115,900 yuan, respectively.
The Fulwin T7 is a compact electric SUV, measuring 4,570 mm in length, 1,852 mm in width and 1,694 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2,700 mm. It has a curb weight of 1,780 kg and a drag coefficient of 0.286.
All variants use a single electric motor delivering up to 178 kW (239 hp) and 275 Nm of peak torque, with a top speed of 180 km/h.
The 3 variants are all equipped with a 65.05-kWh lithium iron phosphate Rhino Battery, providing a CLTC range of 600 km and energy consumption of 12.9 kWh per 100 km.
Charging the battery from 30% to 80% takes about 20 minutes, while the vehicle supports external power discharge of up to 6.6 kW.
In the cabin, the 2 lower-priced variants use Qualcomm’s 8155 chip, while the top-spec trim upgrades to a Qualcomm 8775 chip integrating cockpit and driving functions and supports 5G connectivity.
The SUV features an 8.8-inch instrument display and a 15.6-inch 2.5K central screen, powered by the Lingxi Smart Cockpit 2.0 system and ByteDance’s Doubao large language model.
The top trim is equipped with the Falcon 500 driver-assistance system and 22 sensors, including 3 millimeter-wave radars, 7 cameras and 12 ultrasonic radars. It supports highway driving assistance and more than 300 parking scenarios.
For safety, Chery said high-strength steel accounts for 80% of the Fulwin T7’s body structure. The vehicle uses a cage-style body and comes with 9 airbags.
Fulwin is Chery’s main sub-brand targeting the new energy vehicle market, with a product lineup spanning sedans and SUVs as well as battery electric and plug-in hybrid powertrains.
The addition of the T7 will put Fulwin into direct competition with volume-selling models such as the BYD Yuan Plus in the entry-level segment offering a 600-km range.
Overseas revenue accounted for 69% of Chery Auto’s H1 revenue, but lower foreign-exchange gains weighed on its financial performance.
($1 = 6.7840 yuan)
