Launched in Thailand again in September, the Avatr model has now launched in Singapore, its third right-hand-drive market after Hong Kong. As per these markets, the Changan subsidiary’s sole mannequin is the Avatr 11, a classy D-segment SUV “coupé” with software program and elements from Huawei.
This being Singapore, the automobile is after all not low cost. Costs begin from a whopping S$278,999 (RM917,400) for even the bottom Normal Vary mannequin, rising as much as S$303,999 (RM999,600) for the Lengthy Vary variant. These figures, which embody the nation’s COE that partly explains the exorbitant costs, is 3 times what the equal fashions value in Thailand, and 5 instances what the 11 retails at in China.
Each fashions are powered by the identical rear motor producing 313 PS (230 kW) and 370 Nm of torque, getting the automobile from zero to 100 km/h in 6.6 seconds (6.9 seconds for the Lengthy Vary, presumably due to the elevated weight) on its solution to a high velocity of 200 km/h.
The place the 2 automobiles differ is within the nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) battery sizes – a 90.38 kWh unit within the Normal Vary mannequin with a variety of 475 km on the WLTP cycle, and an enormous 116.79 kWh pack that allows the Lengthy Vary model to journey as much as 600 km on a single cost.
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 Normal 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. A full cost on AC takes 10.5 hours for the Normal Vary and a yawning 13.5 hours for the Lengthy Vary.
The place the 11 actually stands out is in its design. The automobile actually seems 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 items on the Normal Vary, 22-inch multi-spoke rollers on the Lengthy Vary, the latter hiding yellow Brembo brake callipers.
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. Regardless of the outlandish styling, you continue to get a 490 litre boot and a 49 litre entrance boot.
The spotlight, nevertheless, is most positively 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. One factor of word is that Singapore doesn’t get Huawei’s Concord OS that’s provided in China.
This additionally consists of the voice management, which is visually represented by the illuminated “vortex” behind the centre display screen. The 11 permits passengers in every of the 4 outer seats to speak to the automobile. You additionally get a 25-speaker Meridian sound system as commonplace.
Security-wise, the 11 comes chock-full of driver assists, which is unsurprising on condition that Huawei has additionally offered 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. Nevertheless, Singapore misses out on the lidar sensors out there in China, which allow even better autonomy.
With the Avatr 11 already in neighbouring nations, might Malaysia be subsequent? The chance went up after Changan started assembling the automobile in Thailand in Might, and whereas no distributor has been appointed simply but, it stands to purpose that Bermaz might choose up the model comparatively simply, on condition that it already represents Changan’s different premium model Deepal right here. Nevertheless, this automobile would butt up in opposition to the discontinuation of tax incentives for CBU fully-imported EVs on the finish of the yr, with no extension in sight.
GALLERY: Avatr 11 at BIMS 2024
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