The Niutron NV is a long-awaited SUV equipped with both EREV and BEV powertrains. It has finally got production green light from the Chinese Government after the suffering in 2022. However, now it will be manufactured under the new brand called Docan. As for the model name, it will be also changed to V07. First, only the electric version of the Docan V07 will hit the mass production. It has 381 hp and a Sunwoda battery for 560 km of range.
Briefly on Niutron situation
First, we will remind you that Niutron was initially a car brand from a former CTO of Baidu, Yan Li. He is also a founder of Niu – a Chinese electric scooter maker. The first Niutron car, the NV, hit pre-sales in China in March 2022. As for the official launch, it happened in October 2022, with a starting price of 278,800 yuan (39,100 USD). However, in December 2022, Niutron returned deposits to every client because of some severe production issues.
In fact, Niutron previously stated that its vehicles will be assembled on its own plant. But in fact, they always wanted to outsource the production. They picked the Jiangxi Dorcen Auto as their manufacturer. We will remind you that this company was closely related to Zotye, and its brand called Dorcen filed for bankruptcy in 2021. Its plant in Jiangxi was reportedly taken by BYD in April 2022. It looks like it was the key issue for Niutron failure last year. They had just started pre-sales and their manufacturer suddenly lost its plant. We can assume that they tried to find a new plant, but it wasn’t possible in a short period. However, now Dorcen is operating the plant in Changzhou city, Jiangsu province. It is the very factory Niutron had previously mentioned as its own. And it has finally got production green light. But, it will manufacture the Niutron NV under another name.
Niutron NV is now… Docan V07
As mentioned, the name of the Niutron NV was changed to Docan V07. We aren’t sure what reasons exactly caused this rebadging. However, now this vehicle is connected to Dorcen way closer than before. Even its name ‘Docan’ is a semantic ‘calque’ of the Dorcen Chinese name 大乘 (Dacheng). As for the Niutron, its social media accounts are empty now. It looks that they will be re-launched under Docan’s name. So, since the very moment, the Niutron era has gone without really starting. Alright, let’s get to the details about the Docan V07.
In terms of exterior design, the Docan V07 stands in line with the Niutron NV. It has the same large blocky headlights connected together with a glass element. It has a sloped bonnet line, flush door handles, real side view mirrors, a floating roof design, and a single taillight unit. The only drastic difference in its appearance is “DOCAN” inscriptions on the front and rear ends. We can also see the大乘 (Dorcen) inscription in the lower left corner of the trunk door. In the right one, we can notice the V07 inscription. We can also see the LED unit on the C-pillar that shows the battery percentage during charging.
Docan V07 specs
As for the dimensions of the Docan V07, they are 4915/1962/1755 mm with a wheelbase of 2910 mm. So, they remained the same with the Niutron NV. Inside, the V07 has 5 seats. Its curb weight is 2210 kg or 2220 kg, depending on a battery option. As for the gross weight, it reaches 2585 kg. The Docan V07 rides on 255/555 R20 wheels. As for the approach and departure angles, they are 18 and 23 degrees, respectively.
Speaking about the powertrain of the Docan V07, it has twin-motor 4WD. Each e-motor generates 140 kW (190 hp), so the total power of the V07 reaches 280 kW (381 hp). These electric motors are manufactured by Wuxi CRRC Hofer Powertrain. The same company supplies powertrain solutions to Hozon’s Neta. With these e-motors on board, the Docan V07 can accelerate up to 170 km/h. As for the zero-to-hundred acceleration time, it is 5.9 seconds.
As for the battery of the V07, there are two options. The first one is an LFP manufactured by SVOLT. As for the second battery, it is ternary (NMC) produced by the Sunwoda company. Their capacity is unknown. But previously, it was disclosed that the fully electric version of this SUV will have 440 – 560 km of CLTC range. We will remind you that this car also had an EREV version. However, only the BEV modification got the green light for the production.
Editor’s comment
So, Niutron is gone now, but the Niutron NV lives as the Docan V07. And almost a year after the launch, it is ready to hit the mass production in China. However, we have never heard anything about Docan until the very moment. So, they have to work with some promotion since nobody knows what is Docan. Moreover, this product has already got a bad reputation among Chinese customers after the deposits return event. So, it will be really hard for the Docan V07 to find its key customer. Moreover, the competition has drastically increased since 2022, with lots of new strong competitors emerged. The Docan V07 has the obvious problem with its range – 440 km is a pathetic number, judging by the modern standards. So, its future is still clouded. Anyway, we will keep an eye on the Docan V07, so stay tuned!
Source: MIIT, Dorcen, Niutron Weibo