Huawei‘s managing director, Yu Chendong, said the electric car developed with Chery, Luxeed S7, will be officially offered for sale in November. The director’s announcement confirmed an earlier report by the known Chinese automotive blogger Zhu Yulong, claiming Luxeed’s market entry will start at Guangzhou Auto Show on November 17. The blogger added that S7 will start taking the full deposit orders in October, with the electric vehicle (EV) expected to enter stores on October 20.
Luxeed S7 data
The mid-sized electric sedan should be the first car to carry Huawei’s Harmony OS, which allows a multi-screen sharing function to realize simultaneous viewing in the cabin. It has one LiDAR and is expected to feature Huawei’s autonomous driving system, ADS 2.0.
The second generation of Huawei’s ADAS was launched in Shanghai, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, and Chongqing. According to Huawei, the feature has a BEV (Bird’s Eye View) network and a GOD (General Obstacle Detection) network to perceive abnormal objects such as overturned vehicles, fallen trees, etc.
Further data on the car was released last month when Chery applied for sales approval of its electric car at the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT). The car measures 2971 (5004)/1963/1472 (1461) mm. The difference in the body length is due to different bumpers. As for the height difference, the main reason for it is air suspension.
The Luxeed S7 can use 245/50 R19, 245/45 R20, and 255/40 R21 wheels. It also has optional Brembo brake calipers. Its approach and departure angles are 13/14 and 12/16 degrees, respectively. The sedan’s curb weight lies in the 1975-2170 kg range, depending on the battery and drive type. As for the mass, it is 2384-2589 kg.
The car’s exterior has thin headlights, joined by the LED strip. Another feature of the S7 is retractable door handles. Moreover, its LiDAR sensor is also retractable to hide in the roof. From the rear, we can see that the panoramic roof is big enough to act as a rear window.
The entry-trim’s powertrain has a 215 kW (292-hp) electric motor from Huawei on the rear axle. It is powered by a lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery from Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. (CATL). The second option features a hybrid M3P battery.
Luxeed S7 battery
The M3P is a CATL-made battery that uses ternary and LFP cells in the same pack. Ternary cells are placed on the edges as they are more efficient at low temperatures. The LFP cells are in the middle of the pack. As a result, the M3P battery has better cold resistance and relatively low net cost. Its capacity has yet to be revealed.
The battery was supposed to be installed in Tesla’s revamped Model 3, known as Highland. However, the August edition of the catalog of the vehicles approved for production by the local industry ministry showed Chery’s Luxeed S7 to be the first to use the battery in the market.
Based on earlier reports, MP3 should be cheaper by 20% compared to NMC cells. Compared to LFP, the cell is 10% more expensive, the energy density is 20% higher, and the cost per watt is estimated to be around 3% lower. M3P should enable a 700 km range.
Huawei in the car world
Luxeed is Chery’s premium brand developed in cooperation with Huawei. Chery holds the trademark in the brand’s logo and name. The S7 is the first model in this cooperation. The car is also the first electric coupe under Huawei’s “Smart Choice” portfolio, which includes the models where Huawei acted as an R&D partner. Aito is one of the more popular. The S7 will also be the first car to carry Harmony OS.
Besides Chery, Huawei works with several other auto makers. The most successful cooperation is with SERES and the brand Aito—the two SUVs under the brand sold close to 70,000 units in the past year. The phone maker also cooperates with JAC Motor and BAIC Motor. The first model developed with JAC is expected next year, while the cooperation with BAIC Motor already produced Arcfox’s two models.
Source: Xchuxing
