A new version of the Voyah Free claims to have the longest all-electric range for a range extended (PHEV) SUV. The biggest clue about the range is in the name the Voyah Free 318 – yes 318 kilometers is the supposed CLTC range under battery power.
Voyah is a premium brand from Dongfeng selling new energy vehicles with all models being available with a choice of all-electric or range extended version. The Free was the brand’s first car and launched in 2021.
Pre-sales of the Voyah Free 318 will begin on May 30. Currently there is only one EREV version of the Free available on the market priced at 266,900 yuan (36,850 USD) and the Free 318 version is expected to come in cheaper than this.
The most significant change with the Free 318 is powertrain. While it will retain the same 110 kW DAM15NTDE four cylinder 1.5T petrol engine it loses the front electric motor. This leaves the 200 kW maximum power electric motor powering the rear axle and delivering maximum torque of 410 Nm. With the existing EREV the front axle has a 160 kW motor with 310 Nm torque.
Battery capacity of the Voyah Free 318 is 43 kWh which is about 10% higher than the 39.2 kWh in the existing EREV version. Batteries are the Voyah Amber battery which use NCA high nickel 8 series battery cells from Samsung SDI in packs with Voyah’s pioneering three dimensional insulation wall, the result being a safer battery. Combined range thanks to the 1.5T extender system, which has a thermal efficiency of 42%, is 1,458 kilometers.
Dimensions of the Free 318 remain the same as the existing car at 4905, 1950, and 1645 mm (l/w/h) with a wheelbase of 2960 mm. Buyers will have a choice between 19 and 20-inch wheels. Weight of the 318 versions is 2150 kg while maximum speed is 180 km/h.
New to the Voyah Free 318 is a greatly improved human machine interface. As part of this there is a new pet monitoring system to ensure furry friends in the back row can travel safely. Voice control has been improved with wakeup time reduced to 0.6 seconds and it now has better continual dialogue capabilities.
The Voyah Free 318 comes equipped with Baidu’s Apollo pilot-assisted intelligent driving system. High-speed assistance has a new cone recognition system allowing the car to avoid obstacles on the highway such as road maintenance. There are also improvements to the urban driving capabilities with its ability to deal with intersections. Smart parking can now deal with low-light situations such as parking when it is very dark.
From teaser pictures there may be some slight changes in the looks from the existing EREV version of the Free. Most notably the car gains red brake calipers and there might be some slight changes in the alloys on the wheels. The 318 is also available in an exclusive Titanium Crystal Gray color.
Last year Dongfeng sold 18,796 Voyah Free cars and will no doubt hope the new Free 318 will help lift figures this year. The Voyah Free is available outside China in Norway and the Netherlands.
Sources: Autohome, Fast Technology
Update note: this article was updated on May 24 to reflect new information about the battery, human machine interface, Baidu Apollo assisted driving system and the exclusive color.
The new model boasts a battery-power range of 318km. To achieve this, the VOYAH FREE 318 is equipped with the Amber battery system, which has a capacity of 43kWh.
https://news.metal.com/newscontent/102769274/Gasgoo-Daily:-VOYAHs-new-vehicle-model-named-FREE-318
Thank you. We’ve updated the article to reflect the new information.
The 318 like refers to China’s National Highway 318 that goes from Shanghai to Nepalese border. It’s one of the most popular routes to enter Tibet.
Not in this case. With the G318 from the Changan Deepal brand that is the case. Here 318 refers to the all electric range of 318 km.