On September 26 the Dongfeng Forthing brand launched its Xinghai S7, an EV sedan/hatchback. Despite being a bigger car than the Xpeng Mona M03, some of the claims made by Dongfeng lead us to believe that the Wuhan-based company sees the smaller car as one of its competitors. There are three versions available, all with a range of 555 km. Prices start at 119,800 and go up to 139,800 yuan (17,100 – 19,950 USD). The versions are as follows:
| Light edition | 119,800 (17,100 USD) |
| Pleasure edtion | 129,800 (18,500 USD) |
| Luxury edition | 139,800 (19,950 USD) |
These prices are very clearly similar to those of the Xpeng Mona M03. Furthermore, both cars blur the line between hatchback and sedan with their liftback styles. In the run-up to the Mona M03’s launch, it was claimed to have the lowest wind resistance of any mass-produced hatchback with 0.194, which now seems to be beaten by the Xinghai S7, which claims a drag coefficient of just Cd 0.191. This is supposedly below the level of a bullet and also gives the S7 the lowest figure for a mass-produced car.
The Dongfeng Forthing Xinghai S7 measures 4935, 1915, 1495 mm (l/w/h), and the wheelbase is 2915 mm. At the front, the car has an enclosed grille. Its headlight group is very much in keeping with the Forthing family of vehicles and looks somewhat like the shape of the number 7. Obviously, a number of design features are used to keep the drag coefficient down, such as the hidden door handles and low-drag wheel coverings. The car is available with 19 or 20-inch wheels.
From the B pillar, the roof line begins to curve down in an almost coupe-like manner. Buyers can choose from five colors for the S7: smoke and rain blue, blue wave green, cloud white, red cloud red, and dark black.
At the back, the tailgate ends in a ducktail and has an electrically operated system as standard. Despite being a considerably larger car than the Xpeng Mona M03 the trunk capacity is actually considerably less at 541 liters versus 621 liters for the Xpeng. With the seats down, this is extendable to 1303 liters. There is also a frunk.
Inside, it can be specified in either black or white, or as they are officially called, Oriental White and Sky Twilight Black. Up front, the car has a 15.6-inch infotainment screen and an 8.8-inch instrument display. The infotainment system runs on the Xinghai OS system, which reportedly supports gestures and continuous voice commands. It also provides 4G and a Wi-Fi hotspot.
As standard, the car comes with imitation leather seats with a heating function. The highest-spec models gain a 12-speaker sound system. However, rear seat passengers gain little in the way of creature comforts. Furthermore, the rear seats have a non-adjustable recline, which some claim is uncomfortable.
Power comes from a 160 kW electric motor on the rear axle. With 310 Nm of torque, it propels the car from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.67 seconds. A 56.8 kWh lithium iron phosphate battery pack feeds the motor. As mentioned earlier, this gives the car a CLTC range of 555 km. It is reported that there will also be an EREV version at a later date.
The car comes equipped with a basic driving assistance system that uses cameras, ultrasonic sensors, and millimeter-wave radars. This system can support functions such as full-speed adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assistance, and lane centering.
It should be noted that Dongfeng displayed the Forthing brand at IAA Munich in 2023.
Sources: Autohome, Fast Technology
