On November 8, SAIC’s Roewe iMax8 DMH plug-in hybrid MPV entered the market, available in three trims, with a price range of 199,900 – 249,900 yuan (27,800 – 34,900 USD). The official CLTC comprehensive range is 1,536 km, the pure electric range is 135 km, and the fuel consumption is 4.71L/100km.
For the appearance, the Roewe iMax8 DMH is the same as that of the gasoline-powered and the pure electric variants. The front continues to use a large inverted trapezoidal scale-shaped grille.
There are numerous sensors throughout the vehicle to realize advanced driving assistance functions, including a front camera below the logo, two front ultrasonic radars, side cameras on the external mirrors, and a rear camera above the license plate.
The Roewe iMax8 has a length, width, and height of 5016/1909/1802 mm, respectively, and a wheelbase of 3000 mm, which is 14 mm taller than the gasoline-powered variant. The curb weight is 2266 kg.
Inside, the cockpit is equipped with a 12.3-inch full LCD instrument panel and a 12.8-inch floating central control screen with a built-in AliOS operating system from Banma, supporting voice recognition, 4G network, and OTA updates. It is worth pointing out that the double-spoke flat-bottom steering wheel is a new design.
Other configurations include 50W mobile phone wireless charging, 6 or 8 speakers depending on the trims, soundproof glass, mobile phone remote control, and keyless entry, to name a few.
The interior adopts a 2+2+3 seven-seater layout. The driver seat supports heating/ventilation/massage/four-way lumbar support. The second row of seats can move 360 mm forward and backward, and the third row of seats can move 200 mm forward and backward. There is also a foldable small table behind the front seats.
Power comes from the 1.5T DMH plug-in hybrid system consisting of a 1.5T engine and an electric motor, mated to a DHT. The engine outputs a maximum power of 110 kW (148 hp) and a peak torque of 235 Nm. The motor outputs 176 kW (236 hp) and 390 Nm. The fuel tank capacity is 66 L and the top speed is 175 km/h. Its 24.7 kWh lithium iron phosphate battery pack offers a CLTC pure electric range of 135 km.
Under fast charging, it takes less than 30 minutes to replenish the battery from 30% to 80%.
