Chery will test new EVs on PH roads

Chery Auto Philippines is set to expand its lineup of electrified vehicles in the market. But before the automaker broadens its lineup in this growing segment, it will first do a test run. Chery International is set to ship a batch of sample electric vehicles to the Philippines very soon.

The test EVs will consist of one plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and two pure electric models. Following the automaker's launch of new hybrid vehicles in the country, Chery eyes to incorporate green power into its upcoming model offerings to provide its Filipino customers with more energy-saving and sustainable vehicles.

Chery Auto Philippines has yet to reveal what exactly the test vehicles will be as they are still covered, hiding their identities. But based on their silhouettes and from what we can distinguish from their front fascias, we already have an idea of what to expect.

Starting with the right-most vehicle, it looks like it will be the Chery eQ1, a micro EV that could take on the likes of the Jetour Ice Cream EV. Depending on specifications, the EQ1 is capable of covering up to 200 km on a full charge and has a single electric motor that produces 40 PS. Size-wise, the EQ1 measures 3200mm long, 1670mm wide, 1550mm tall, and has a 2150mm wheelbase.

Sitting in the middle of the group looks to be the Chery eQ7, an all-new compact fully-electric crossover that appears to resemble the Jetour Dashing. It has an all-aluminum frame and adopts a RWD layout thanks to a rear-mounted electric motor that puts out 210 PS and 360 Nm of torque. It has a standard range of 412 km based on the NEDC cycle while the long-range version is estimated to have a range of 512 km. In terms of size, the eQ7 measures 4675mm long, 1910mm wide, 1660mm tall, and has a 2830mm wheelbase.

Last but not least, the left-most vehicle appears to be the Chery Tiggo 7 PHEV. That's right, there's a plug-in hybrid version of Chery's compact crossover and it's both powerful and efficient. Also called the Tiggo 7 Plus New Energy, this PHEV comes with a 1.5-liter turbocharged engine assisted by two electric motors and a 19.27 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. It has a total system output of 326 PS with 545 Nm of torque and has a Dedicated Hybrid Transmission (DHT). Based on the output figures, it looks like it's the same powertrain already seeing use in the Tiggo 8 Pro e+.

With Chery looking to bring in more electrified models in the country, we'll be keeping our eyes peeled for the new batch of EVs that will soon be testing on PH roads.