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Waiting For The Initial Testing Phases, The Caoa Chery EQ1 Electric Car Model Arrives With The Mission To Become The Cheapest Electric Subcompact Car In Brazil
During the launch of the Tiggo 7 Pro, Marcio Alfonso, CEO of Caoa Chery, confirmed in an interview that the brand will launch two entirely new cars in Brazil in 2022. The main launch is expected to be the EQ1, a subcompact electric vehicle model with only two front doors and a capacity for up to four people. According to Alfonso, the model is already in Brazil awaiting the initial testing phase. The CEO also stated that the EQ1, imported from China, arrives with the main goal of becoming the cheapest electric car ever launched in the country.
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Outperforming The Competition
According to Caoa Chery executives, the price of their new electric car will range from R$ 100,000 to R$ 150,000. The also imported from China electric Kwid has already been confirmed by the French manufacturer Renault to compete with the EQ1 and other models next year.
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Mitsubishi sells a “minivan with the soul of an SUV” with 7 seats cheaper than Chevrolet Spin, Citroën Aircross, and Caoa Chery Tiggo 8 in Brazil; for about R$ 76,000 in conversion without taxes, the Xpander has a 1.5 engine, manual or CVT transmission, 220 mm ground clearance, and a robust family package that Brazilians don’t have, but Indonesia does.
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Within the French manufacturer itself, the EQ1 surpassed its first ‘rival’, a QQ generation model highly rated as the cheapest ever manufactured. Chery even considered bringing the new QQ generation for the launch; however, this generation does not have the subcompact standard that has been produced and sold in Brazil in recent years. The choice of the EQ1 was also based on the fact that it is much more technological and has a design more aligned with Brazilian tastes.
Technical Specifications Of The EQ1
The EQ1 is in its most updated version. It features a 75 hp electric motor and efficient batteries with a capacity and range of up to 408 km, according to the NEDC cycle, being much more optimistic than the WLTP, which is more common among manufacturers.
According to basic factory tests, the EQ1 reaches about 120 km/h maximum speed. The body, made entirely of aluminum, measures just over 3 meters long and, even being a subcompact model with a cramped interior, there is a large 10-inch front screen positioned vertically.
Caoa Chery’s Plans For The Future
In addition to the EQ1 and the model launched in 2019, the Arrizo 5e, the Chinese Chery plans to invest in hybrid models with national production. The CEO of Caoa Chery has not yet confirmed which model will be chosen by the manufacturer’s executives, but it is estimated that it will be the fully updated Tiggo 8 model, which may be called Tiggo 8 Pro.
The Tiggo 8 Pro will bring a redesigned front end, better positioned headlights, and a hexagonal grille with chrome elements on its lower part. Super equipped with all-wheel drive, Caoa Chery stated that the Tiggo 8 – possibly hybrid – has enough power to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in less than 5 seconds. What has surprised most in Alfonso’s statements is the promise that the fuel consumption of the Tiggo 8 will be over 100 km/l.
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