Chinese car giant Chery has revealed an electric version of the Omoda 5 - its first EV and its first UK-bound model, which will go on sale in the UK in March 2024.
Unveiled at the Qatar motor show, the Omoda 5 is the first of several planned models from a new ‘fashion’-focused and EV-biased brand, which will sit at the forefront of the company’s global expansion.
Powered by a 61kWh battery, the new Omoda 5 EV offers a claimed range of 280 miles and a maximum charging speed of 110kW, which, the firm says, will charge from 0-80% in half an hour.
The Omoda 5 EV is powered by a single, front-mounted motor that produces 204bhp. That’s good for a 0-62mph sprint of 7.6sec, which matches the time set by the similarly sized Lexus UX 300e. Its EV stats also make it a natural rival to the Toyota bZ4X and Nissan Ariya.
In EV guise, the Omoda 5 gains some styling differences compared with its ICE counterpart. Chery says it has been optimised for aerodynamics and style, aided by a rear spoiler, a bespoke front grille and modified side wings.
Chery has yet to reveal pricing for the electric Omoda 5, but the brand confirmed the petrol version would be priced from just £24,000 in the UK earlier this year. This makes it one of the cheapest cars in its segment, but the EV is likely to cost significantly more, at around £45,000.
As an alternative to the electric variant, the Omoda 5 will be powered by a 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 187bhp and 203lb ft, mated to a seven-speed automatic gearbox. It's good for 31.4mpg on the WLTP combined cycle and emits 170g/km of CO2.
The entry-level Omoda 5 Comfort comes equipped as standard with 17in alloy wheels, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, two wireless phone chargers, adaptive ambient lighting, a pair of 10.25in display screens and dual-zone climate control.
The range-topping Noble trim bumps the list price up to £27,000 and adds a heated leather steering wheel, sunroof and 18in alloy wheels.
Chery is China’s most prolific automotive export brand, selling 450,000 vehicles across Asia, Australia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East last year.
It is perhaps best known in the UK as Jaguar Land Rover’s Chinese joint-venture partner and currently handles production of the Range Rover Evoque, Land Rover Discovery Sport, Jaguar XF and Jaguar XE for the local market.
Now, it is one of a number of Chinese companies branching out to Europe and, like rival Great Wall Motor has done with Ora, it will launch here with a new brand conceived with a focus on style, technology and sustainability.
The ‘O’ in Omoda represents “the bio element we need” and ‘moda’ points to the brand’s fashion focus. It will launch in the UK following roll-outs to the Chinese, Indonesian, Australian and New Zealand markets in 2022.
Omoda is targeting 10,000 annual sales in the UK for the 5 and promises “several new models” with a choice of ICE, PHEV and BEV powertrains - although the prevailing focus will be on BEVs.
Chery has already told Autocar that the second model in its UK line-up will be the Jaecoo 7, a larger SUV in the vein of the Hyundai Tucson with the options of pure-petrol and plug-in hybrid power.
It remains unclear how the Omoda brand will be sold and marketed in the UK. The company said: “Chery has close and deepened cooperation with Jaguar Land Rover in China as a joint-venture company with a successful record of sales, so the UK is not a market which is unknown to Chery.”
UK manager Victor Zhang recently told Autocar: "We are planning to have around 40-50 dealers on board by the time we launch next February." The brand will operate out of a combination of self-run sites and franchises anticipated "to cover the main cities".
