Ritika Janiya
In a world where electric vehicles are going to be at the fore, one major car brand has made a surprising move. Chery, the well-known Chinese car manufacturer, has announced that petrol vehicles will continue to play a big part in its plans, even as the company pushes forward with electric options. Let’s dive into what that all means for UK car buyers, and beyond.
Chery has just launched the Omoda 5 in the UK, with two variants: a £25,000 petrol model and a £33,000 electric model. For the price, the electric Omoda 5 has an impressive list of features: to begin with, there’s a seven-year vehicle warranty and an eight-year battery warranty. It is capable of running as much as 257 miles on a single charge.
Victor Zhang, head of Chery UK, also shared his belief on the switch to electric cars. He says that the switch to EVs in the UK will take time. Why? Well, there are still concerns about where people can charge their electric cars and just how expensive these vehicles are. He pointed out that while 66,779 public charging stations are already installed, although a big increase from last year, the UK still has a long way to go in pursuing its target of 300,000 chargers by the end of the decade.
Though chargers are proliferating, many drivers still look at them with apprehension, most of all if they themselves cannot charge the cars at home. That’s also one of the reasons why Chery has continued to support its petrol and hybrid cars. Zhang said, “Most of the new brands coming to the UK will focus only on electric vehicles. We offer petrol, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and electric options. This variety is very important to our strategy.”
On the other hand, Chery wants to set itself apart as a “pioneering automotive brand” by underlining innovative design and future technology. The Omoda 5 doesn’t have anything like slouch on the petrol: 0-62mph in just 7.8 seconds, while it still manages 37.7 miles to the gallon. It also boasts a very modern infotainment system and an extremely sleek dashboard. For electric lovers, it takes just 28 minutes to get the Omoda 5 EV from 30% to 80%. The feature list includes 23 security features to combat car theft, which’s just getting worse day in and day out.
But that’s not all the Chery has got up their sleeve. According to the company, a far more advanced brand will roll out soon. Welcome Jaecoo. Jaecoo will arrive with 60 UK-wide dealerships prepared and ready to shift its range of vehicles, although this will rise to 100 by the end of 2023. One of the flagships is the Jaecoo J7 SUV; such is the rapid expansion by the Chinese firm that it will see up to eight different models of petrol, hybrid, and electric cars on sale by next year.
What Chery is doing here shows that, even as the future of driving is irrevocably electric, there is still so much value in the traditional petrol vehicles. This way, Chery is able to offer a wide array of options to its customers.
What does that mean for you? If you’re thinking of purchasing a new car, the options will be there like never before. Whether you’re looking at some of the new eco-friendly electric models or sticking with tried-and-true petrol versions, Chery’s diverse lineup will mean you won’t have to compromise on what you want. Continue to watch for more about Chery and its upcoming models here with Jaecoo-they just might have the perfect car for you!
With the automotive world continuing to rapidly change, brands like Chery are doing quite a bit of work in reaching a perfect balance between novelty and practicality. From the latest electric tech to the ever-popular classic petrol engine, there is literally something for everyone to get excited about in the car world.
