Chinese automakers are quickly embracing Electric Vehicle (EV) technology in the pursuit of reducing the carbon footprint and cashing in on the growing popularity of EVs around the world. Getting up to speed with the shifting paradigm is Changan, which recently announced the launch of a dedicated EV brand called Avatr.
The brand has been launched in collaboration with Huawei and a Chinese battery maker CATL to establish a strong foothold in China’s uber-competitive EV market. Its spokesperson stated that the three companies have synergized to offer products that have been developed to perfection with the expertise of each enterprise.
Changan reportedly owns approximately 39 percent of the new brand, and CATL holds around 24 percent, which makes it Avatr’s second key stakeholder. Although Huawei is not a shareholder in the company, it will be included in the development of the EVs.
Avatr’s first offering will be a midsize coupe-SUV called ’11’. Without going into finer details, it revealed that the new electric SUV is mounted on Changan’s EP1 platform that will incorporate an all-electric powertrain and a large battery pack that will allow the vehicle to go from 0-100 kmph in slightly over four seconds.
The battery pack will be chargeable at a rate of 200 kW, while the infotainment, connectivity, and other driver-assistance functions will be included in an “intelligent electric network” package called CHN. The spokesman added that CATL and Huawei will work in tandem to develop this system.
The 11 will also have autonomous driving capability based on the technology sourced by Huawei. Although its price and launch date are still under wraps, it is being speculated that the car will rival other premium EVs. This implies that the 11 is likely to have a hefty price tag and will only be targeted at high-end car markets.
