The Avatr 07 is Avatr's third model and its first to offer EREV options, as hybrids are seen as a panacea to boost sales.

Avatr Technology has launched its first model to offer both battery electric vehicle (BEV) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) options, as hybrids are seen as a panacea to boost sales.

The electric vehicle (EV) brand, backed by Changan Automobile, CATL, and Huawei, rolled out the Avatr 07, a five-seat SUV (sport utility vehicle) offering BEV and extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) options, at a launch event on September 26.

The Avatr 07 EREV is Avatr's first model using its Kunlun extended-range system. The company plans to launch EREV variants for existing models Avatr 11 SUV and Avatr 12 sedan in the fourth quarter, it said at yesterday's event.

Over the next three years, Avatr will launch 17 new products including mid-to-large-size five-seater SUVs, large six-seat SUVs, MPVs (multi-purpose vehicles) and coupes, it said.

The Avatr 07 is Avatr's third model after the Avatr 11 and Avatr 12, marking the EV maker's pivot to EREVs.

Most of China's earliest EV startups targeted the BEV market in the beginning, but experience over the past few years has shown that PHEVs without range anxiety, including EREVs, are more popular.

EREVs are powered only by batteries, so you get the driving experience of a BEV while getting a range comparable to that of a fuel vehicle.

As of now, Nio (NYSE: NIO) is pretty much the only one of China's new car-making forces still sticking to the BEV camp, with other players already offering or planning to offer hybrid models.

In speaking with the media, including CnEVPost, earlier this month, the company's founder, chairman, and CEO William Li joked that Nio would only consider launching hybrid models if Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) does so.

The Avatr 07 measures 4,825 mm in length, 1,980 mm in width and 1,620 mm in height, and has a wheelbase of 2,940 mm. It is slightly smaller than the Li Auto's Li L6, which measures 4,925 mm in length, 1,960 mm in width and 1,735 mm in height, and has a wheelbase of 2,920 mm.

The Avatr 07 is available in three BEV variants as well as three EREV variants, with a price range of RMB 219,900 ($31,360) to RMB 289,900.

Specifically, the three variants of the Avatr 07 BEV start at RMB 229,900, RMB 249,900, and RMB 289,900, with the highest priced variant being a dual-motor four-wheel drive model, and the other two being single-motor rear-wheel drive models.

The all-electric variant is based on the 800 V high-voltage platform, and the single-motor version has a peak motor power of 252 kW and peak torque of 365 Nm, capable of accelerating from 0 to 100 kilometers per hour in 6.3 seconds.

Its dual-motor version has an additional front motor with 188 kW of peak power and 280 Nm of peak torque. This variant is capable of accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds.

The Avatr 07 BEV comes standard with a Shenxing Battery with a capacity of 82.16 kWh, which is CATL's 4C fast charging-enabled lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery that was released in August 2023 and is capable of charging from 0 to 80 percent in 20 minutes.

The all-electric variant has a CLTC range of 650 kilometers for the two single-motor versions and 610 kilometers for the four-wheel drive version.

The three variants of the Avatr 07 EREV have a starting price of RMB 219,900, RMB 239,900 and RMB 279,900 respectively.

The two least expensive versions are single-motor rear-wheel drive models with a peak motor power of 231 kW and peak torque of 367 Nm, capable of accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.6 seconds.

The highest-priced version is a dual-motor rear-drive model with an additional front motor, which produces 131 kW of peak power and 262 Nm of peak torque, and is capable of accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.9 seconds.

The Avatr 07 EREV comes standard with an LFP battery with a capacity of 39.05 kWh, which provides a CLTC range of 220-230 kilometers. It has a combined CLTC range of 1,050-1,100 kilometers when fully fueled and charged.

The Avatr 07 uses Huawei's intelligent driving technology, with some variants carrying a 192-channel LiDAR, thus supporting Huawei's Qiankun ADS 3.0 system. Its cockpit system is Huawei's Harmony OS 4.0.

Avatr will begin delivering the Avatr 07 later today, with a delivery ceremony taking place in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province.

Avatr delivered 3,712 vehicles in August, up 87.95 percent year-on-year, according to data compiled by CnEVPost.

From January to August, Avatr delivered 36,367 vehicles, up 150.7 percent year-on-year.

Avatr enters Thailand with launch of Avatr 11 SUV

($1 = RMB 7.0111)