Chery adds pure-electric tech in lineup with new Arrizo 5e
Chery Auto Philippines, under the distributorship of United Asia Automotive Group, Inc (UAAGI) has introduced a new model in its lineup, and has joined the electric car club with the launch of the Chery Arrizo 5e. The Chery brand was reintroduced in the country by UAAGI in November 2019 with a full lineup of crossovers.
The launch, held via Facebook Live marks some milestones for the brand in the country. First is that the event is their first virtual vehicle launch held due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Second is that the Chery Arrizo 5e is their first non-crossover model in the country. Lastly, the Arrizo 5e is also their first electric vehicle in the local market and probably the most affordable one as well. Do take note that the name Arrizo is for the Chery’s sedan line as to how the Tiggo name is for crossovers.
Well you might be wondering what the Chery Arrizo 5e gets in terms of looks and features. In front, it gets a look that is undoubtedly electric car. It has projector headlights in almost triangular shaped clusters. LED daytime running lights can be found on the bumper. Given that this is an electric vehicle, there is no grille. Instead you get a charging port behind the Chery logo. At the back, it looks more like a traditional sedan. It does get LED taillights as standard.
Inside, you’ll be greeted by a fairly premium looking interior with a two-tone black and brown color combination. Right in the center is a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system with mobile connectivity and a battery-charge indicator. Below that is an 8-inch touchscreen automatic climate control system. Also available is a power sunroof. Chery also says that 65% of the Arrizo 5e’s interior is covered in leather.
Reflecting the high-tech nature of the vehicle, a round polished silver auto-retracting knob takes the place of the traditional gear lever. Smart technologies include battery temperature intelligent control for the lithium-ion batteries, as well as wireless smartphone connectivity, smart entry system, a 360-degree and reversing camera with video monitor and an electric parking brake with auto-hold feature.
The Chery Arrizo EV is powered by a permanent magnet synchronous motor paired to a lithium-ion battery that produces 160 hp and 250 Nm of torque. Acceleration from 0 to 50 kph takes just 3.8 seconds and it has a top speed of 152 kilometers per hour and a driving range of 400 to 500 kilometers with a full charge. This means one can drive almost a full week without charging. Charging can take as fast as 45 minutes with a fast charger.
Safety features include six airbags, Electronic Stability Program (ESP 9.0) from Bosch (with other driver-assist technologies like Anti-lock Braking System, Electronic Brakeforce Distribution, Hill Hold Control, DTC, HBA and TCS), a tire pressure monitoring system, and the use of 60% high-tensile strength steel in the NCAP five-star-collision test-rated body.
Now, hybrid and electric vehicle sales in the country have not exactly picked up yet despite many models being available with other brands. Chery Auto PH knows this and honestly says that they do not expect big sales numbers for the Arrizo 5e. This means that the availability of the model will be via indent order for now. Pricing is not yet final but the company says we should expect to be around the Php 1.9-million range.
