The car you’re looking at is dubbed the Hengchi H1 and it forms part of a six-vehicle electric lineup being introduced in China by Evergrande. China Evergrande Group is the world’s most indebted property developer and yet, in March 2019, claimed that within three to five years it would be “the world’s biggest, and the strongest, electric vehicle group.” Fast forward 18 months and it has finally provided the world a glimpse of the vehicles it will launch.
First is the Hengchi 1 that takes the shape of a D-segment luxury sedan designed by Anders Warming, formerly of Mini, BMW and Borgward. Preliminary images of the vehicle showcase a front end void of a traditional grille and dominated by a set of slim LED headlights. The Hengchi 1 also sits on a set of massive wheels, has hidden door handles, and uses rear-facing cameras in place of traditional wing mirrors.
In addition to this D-segment sedan, Evergrande has showcased five other vehicles under the new Hengchi brand, dubbed the 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. The Hengchi 2 takes the shape of a luxurious B-segment sedan, while the Hengchi 3 is a large luxury SUV. Meanwhile, the Hengchi 4 takes the shape of a seven-seat MPV while the 5 and 6 are SUVs.
The emergence of images and details about
the various Hengchi models comes shortly after Evergrande revealed it is
preparing for a mainland share sale to fund its expansion into the electric
vehicle world. The company plans to offer 1.556 billion shares on the Shanghai
Stock Exchange STAR Market in a move that could be worth upwards of $4.7
billion, SCMP reports.
