Geely
Emgrand EV
Unveiled in Guangzhou, China, the new Geely Emgrand EV is closely based on the
existing internal-combustion model. But instead of a four-cylinder gasoline
engine, it packs an electric motor good for 127 horsepower and 184 pound-feet
of torque. The juice is stored in a 44.8-kWh battery pack that will travel at
37 miles per hour for up to 205 miles before needing to recharge, or 157 miles
at varying speeds.
The
Chinese automaker hasn't provided full performance specs, but it says that the
Emgrand EV will reach 50 kilometers per hour from a standstill in 4.3 seconds.
The
Emgrand EV is equipped with two charging ports to allow for two different
charging rates. Plug in to a regular socket and it'll take 14 hours to complete
a full charge. But a quick charger will do the job in just 48 minutes. The
driver can also choose between ECO, ECO+, and Sports driving modes to optimize
economy or throttle response, with the dashboard illumination changing from
blue to orange in the process. According to the manufacturer, the existing
Emgrand is the best-selling domestic sedan in China, with over 850,000 sold to
date - including 160,000 in the first ten months of this year.
The
new electric model forms the first part of the Blue Geely Initiative. The plan
is to transition most of the company's lineup from internal-combustion engines
to alternative energy. That means EVs, hybrids, and plug-in hybrids in the near
future, but also hydrogen and metal fuel cells in the longer term. Of the 90
percent of its sales which it aims to electrify by 2020, it anticipated that 65
percent will be hybrids (with or without plugs) and 35 percent will be pure
EVs.
