SAIC Motor’s electric vehicle unit IM Motors has launched its first extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) system, as automakers compete to attract Chinese consumers seeking long-range alternatives to battery-only models.
The system, named Hengxing, features a 66-kWh battery pack offering up to 450 km on the China Light-Duty Vehicle Test Cycle (CLTC) and supports 800-volt high-voltage fast charging.
When fully fueled and charged, the vehicle’s total range can reach 1,500 km. IM Motors said the design provides up to three times the range of certain comparable battery electric vehicles (BEVs) with similar battery capacity.
The battery, supplied by CATL, is the Max variant of its Freevoy Super Hybrid series and is currently the largest battery pack in the EREV segment. It supports a 4C charging rate with a peak charging power of up to 268 kW, enabling 310 km of driving range in about 15 minutes of charging.
The first vehicle equipped with the system will be the LS6 SUV, set to begin pre-sales on Aug. 15, followed by the LS9 large six-seat SUV in the fourth quarter.
The launch comes amid rising demand in China for large-battery plug-in hybrids, including EREVs. In June, the average battery capacity for plug-in hybrid models reached 29.1 kWh, according to the China Automotive Battery Innovation Alliance, compared with around 20 kWh in early 2020.
While most Chinese EV startups have expanded into plug-in hybrid and EREV models, Nio remains focused solely on BEVs. Rivals such as Xpeng have also introduced extended-range systems, with claimed combined ranges exceeding 1,400 km.
