HAVAL parent company Great Wall Motors is set to launch its first electric vehicle – the C30EV. Based on the Great Wall C30 sedan, the C30EV is powered by a 240 Newton-metre motor and boasts a healthy 245 kilometre range.
It can accelerate the front-wheel drive C30EV from zero to 50 km/h in just over four seconds and to 100 km/h from rest in 10 seconds. Top speed for the CV30 is 140 km/h. Travelling at 60 km/h, the C30EV has a range of 245 kilometres. Highway cruising at 100 km/h has a range of 200 kilometres.
Full charge from a household power point takes 10 hours. The C30EV also has a rapid charging cycle that supplies 80 per cent battery capacity in just 45 minutes, to provide a range of nearly 200 kilometres. The battery is the newest generation Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide, which combines higher energy density with lower cost and long cycle life.
The Great Wall C30EV will be available only in China, but is a vital test bed for the future development of HAVAL hybrid and EV SUVs. It represents a critical next step for HAVAL chairman Wei Jianjun, who has committed his company to leading the charge toward hybrid and electric vehicles.
“Only by embracing scientific innovation and mastering core technologies, can we remain at the forefront of vehicle engineering,” he said. “We will improve the competitiveness of our products by developing our core technologies. Technological innovation is the only way for Haval to realize its global dream.”
The HAVAL Technology Centre he built now employs more than 10,000 staff and is capable of designing and developing 10 vehicles simultaneously.
Electric vehicles continue to grow in popularity in China. In 2015, sales of new energy vehicles – including electric and plug-in hybrids – totalled 188,700 units. That represented a 220 per cent increase on the 2014 figure. The growth in popularity of electric vehicles was recognised at the recent Beijing Auto Exhibition, where more than 50 new EVs were displayed.
The new Great Wall C30EV will go on sale in China later this year.
