At only 43 cents per kilo, all-electric crossover is just what doctor ordered amid renewed fuel price pain.
The Chery Q will be officially introduced locally on 29 September. Picture: Jaco van der Merwe
The Chery Q is about to throw its hat into the ring as one of the most affordable electric vehicles (EVs) in South Africa.
Set to be officially introduced to Mzansi at the end of the month, the Q will start at R349 900. It goes up against two other fairly new players in the EV game, the Geely E2 and BYD Dolphin Surf which start at R339 900 and R341 900 respectively.
The Citizen Motoring sampled the Chery Q in Elite trim, the range’s flagship at R389 900, during a pre-launch drive earlier this month. And we can safely say that this little crossover has all the makings of a market disrupter. Also, the timing of its introduction couldn’t be better amid the renewed fuel price pain.
Chery Q shows size does matter
They say size might not be everything but it is rather important when it comes to an EV’s battery. And here the Chery Q holds the edge in the three-horse race it is about to find itself in. It features a 42.7kWh battery which sends 90kW of power and 115Nm to the rear-mounted axle.
The Geely E2‘s 39.4kWh battery delivers 85kW/150Nm, with both the Dolphin Surf’s 30.1 and 38.9kWh battery packs making 55kW/135Nm. Both the E2 and Dolphin Surf’s drive goes to a single front-mounted electric motor.
While you can argue the merits of the power and torque outputs for a small city car, the Q’s biggest virtue is its superior range. Especially because range anxiety will remain a major factor for first-time buyers in the EV space.
Chery claims a 400km range for the Q, a number that was until very recently just associated with EVs five times the price. This will be a massive selling point against the E2’s 325km and the Dolphin Surf Comfort’s 232km. The flagship BYD Dolphin Surf Dynamic’s range goes up to 295km, but it comes at a R54 000 premium over the entry-level Comfort, which is also R46 000 more than the base Chery Q Comfort.
Excellent energy consumption
We were very impressed with the energy consumption reading of 10.9kWh/100km for the 210km we travelled in the Q. This number will ensure a real-world range of 391km which is not far off the 400km claim.
More important is what that mileage will cost compared to anything out there with an engine. If you work on a pre-paid domestic electricity rate of R4/kWh, it will cost a mere R43.60 to travel 100km. At the current petrol price, that can’t even buy you two litres of petrol which will struggle to cover 30km even in a very frugal car.
We did not need to charge the Chery Q, but DC fast charging will take less than 17 minutes for the battery level to go from 30 to 80%. A slow AC connection at a home wallbox will get the battery from 10 to 100% in six and half hours.
One of the reasons for the Q’s great energy consumption is its sensible use of power. Almost similar to the “detuning” of an internal combustion engine. Because the power in an all-electric vehicle is instant, EVs have traditionally been wasteful by not throttling the power during acceleration. While it might ensure a great thrill in a performance EV, everyday electric cars are better off preserving energy by going about their business in a civilised manner.
Smooth power
The Q does offer a choice between Eco, Normal and Sport driving modes, but these do not make a dramatic difference. It’s claimed 0 to 100km/h sprint time of 13.5 seconds and top speed of 135km is more than enough for daily city traffic and the perfect compromise in pursuit of a more efficient range.
While adjusting energy savings settings allows the Q to recuperate more energy by slowing the Q down when you lift from the accelerator, it surprisingly lacks an all-out one-pedal driving mode. But as its energy consumption is so good already, it doesn’t really need aggressive recuperative braking to keep its power levels up.
The Chery Q is an absolute pleasure to drive. Its acceleration is supersmooth, its handling ridiculously easy and it feels rock solid and planted through corners.
The cabin is very spacious, simplistic and features plenty of refined materials which includes black synthetic leather seats. It most definitely feels that you are sitting in something much more expensive than it actually is.
All the gadgets
Taking centre stage is a 15.6-inch infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which features alongside an 8.88-inch digital instrument cluster. The Elite grade also features wireless charger, ambient lightning and adaptive cruise control.
We found an additional feature to the climate control called “Rapid Odour Removal” very amusing. Not second guesses what that is for.
Climate control buttons and scrollers, along with controllers in the doors, are about the only physical switchgear in the car, with everything else operated from the touchscreen.
Like most EVs, there is also no start/stop button. The Q switches on from the moment it unlocks via its smartkey and you only need to select a gear via the steering wheel-mounted lever to start moving. An app also allow you to activate things like the climate control before you even get into the car.
Chery Q has plenty of space
Rear legroom and headroom are very generous in the Q and adults will have nothing to complain about even on longer journeys. Boot space is 375 litres, with another 70 litres in the “frunk”.
Standard safety features across the range include six airbags, ABS with EBD, traction control, electronic stability programme, hill-decent control and front and rear parking sensors. The Elite comes with an additional 21 Advanced Driver Assistance Systems. And much to our delight, these usually obtrusive bings and bongs stay off until you turn them on again.
On energy consumption and range alone, the Chery Q hits the spot. Add the rest of the package and a very competitive price tag to it and it is bound to converting buyers to EVs in no time.
