A new electric vehicle (EV) from Huawei is intended to compete with Elon Musk’s Tesla. The Luxeed S7 is the company’s first sedan, and preorders for it were opened by the Chinese tech giant on Thursday. It had sold SUVs before.
Developed in collaboration with Chinese automaker Chery, the car’s presale price is 258,000 yuan ($35,400). At a press conference on Thursday, the Huawei company announced that regular sales will start on November 28.
The Huawei company’s head of consumer relations, Richard Yu, showed off the stylish four-wheeler on stage in the bustling metropolis of Shenzhen. Declaring that it was outfitted with a potent high-voltage battery pack. He previously declared that the S7 would outperform the Model S from Tesla (TSLA) in every way.
According to Shanghai-based automotive industry analyst Mark Rainford, who hosts the YouTube channel “Inside China Auto,” the comparison might be a bit of a stretch. Since some performance metrics haven’t been fully released. He told CNN, “I think comparisons with the Model S may be a bit ambitious on most metrics that I can find information for.”
However, the 800-volt platform—which should allow for extremely quick charging—is where the S7 really shines. The S7 will have an advantage in this regard because Tesla doesn’t currently use an 800-volt platform, according to Rainford.
Chinese EV battery manufacturer CATL produces the 800-volt battery pack for the S7. Which Yu claims is the thinnest in the industry.
According to Yu, a 15-minute charge will result in a driving range of 400 kilometers (249 miles). Exceeding the 347 kilometers (about 216 miles) that Tesla’s Model S can achieve after a comparable charging time.
He went on, “Our range is greater than that of our peers.”
A request for comment from the US automaker, which no longer has a public relations team, was not immediately answered.
Although the range comparison hasn’t been tested, according to Rainford, it should be feasible given the battery.
According to him, Tesla might have an edge due to its robust Supercharger network in China, which has a large number of stations. Nonetheless, the S7 is significantly less expensive than the most basic Model S. It retails for 698,900 yuan, or $95,800 in China, at $35,400.
Tesla recently had to lower its prices in China, due to increased competition in the largest auto market in the world.
Huawei Automobile thrust
Although Huawei initially gained notoriety as a tech and telecom behemoth. US export restrictions have hindered the company recently, sending it into a tailspin. It has been very clear this year that it wants to return and make a big impression on the automotive industry. In 2021, it introduced its first EV.
The company hinted at the release of the S7 and the Aito M9. An electric SUV was created in collaboration with Seres, another Chinese automaker, at an event in September. During the launch event, Yu announced that over 86,000 preorders for the improved Aito M7, which was first available last year, had been placed in just 50 days.
