2023-08-28 19:01:36
With its Huawei operating system, the Luxeed S7 should appeal to technology enthusiasts. This Chinese electric sedan also has an interesting hybrid battery mixing 2 different chemistries.
Huawei began its offensive in the automotive world with caution. Rather than going on a solo adventure, the Chinese smartphone giant has sealed alliances with experienced companies in the sector. Several partnerships have emerged in recent years, involving real car manufacturers such as Seres, BAIC or GAC. Huawei has also approached Changan and CATL, in a project that gave birth to the Avatr11 electric SUV.
The S7 that interests us today is the result of a collaboration with the manufacturer Chery. This large fully electric sedan is the first model of the Luxeed brand, which will position itself on the premium market.
For the moment, the information is not completely official, but almost, since it comes from the Chinese Ministry of Technology. The formalization should therefore take place soon.
Not the most original of sedans
It’s not really for its style that the S7 is interesting. Its consensual lines and without sharp angles do not really mark the spirits, although the result is not unsightly. Finally, the only originality is above the windshield, where we note the presence of a small protuberance. It’s actually a LiDAR sensor, which works with the car’s semi-autonomous driving system. This element is not visible on all the photos, we can assume that it is retractable or optional.
The electric motors of the Luxeed S7 are provided by Huawei. On the entry-level version, there is only one, located on the rear axle. The power then peaks at 292 hp. A twin-engine, 4-wheel drive Luxeed S7 will also be in the catalog. Its peak power will climb to 496 hp.
NMC + LFP, the winning formula?
As for the battery, Huawei and Chery turned to the Chinese specialist CATL. The battery selected for the S7 has the particularity of mixing 2 chemicals: Lithium-Iron-Phosphate (LFP) and Nickel-Manganese-Cobalt (NMC).
According to Car News China, this solution makes it possible to have a battery less sensitive to the cold at a lower cost. NMC cells have the advantage of better withstanding low temperatures. They are therefore placed at the ends of the pack. LFP cells, which have other strengths (starting with lower cost), are in the middle. Let’s add to be complete that the basic S7 will also be offered with a more classic LFP battery.
Nio already uses this kind of technology for the 75 kWh version of its batteries, as for example on the Nio ET7.
Photos of the dashboard have not been released. However, we know that the S7 will benefit from Huawei’s HarmonyOS 4.0 operating system. The man-machine interface would benefit, thanks in particular to a particularly powerful voice assistant and the NearLink wireless technology, theoretically faster than Bluetooth.
Still a few secrets to unlock
The semi-autonomous driving system of the S7 also comes from Huawei. Described as particularly effective in urban environments, it would excel in particular in detecting obstacles and will be able to operate at 100% of its capacity in 45 cities in China by the end of the year.
There are still a few unknowns at this stage, such as the exact capacity of the batteries, the autonomy of the different versions or even the price of the car. What seems certain is that this Luxeed S7 should still illustrate the progress of the Chinese automotive industry, just like a Zeekr 001 for example!
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