There is talk about Apple making electric vehicle. Meanwhile, its China-equivalent Huawei, already have a car – though not quite an EV and also, it is not quite a Huawei-branded EV. It is a plug-in hybrid, featuring a suite of Huawei’s technology.
The car is not even a new model; it is an updated Crossover from Chinese EV brand SERES, called SERES SF5. The hybrid SUV originally debuted in 2019 at Auto Guangzhou. The updated SERES SF5 was unveiled by Huawei at the Auto Shanghai 2021 in April.
Under the hood, SF5’s power is derived from a 1.5L petrol engine and two electric motors for a combine output of 405 kW (543 HP) and a pretty impressive 820 Nm (605 lb-ft) of torque.
As for the numbers, SERES SF5 is capable of 4.68 seconds century sprint, and has a pure electric range of 180 kilometers (about 112 miles) and a total combine range of over 1,000 kilometers (621+ miles).
The vehicle is offered in 2- and 4-wheel drive version and features Huawei DriveONE electric drive system, Huawei HiCar and Huawei Sound. Speaking of drivetrain, this is not your usual hybrid setup; the front employs a SEP 200 AC asynchronous motor to provide explosive drive, suitable for extreme driving while Huawei DriveONE can be found mounted to the rear.
Huawei DriveONE claims low power consumption with high-performance and it is suitable for daily drive, especially in city where congestion is a norm.
The hybrid vehicle further features a high-strength frame design, an aluminum alloy chassis, front double wishbone, and rear multi-link independent suspension.
The drive is probably an unseen Huawei’s contribution to the car. However, the telecommunication equipment maker’s presence is more evident inside the car where you will be greeted by a large tablet-style display where Huawei HiCar lives. Also on the cabin is Huawei Sound, an audio setup comprising of 11 speakers.
The updated SERES SF5 may be a hybrid, but it has something other hybrid or even electric vehicle has; it has a vehicle-to-vehicle charging function, allowing it to power other EV, plus other external devices if desire.
But I think the real star of the car is Huawei self-developed L2+ level auto-assisted drive that allows the car to self-drive even in complex road conditions.
The updated SERES SF5 is also the first car to be sold be Huawei. It has a starting price of 246,800 yuan and 216,800 yuan (US$38,190 and US$33,543) for the four- and two-wheel drive model, respectively.
Images: Huawei [CH].
