Chery claims 490 HP and 700 km/charge in its new EV platform

Chinese automaker Chery has unveiled a new dedicated EV platform named @Life. Designed by the company’s New Energy subdivision, it supports powertrains in the 129-490 horsepower (96 – 365 kW) range, as well as batteries NEDC-rated above 700 km (435 miles).

The aluminum construction of the chassis reduces its weight by 30 percent compared to stainless-steel designs while lending it an extra 20 percent of structural rigidity. It is also said to be completely recyclable.

The in-house name for the @Life platform is LFS, which stands for “Lightweight Frame Structure”. The batteries inside benefit from moisture and dust protection, and charging them from 30 to 80 percent takes 30 minutes. Face and voice recognition are announced as standard features for @Life-based cars, as well as OTA updates.

Chery Mayi/Ant, which the company is already accepting pre-orders for, will be the first vehicle to get the new architecture. The SUV is 4,630 mm (15.2 feet) long, 1,910 mm (6.27 ft.) wide and 1,655 mm (5.43 ft.) tall with 2,830 mm (9.28 ft.) of inter-axle space. Suspension features MacPherson struts on the front axle and multiple links on the rear axle. The only available electric motor exerts up to 177 hp (132 kW) and 280 Nm (207 lb-ft) of torque. The speed never exceeds 170 km/h (105 mph), and the 70.1-kWh battery translates into 510 km (317 miles) of NEDC range. A safety package called @Pilot 2.5 is available.

Chery hasn’t revealed yet for what car classes it predominantly plans to use @Life, but it did provide a long list of body styles. Apparently, future releases will include SUVs, MPVs, LCVs and other RWD and AWD vehicles. These will receive ICE, hybrid and purely electric powertrains, including even one based on hydrogen cell tech.