Seres unveils SF5, a 693-HP hybrid SUV

Seres, A China-based car manufacturer previously known as SF Motors, has shown the production version of its SF5 SUV. Unlike its prototype revealed two years ago, the car is a full-fledged hybrid.

The SF5 Concept, which you can see in the video, had a skateboard chassis and a couple of electric motors. The production car additionally features a 1.5-liter turbocharged gasoline engine rated at 150 hp (112 kW), which links to a 90-kW power generator and does not drive the wheels directly.

The motors join their efforts for 693 hp (517 kW) and 1,040 Nm (767 lb-ft) of torque, which enables the bulky SUV to hit 100 km/h in 4.8 seconds. The prototype could allegedly sprint in 3.5 seconds, but 4.8s is still pretty decent. A 35-kWh traction battery grants it up to 150 kilometers (93 miles) of NEDC-rated all-electric range even when the gas tank is empty.

The interior is dominated by a 12.3-inch digital dash panel, a 17-infotainment screen and a HUD. There is a voice assistant that can reportedly recognize natural speech, and a front-facing camera and radar that combine to deliver Level 2 self-driving. Software can be updated over the air.

Another version will ship with a larger battery for 500 km (310 miles) of NEDC range. Later on, a single-motor spec will also be available. It will offer 347 hp (259 kW) and 520 Nm (384 lb-ft) and hit 100 km/h in 6.8 seconds.