Five of the best Chinese electric vehicles, from BYD Atto 3 to Hongqi E-HS9

The National

24-11-2024

Chinese car manufacturers are moving into new markets around the world with the seeming rapidity of some of their fastest automotive creations on the tarmac. Until just a few years ago, few outside the country will have heard of the brands involved in this global expansion, but now many are attracting global attention. Electric vehicles are a key element to what is on offer. Here's a look at a few of the Middle East's options. Practicality was always a main element when electric cars first started to appear, but BYD (among others) realised you could have a bit of style amongst all the good intentions that petrol-free motoring entails. The brand's Atto 3 is a compact SUV, but one with a fair amount of space inside. It's powered by a 50kW battery that gives the car a range of around 450km, though less if you zip around in sport mode. You might be inclined to do that though as it gives the car much of the feel of the kind of vehicle that you might already expect to have a similarly vivacious nature. This is a solid option if around-town motoring in a zippy vehicle is your bag and, for a lot of us, that's exactly what's required. The JAC E30X is another entertaining vehicle that's on the fun side, and one that's likely to appeal to the environmentally conscious motoring public who previously favoured the likes of the Fiat 500. The chic air of the vehicle gives it a more modern feel than most cars currently on the roads, electric or otherwise, not to mention a bumper-to-bumper sleek feeling. There is, perhaps unsurprisingly, a lot of tech inside the cabin and, perhaps surprisingly, a fair amount of room in it, too. Being an undeniably cute ride, some might say this is a car to be seen in, rather than driven, but there are plenty of worse ways to get around and, as we said, it's fun. Pick-up fans needn't feel excluded if you fancy something electric on their driveway next. The recently released Riddara RD6 is a quirky take on the basic concept of a utility vehicle redesigned to appeal to a more leisure-orientated market. It is also capable of doing some of the jobs fossil fuel-powered pick-ups are renowned for, like pulling trailers. You can easily fill the back and haul a small boat at the same time. The RD6 would function as a work vehicle, but it's more likely to be favoured by those looking for a motor to transport all the things needed for an amusing and, depending upon what's put in the back, possibly action-packed day out. We're onto the bigger stuff now. SUV aficionados who might be feeling inclined towards an electric option can have their cake and eat it with Hongqi's E-HS9. It's comparable in girth to most of the heftiest full-size 4x4s on the roads today, but this big old unit is no slouch in the speed department – the car's twin-motor powertrain will get driver and passengers up to 100kph from a standing start in around 4.5 seconds, a figure sufficient to embarrass many a smaller ride. Those with the oft-mentioned range anxiety that puts many off electric vehicles might have their angst assuaged somewhat with the news that the E-HS9 can go nearly 700km on a single charge. If you're looking for something unusual, the HiPhi Z will tick a lot of metaphorical motoring boxes. As yet, these are a niche option, but one that might be worthy of the buying public's attention. This is a natty-looking five-door affair whose stylings resemble shooting brakes from years past. The similarities end there, though. The Z is a sporty tearaway with some terrific power that rivals, say, the Porsche Taycan GTS – it has a 0 to 100kph time of 3.8 seconds, for a start. Much like the Polestar 4, there is no rear windscreen here with most driver aides coming from cameras, so it's an ultra-modern ride. This is one you'd need to get specifically exported, but if you were looking for something fast that'll get you noticed, the Z could be high on your list.