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Business Times
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Business Times
Changan, Huawei and CATL's luxury EV brand Avatr to be distributed by Premium Automobiles in Singapore
[SINGAPORE] China luxury electric vehicle (EV) brand Avatr will be distributed and sold by Premium Automobiles in Singapore. Lee Hoe Lone, Premium Automobiles' managing director, told The Business Times that the brand will be officially launched in the Republic in late July or early August. The brand's first model, the Avatr 11 sport utility vehicle (SUV), will debut at the same time, with another SUV, the Avatr 07, to follow in 2025. The brand will occupy a temporary showroom at Premium Automobile's facility on 281 Alexandra Road until its permanent showroom, on the fourth level of the same facility, completes renovation. Positioned as a luxury EV brand and pitting itself against the likes of Mercedes-Benz and BMW, Avatr is the result of a partnership between major players in China's automotive, battery and technology industries. Founded in 2018, Avatr is majority-owned by China state automotive group Changan, with a minority stake held by Contemporary Amperex Technology Company Limited (CATL), the world's largest producer of EV batteries. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up China tech company Huawei does not own a stake in Avatr, but is a partner and key parts supplier in the project. It develops the Harmony operating system used in the vehicles as well as other components, including the electric motors. Like other China car brands, Avatr is seeking to boost its export numbers in the region, having debuted in Thailand and the Philippines last year. The brand said it plans to expand its presence to 50 countries and regions worldwide in 2025. Premium Automobiles, owned by businessman Hadi Tanaga, is now the representative to four China brands, including Geely-owned luxury brand Zeekr, Xpeng and Deepal – which is also a Changan brand, but targets the mainstream. Premium Automobiles was the former dealer for Audi in Singapore, but ceased that operation as the German luxury brand pivoted to direct sales. It currently provides Audi's after-sales services. Avatr is positioned in the premium EV space, a segment which now has numerous competitors in Singapore, including Tesla, Xpeng and IM Motors. Lee said that its larger, more upscale models – including the Avatr 11 – will rival luxury models such as those offered by BMW or Mercedes-Benz. The Avatr 11 is a large, luxury SUV that will compete with the BMW iX and Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV. No pricing has been revealed for the car yet, but two versions will be available: standard and long range. The smaller Avatr 07, which competes with the Tesla Model Y, will be introduced in the first quarter of 2026. Abroad, the brand offers two sedans – the Avatr 06 and Avatr 12 – though it is not clear if or when they will be available in Singapore. Avatr sold 73,606 vehicles in its home market in 2024 – a 133 per cent year-on-year increase.
Business Times
09-05-2025
- Automotive
- Business Times
Zeekr 009 review: If Bentley did an MPV, it might look like this
[SINGAPORE] In 30 years reviewing cars, the Zeekr 009 is the first one to turn up for me with a chauffeur. As Sean, my affable driver for six hours, slid open the door to usher me into its vast interior, I chose to believe that Premium Automobiles really wanted me to experience what it's like to ride around in the back of the plush electric multi-purpose vehicle (MPV), instead of suspecting that they'd heard rumours about my driving. Anyway, who would mind being in the business end of a car thoughtfully crafted to deliver a uniquely Chinese take on luxury? For a start, this was the six-seat Flagship version, not the seven-seat Premium one, so the door opened up to a pair of airline-style thrones that reclined into what Zeekr describes as an Eames chair mode. Climb aboard and it's immediately clear that the 009 is a rolling lounge kitted out with every modern convenience known to man except plumbing (although I'd bet a stack of yuan that the Chinese are working on putting a lavatory in, complete with bidet). Meanwhile, you get a huge flip-down screen, a fridge, fold-out tray tables and a Yamaha sound system with 30 speakers. In terms of electric-vehicle hardware, it comes with a 116 kilowatt-hour (kWh) battery good for 582 km of range, and if you plug in a 150 kilowatt DC charger, it'll go from 10 to 80 per cent in just 30 minutes. Riding in the back feels like floating on a cloud, only one with seats that cool you, warm you and massage you, all at once if you want. PHOTO: BIG FISH PUBLISHING The cabin itself is an 80 square-foot masterclass in plushness. It's swathed in soft-touch materials, upholstered in top-grade Nappa leather and dressed in a high-end colour palette that mixes elegant tones with brushed metal accents. Even the crystalline seat switches glint like something from a jewellery counter. In short, the 009 is Zeekr's upscale riposte to the Toyota Alphard market, but done with such refinement that if Bentley ever did an MPV, it might end up like this. The electric drivetrain helps, of course, but it's the combination of whisper-quiet motors and standard air suspension that gives the 009 its uncannily smooth, gliding ride. Riding in the back feels like floating on a cloud, only one with seats that cool you, warm you and massage you, all at once if you want. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Friday, 2 pm Lifestyle Our picks of the latest dining, travel and leisure options to treat yourself. Sign Up Sign Up As reluctant as I was to leave my massage session, duty made me climb into the third-row seats. I found them surprisingly habitable, even for adults, the big windows keep things feeling light and airy back there. I was more impressed with the suspension. Unlike the Denza D9, which can get bouncy, the 009 keeps things level and composed. I quizzed Sean about his thoughts on the Zeekr, because I figured I would be the kind of benevolent tycoon who wanted to hear from the hired help from time to time. 'I had a preconception about electric cars. You know, people say they have no soul,' he said. 'Then I drove this and I was like, 'Okay, this is actually really good!'' Sean continued his review by enthusing about the 'bucket loads' of power from the 009's two motors and its smooth braking, but wasn't too hot on the touchscreen controls ('There's just too much going on,' he said), and wished for more physical switches. A man after my own heart. Sean, the writer's affable chauffeur for six hours, ushers the writer into the Zeekr 009's vast interior. PHOTO: BIG FISH PUBLISHING Just in case he was after my job, too, I eventually took the tiller. I'd say the 009 feels vaguely like a land yacht slicing through calm waters, all majestic and smooth. But steer it into a tight car park, and you're suddenly aware that there are several metres of expensive metal behind you. It's a huge car, with all the attendant challenges of driving one, but thankfully the 360-degree camera system is top-notch. Elsewhere, there are sensors galore to keep you from straying out of lane or generally crashing into things, so its size is more daunting than disastrous. As a family MPV, the 009 is less convincing, since the boot isn't particularly big for a car this size, but it's clear that practicality isn't the point here. Zeekr's priorities didn't lie in building you a car for the grocery run, but to arrive like someone who's used to being met at the door. It's a car for someone who prefers to be driven, and who doesn't flinch at a road tax bill of S$6,526 a year. If that's you, the Zeekr 009 definitely has a place in your fleet. Unlike me, however, you'll have to supply your own chauffeur. Zeekr 009 Flagship Motor Power/Torque: 534 hp/ 686 Nm Battery Type/Net Capacity: Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt/116 kWh Charging Time/Type: 30 minutes 10 to 80 per cent (150 kW DC), 13.5 hours (11 kW AC) Range: 582 km 0-100 km/h: 4.5 seconds Top Speed: 210 km/h Efficiency: 22.3 kWh/100 km Agent: Premium Automobiles BEV Price: S$419,999 with COE Available Now
