By Adeniyi Onifade
Chery, a leading brand in the automobile industry, has taken a lead in the field of lightweight technology, and has also achieved low-cost and green mass production of new-energy passenger vehicles.
This, the company explained, “is based on its success in sourcing lightweight aluminium materials, which has effectively enabled it to create a new model for constantly promoting the technological progress of the automotive industry”.
The carmaker maintained that its tireless efforts in research and development for more than 10 years gave it the capacity to deliver the results that are now being celebrated by those using its car brands. On account of this, its subsidiary, known as Chery New Energy, has been widely acclaimed by industry watchers as a pioneer in the field of new energy vehicles.
Recently, Chery Overseas Investment Corporation announced compliance with new energy in the automotive industry, stating that it has become a national strategy, acknowledging further that the industry is rapidly developing towards electric transformation.
According to Mr. Jason Han, Senior Sales Manager of Chery Overseas Investment Corporation, “Chery’s new energy products would gradually cover various market segments in the future, including Class A to Class C cars and Class B to Class D SUVs, covering plug-in hybrid vehicles, battery EVs, extended-range EVs, electric four-wheel-drive vehicles and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.”
He also confirmed that till date, Chery has applied for more than 900 patents in the field of new energy, of which over 600 have been granted, making the company a leader in the industry.
He noted that since its development of aluminium-based composite vehicle bodies in 2015, Chery has cooperated with a number of scientific research institutes on national projects, accumulated substantial technical achievements, and developed related experimental equipment.
With the deepening of such work, Chery decided to establish a lightweight technology laboratory, while in March 2020, Chery New Energy was certified as a “Key Laboratory of Anhui Province in Lightweight Technology of New Energy Vehicles.”
Han added: “Chery New Energy Small Ant, the leader of the A000 battery electric vehicle (EV) segment, is the benchmark for lightweight EVs and the first battery EV among independent Chinese brands to be built with an all-aluminium lightweight body.
“This bodywork structure reduces the weight of the whole vehicle by 40 per cent compared with traditional vehicles. Chery’s 3R-BODY structural design can not only effectively ensure driving safety but also contribute to the lightweight and maneuverability of the whole vehicle, thus effectively extending the cruising range.”
Since its launch in 2017, Chery New Energy Small Ant has undergone four evolutions and set a number of records, including China’s first EV created through positive independent development, the first battery EV built with an all-aluminium lightweight body, China’s first two-door four-seat battery EV with a cruising range of more than 300 km, the first battery EV with an automatic parking function, the best-selling battery EV in its market segment, and the battery EV model with the highest penetration rate in shared mobility.
Yet, the end of 2019 saw the official launch of the S61, Chery New Energy’s first all-aluminium lightweight battery-electric SUV. As a core strategic model of Chery New Energy, the S61 integrates the latest cutting-edge technology with consumer demands and aesthetic trends. The launch of the S61 (later renamed “Ant”) provides users with a smarter and greener choice of mobility.
On the company’s future, Han revealed that Chery has formulated the “457” technology development plan, which consists of four new energy product platforms, five general subsystems, and seven core technologies, including battery EVs, hybrid vehicles, extended range EVs and fuel cells, among others.