610 hp for just $33,085 – China raises the bar with Chery Exeed VX C-DM

In case you needed another reason to feel jealous of Chinese car enthusiasts, the Chery Exeed VX C-DM three-row SUV is officially available for pre-order with 610 hp, 1,300 km (over 800 miles) of EREV range, and a starting price of $33,085 US.

State-owned Chinese automaker Chery recently launched the Exeed luxury brand, with its latest model, the Exeed VX C-DM plugin, making its international debut in Saudi Arabia February 23. At the same time, Chery opened the order books on the Exeed in China under the Exeed Lanyue C-DM name. And it is, in a word: impressive.

It’s really nice, you guys

Dubbed “the land business jet” on Exeed’s website, the Exeed VX C-DM pairs a 1.5L range-extending ICE motor with a three-speed DHT gearbox that integrates with a 165 kW e-motor. A second 175 kW electric motor sits in the rear axle, giving the big, seven-passenger SUV a combined peak power output of 455 kW (about 610 hp) and 920 Nm (nearly 680 lb-ft) of torque. That’s enough to rocket the big SUV from 0-60 mph in less than 5.0 seconds.

On the EV side of the ERVE equation, the Exeed VX C-DM packs a super-safe CATL NMC battery pack good for 180 km (about 112 miles) of CLTC range in electric mode – a far cry from the twenty-or-thirty-odd miles you’d get out of a conceptually similar Mazda CX-90 PHEV or Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe.

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It’s nice inside, too

In addition to that power and performance Exeed VX C-DM buyers also get a high-end interior with quilted leather, massaging front seats, slick infotainment screens, panoramic glass roof, a 23-speaker Lion Melody sound system, and LED mood lighting. That high-tech interior sets the stage for more high-tech baubles, like 26 ADAS functions that include self-driving features, an SDG system to reduce collisions, a 540-degree (?) camera for easy parking.

That ADA system combines with a “high-performance integrated cage body” and 10 driver and passenger airbags to deliver a 5 Star C-NCAP crash test rating.

And, yes – al that goodness starts at the equivalent of just 239,900 yuan ($33,085 US) in China.

Eat your heart out.

Electrek’s Take

We can talk about tariff this and trade war that all day long. The real message here, however, is that China is objectively, unequivocally, and obviously years ahead of the US when it comes to American EVs in terms of manufacturing efficiency, battery and charging technology, and value. And, for as long as they have a system that takes the burden of pensions and healthcare and other basics of life off the manufacturer (and we don’t) they’ll probably keep pulling ahead.

Head on down to the comments and tell me convince me otherwise.

SOURCE | IMAGES: Chery Exeed, via CarNewsChina.