After Li Auto, another Chinese new energy vehicle startup is testing the waters of extended-range electric vehicles.
ENOVATE will launch its second production model, the ME5, a compact five-seat SUV that will feature an extended-range powertrain, according to WeChat account auto-time.
The report cites sources who say the ME5 could be priced at around RMB 200,000.
In addition to the ME5, ENOVATE is also pushing ahead with the development of two new vehicles, internally codenamed IC311 and IC411.
One of them is the ME-S, which was previously debuted at the 2019 Shanghai Auto Show and is ENOVATE's first luxury sports sedan.
The extended-range model of ENOVATE is in line with Li Auto and features a tandem plug-in hybrid model, the report said, citing sources with knowledge of the matter.
The extended-range powertrain features an engine, electric motor and battery pack, with the engine charging the battery system and driving the electric motor, rather than driving the vehicle directly.
The latest project progress shows that the ENOVATE ME5 is adjusted to 4515 x 1906 x 1631 mm with a wheelbase of 2730 mm. It has a battery capacity of 30 kWh and a range of 150 km on pure electric power.
The supplier of its range extender is the same as Li Auto, Harbin Dongan Auto Engine Co.
The ME5 project is currently at the production trial stage, with the batch of trial cars expected to roll off the production line in November this year and mass production as soon as June next year, the report said.
Li Auto is the only Chinese automaker to adopt the tandem plug-in hybrid (extended-range) technology route. Its first model, the Li ONE, has remained the top seller in the new energy medium- and large-sized SUV market for eight consecutive months since its delivery at the end of 2019, with monthly sales stable at around 2,000 units for the past five months.
Li ONE's sales performance proves that the market demand for hybrid models is strong. According to official figures, Li ONE delivered a total of 14,656 units from January to August this year, second only to Nio's 21,667 units among the new car makers.
Li Auto will launch its next model, a full-size extended-range smart SUV, in 2022. Li Auto founder Li Xiang had said that only one new car will be launched in the next three yyears, meaning Li Auto may not launch a compact extended-range SUV in the near future.
This also means that ENOVATE will cut into the empty area of Li Auto's product range and take over the compact extended-range SUV market.
