A Chery eQ1, seen in central Beijing in 2019. The Chery eQ1 is a cool and almost cute electric mini car. Design is interesting, with enormous headlines, with blue lenses, dominating the front. The body is painted in a dual-color scheme, with the top part always in white.
The Chery eQ1 debuted in 2016. When it was unveiled it was called ‘@ant’, which was totally weird and totally hip. Sadly, Chery decided to kill the ant and changed the name to eQ1. It was developed by Chery New Energy, a subsidiary of Chery that develops and researched new-energy vehicles. In China, the term new-energy refers to EVs, PHEVs, and FCEVs.
Blue EV badge on the C-pillar. In China, blue is the common color for ‘green’ vehicles. So many Chinese EVs and PHEVs have blue design detailing and blue badges. The Chery eQ1 is based on a dedicated EV platform, with the batteries under the floor and the motor at the front. The electric motor has an output of 41 hp and 120 Nm. Top speed is 100 kilometers per hour. Range depends on battery; with the 30.6 kWh unit it goes 301 kilometers NEDC and with the 40.6 kWh unit it can go 408 kilometers NEDC.
The interior is very nice for a car in this segment. It has faux-leather seats and the seat color matches trim on dash, doors, and center stack. The instrument panel is fully digital and the infotainment system is controlled via a large 10 inch touch screen. The drive selector sits in the middle, behind a single cup holder. The manual handbrake shows that this example is an early car, newer cars have an electronic hand brake.
The rear is dressed up with a black bumper section that morphs into the C-pillar. The spoiler atop the rear window incorporates the third-brake light. Amazingly, the Chery eQ1 is a four-seat car, there is a tiny bench in the back that can seat two kids or two elderly folks.
The Chery eQ1 is still on the market today, with a basically unchanged design. The drive train didn’t change either. Price for the eQ1 starts at a very decent 59.900 yuan for the base 30.6 kWh model. The 40.6 starts at 75.900 yuan.
I saw the vehicle in one of the very last original hutong lanes in central Beijing. But as you can see in the background, modernity is coming in fast! And of course, the Chery eQi is a sign of the new times as well.
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