Why Huawei’s electric car could dethrone Tesla
Although the Apple Car is far from being on the market, smartphone giant Huawei already has serious plans. In fact, the electric car will go into production soon and will be better than the Tesla Model S, says head of the car department Richard Yu Chengdong.
Huawei does not market the electric car under its own name, but has launched the Luxeed brand together with Chery Automobile. The first model will be called S7.
The electric car from Huawei and Chery Automobile
The electric car from Huawei and Chery Automobile is therefore a direct competitor to the Tesla Model S, despite many manufacturers saying so. Nevertheless, expectations are high. After all, Chery Automobile is a large manufacturer. For example, more than 1.2 million cars were sold in 2022. Combined with Huawei’s technological knowledge, this could potentially ensure success – outside Europe or elsewhere.
Advantage of battery pack
The Luxeed S7 runs Huawei software and reportedly gets Catl’s new battery. This battery pack is considered a breakthrough in the development of electric cars. Why? The battery is a so-called LFP battery, which is cheaper to produce, contains fewer rare metals and is also more fire-safe than an NMC battery. The disadvantage of an LFP battery is that it usually has a lower energy density, but that is not the case with this battery.
The car from Huawei and Chery Automobile is said to have a range of 700 kilometers. 10 minutes of quick charging ensures a range of 400 kilometers. The Luxeed S7 is expected to be one of the first cars with a battery.
In terms of design, the model is not very inspiring. A BYD or Nio logo on the nose wouldn’t have surprised me. The car is most similar to the latter manufacturer in terms of “autonomous” driving. The electric car has a LiDAR on the roof, 12 sensors, 11 cameras and 3 millimeter wave radars.
A competitor for the Tesla Model S
Can Huawei and Chery Automobile’s car really dethrone the Tesla Model S? If the car has the new Catl battery and can also be priced competitively compared to the American electric vehicle, then it could be a success. It remains to be seen whether this success only applies to Asia or whether the brand will also establish itself in Europe. In the Netherlands, European and American manufacturers currently have an advantage over Chinese brands.