KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian electric vehicle market is ready to welcome a new player in the form of the Chery Omoda E5, which is the all-electric version of the Omoda 5. The automaker recently held a media preview of the upcoming EV and handed over its pre-production right-hand drive unit to Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Utama Zafrul Tengku Aziz.

Present at the ceremony were Chery Automobile Chairman Yin Tong Yue and his delegates, who visited Malaysia to explore new trends and opportunities in the local automotive market. 

Globally introduced in April this year, the Chery Omoda E5 will rival the likes of the BYD Atto 3, GWM Ora Good Cat, Hyundai Kona Electric, and Kia Niro in Malaysia.

In terms of design, the EV looks much identical to its gas-powered iteration with a few EV-specific tweaks such as a distinctive front fascia with a closed-off, body-coloured panel in place of the grille. The EV also boasts unique bumpers with automatic cooling shutters, and a charging port upfront. and a fresh pair of 18-inch aerodynamic-focused wheels.

Inside, the upcoming Chery Omoda E5 will have a redesigned dashboard with a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system (powered by a new Qualcomm 8155 chip), one-pedal driving, and keyless entry and automatic start system. 

The Malaysia-spec EV will come equipped with a front-mounted electric motor, which delivers a maximum power of 204 PS. It will be fed by a 61 kWh blade lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery providing a driving range of 430 km (on the WLTP test cycle). The battery juices up from 30-80% charge in under 30 minutes when using an 80 kW DC fast charger. The EV will also support the Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) functionality with a power output of up to 3.3 kW.

As for safety, it will feature the “ADAS 2.5” advanced driver assistance kit, which is a step above the non-electric Omoda 5 model, confirms the automaker. 

More details on the Chery Omoda E5 are likely to roll out near the EV’s launch which is slated for Q1 2024.

Also read: Chery launches the WCWL Owners’ Club in Malaysia