The Chinese car market is one of the largest in the world and it should come as no surprise that every manufacturer has put their best foot forward at the 2016 Beijing Auto Show. This year’s lineup includes hatchbacks and SUVs as well as long wheelbase versions of various sedans. However, for the first time there have also been a whole host of electric vehicles.
Given that they are the future of our motoring needs, it only seems prudent for various manufacturers to display these machines at the premier auto show of the world’s second largest car market. We have put together a list of five electric cars that have taken the show by storm.
Faraday Future FFZERO 1
It created a storm when showcased in Las Vegas earlier this year and it looks like the Chinese audience too has been wooed by the Faraday Future FFZERO 1. A 1000bhp race car, it has been developed by Faraday Future (which incidentally is backed by China-based media house LeEco). The race car seats one and is full of clever technology that we can expect to see in their production SUV that will be showcased next year. (Right Bottom)
BAIC Arcfox-7
A locally developed electric supercar, it is a two-seater 603bhp affair that is expected to go on sale in the People’s Republic in 2017. The company claims it has been inspired by the single-seater Formula E race cars but we think the BMW i8 may have had a large part in its development. It has a top-speed of 260kmph and a 0-100kmph time of 3 seconds. The overall range is 299km which is a lot lesser than what a Tesla offers but for this kind of performance it is a fair price to pay . (Left Bottom)
LeEco LeSee
Apart from backing Faraday Future, LeEco has come out with its own EV which it has aimed solely at the Tesla Model S. This is a long, low four-door electric sedan and has been filled to the gills with autonomous driving technology. The company has not revealed any details about the underpinnings but has said that it has a top speed of around 215km. Their aim is to make their car available for use in the automated fleet market of the future. (Centre)
Peugeot Fractal
A two-seater sports car from the French automaker, it gives us an idea of what to expect when it comes to their EVs in the future. This four-seater car is low, swoopy and is a display of the latest technology that Peugeot has been developing for its electric cars. It is powered by two electric motors and lithium-ion batteries that produce 201bhp. One of the noticeable elements is that the whole cabin has been covered in sound proofing material similar to what is found in a music studio. (Top Right)
BYD QIN EV300
This is an all-electric version of the BYD QIN plug-in hybrid sedan and has been on sale since March 2016. It is powered by a 218bhp electric motor with a lithium-ion battery pack that gives it a range of around 300km. The exterior design is quite contemporary while the cabin gets a digital display and sufficient space for five adults and also has a large boot. The car (in pure EV form) may even be launched in the US market next year. (Top left)
