China’s Hongqi Rolls Into Germany With Ambitious E-HS9 Electric Luxury SUV

In many ways, Germany is the epicenter of modern luxury vehicles, with brands like Audi, BMW, Mercedes and Porsche setting the standard in most categories. Even England’s most prestigious brands are owned by German automotive groups, including Rolls-Royce and Bentley. So, it seems only natural for China’s most luxurious domestic brand, Hongqi, to enter the German market and vie for a share of the spotlight.

Hongqi, often dubbed the “Rolls-Royce of China” for its opulent vehicles and increasingly for its design language, is owned by FAW, China’s second-largest state-owned automaker. In 2018, FAW recruited Giles Taylor, the former chief designer at Rolls-Royce. Taylor’s influence is evident in the E-HS9 electric SUV, whose design hints at his previous work on the Cullinan.

Read: Xpeng Enters German Market, UK, Italy And France Next

Having already established a presence in some European markets, including Norway, Denmark and Iceland, Hongqi’s introduction to Germany with the all-electric E-HS9 follows Xpeng’s recent entry into the market with its SUVs.

Setting aside the Cullinan styling references, the E-HS9 offers an appealing design along with a three-row layout for seven passengers. It will be available in two battery configurations. The first can store 99 kWh, providing drivers with a range of up to 289 miles (465 km) on the WLTP cycle. The second option, exclusive to the European market, offers a larger 120 kWh battery, extending the SUV’s range to up to 320 miles (515 km) on a single charge.

Thanks to a charging rate of up to 140 kW, Hongqi says that the E-HS9 can recoup up to 62 miles (100 km) of range in 10 minutes at a fast-charging station. It has room for all those batteries thanks to an overall length of 205-inches (5,209 mm), which makes it a little longer than the BMW X7.

Similar to the Bavarian full-size luxury SUV, the Hongqi offers three rows of seating for seven passengers. However, the model with the larger battery pack comes with just six seats. It places more emphasis on luxury with leather upholstery, but both models benefit from features like adaptive cruise control, LED matrix headlights, and more.

While Hongqi may aspire to compete with Germany’s luxury brands, it could face challenges in doing so. Despite its impressive appearance, numerous Western reviews have criticized the SUV for its sloppy chassis calibration and perceived poor quality.

However, as China’s oldest auto brand, Hongqi has a lot of experience to lean back on, and it has big ambitions for the future that include selling new models in Sweden by the end of 2024. These will feature smaller grilles and will be designed to convey warmth and the company’s Chinese heritage.

Prices for the E-HS9 start at €80,000 (approximately US$86,700 at current exchange rates), while the Exclusive Long Range edition starts at €102,995 (approximately US$116,600). For comparison, the ICE-powered BMW X7 starts from €103,000 in Germany.