The Kaiyi brand, which is difficult for us to pronounce, is the heir to the Cowin brand, which Chery organized back in 2014 for inexpensive cars. Rebranding began two years ago – almost immediately following sales a controlling stake (51%) of Cowin, and the process has not been completed so far: officially the company is called Yibin Kaiyi (Cowin) Automobile Co. The new managers have refocused the Kaiyi brand on flashy cars for a youth audience, but Chery is still in charge of the technical side. And now Kaiyi is preparing for a massive offensive: a presentation of five promising models at once took place in China!
Closest to the conveyor is the Kaiyi Xuandu EV sedan, that is, the electric version of last year’s model Xuandu 4.7 m long, which, in turn, is made of a four-door Chery Arrizo 7. Among the visual differences is perhaps a plug instead of a radiator grille. Even the pseudo-pipes of the exhaust system in the rear bumper have been preserved. It is stated that the electric car has a motor with a return of 163 hp. and 240 Nm, two versions will be offered with a passport range of 350 and 410 km on the CLTC cycle. The start of production is scheduled for the first quarter of 2023.
At the same time, a couple of electric microcars should be put on the conveyor – a three-door Kaiyi i-EA 01 with a length of 3080 mm and a five-door Kaiyi i-EA 02 with a length of 3818 mm. They have a unified design with an electric motor on the front axle and lithium-iron-phosphate batteries. The three-door hatchback can have a cabin for two or four seats, the engine develops 48 hp, versions with a range of 155, 210 and 301 km are provided.
In the five-door Kaiyi i-EA 02, the electric motor produces 68 hp, and the passport range is 210, 301 or 401 km. In addition to purely electric, there will be hybrid versions with a gasoline engine as a generator to recharge the battery. Such cars will have reduced batteries, so the range in electric mode is 120 or 200 km. The equipment includes a media system, all-round cameras and a keyless entry system.
The next novelty is the seven-seater Kaiyi i-FA 01 crossover with a length of 4738 mm, that is, the size of the current Chery Tiggo 8. This is a plug-in hybrid of a sequential type with a 1.5 petrol turbo engine. Planned versions with front and all-wheel drive. In the first case, one electric motor with a capacity of 204 hp is installed, in the second – two electric motors with 367 hp. A full charge of the battery will last for 120 and 180 km, respectively, in electric mode. Production will begin in the second quarter of 2023.
Finally, the debut of the coupe crossover is scheduled for 2024, which is currently presented in the form of the Kaiyi i-XA 01 concept with a length of 4850 mm. The Belgian designer Louy Vermeersch, who previously worked at the Pininfarina studio, was involved in the creation of this machine. Kaiyi i-XA 01 is no longer a hybrid, but a full-fledged electric car with a twin-engine all-wheel drive, a return of 449 hp. and 600 Nm. Acceleration to “hundreds” should take 5.3 seconds, two options for a lithium-ion traction battery will be offered. However, if the appearance and characteristics of the first four models have already been approved, then the coupe-like crossover may still undergo changes.
