Chinese automaker BYD Auto has relied on funding from Warren Buffet and Berkshire Hathaway to develop vehicles for the domestic market. BYD’s main competitor, Chery, is adhering to the Chinese government’s 863 Program in keeping auto research and development within the country. BYD Auto made some waves by getting its e6 electric vehicle and F3DM sedan in front of the North American International Auto Show in January. Chery is set to join its competitors without outside help as its S18 electric vehicle rolls off the production floor.
The Chery S18 is a battery-electric coupe that is ready for sale in a market with millions of potential buyers. The S18 features a 40kW electric drivetrain that is powered with a series of lithium-ion iron phosphate batteries under the hood. Chery’s integrated drivetrain allows the S18 to reach up to 75 miles per hour with the pedal to the floor. While Chinese drivers may not be able to reach 75 MPH in packed cities like Beijing, Chery is demonstrating that performance and vehicle efficiency blend well in electric vehicles.
Chery claims that the S18 can get up to 93 miles per charge when the battery pack is replenished completely. The li-ion batteries can be recharged in four to six hours using a 220-volt household outlet, an important consideration for Chinese drivers on the go. Chery is also working on quick-charging capabilities for the S18 with the potential for the battery pack to achieve 80% charge in 30 minutes.
China’s 863 Program may originate from the rigid geopolitics of the Cold War but it has yielded an invaluable product for the country’s citizens. The 863 Program provides central government funding to companies like Chery that allow China to develop its own products without accruing debt or other obligations to foreign companies. While the 863 Program has a strong strain of economic nationalism to it, Chery shows that China is ready to emerge as an automotive power in the wake of the current financial meltdown. The Chinese Communist Party has shown flexibility when it comes to showing off the country’s economic prowess whether it is the country’s thriving shipping container business or the thousands of factories it houses. If the Chery S18 EV is successful at home, we should expect to see these cars driving on North American streets in the near future.
