When the Chery Omoda 5 EV is coming to rival the BYD Atto 3

Chery Australia has confirmed it will launch the “first of many electrified powertrain vehicles” in mid-2024.

The Chery Omoda 5 EV had previously been earmarked for an Australian introduction sometime in the first half of next year, but this week the brand’s director of product and aftersales, Lucas Harris, confirmed the Chinese brand’s rival to the likes of the BYD Atto 3 and MG ZS EV will be headed Down Under around June-July in 2024.

First revealed at the 2023 Shanghai motor show, the Chery Omoda 5 EV features a single-motor electric powertrain with a 150kW/340Nm e-motor on the front axle, fed by a 61kWh battery pack. Claimed range is 450 kilometres on the WLTP test cycle.

Source: Paul Tan’s Automotive News Credit: CarExpert

Chery says the Omoda 5 EV – known as the Omoda C5 EV in China and other overseas markets – is capable of dashing from 0-100km/h in 7.8 seconds, and will take 35 minutes to charge from 30 to 80 per cent with DC fast charging, though the actual charge rate capacity is still to be detailed.

Further, the Omoda C5 EV is “V2L ready”, which will allow the electric crossover to be used as a mobile power source for devices and appliances using a conventional home plug – much like Hyundai and Kia’s E-GMP-based electric vehicles.

Distinguishing the electric Omoda 5 from its petrol-powered siblings are a revised front end with no conventional grille treatment, and aero-optimised alloy wheels – as shown by the vehicle revealed in Shanghai. The swish blue and white interior with wood-look interior trims may not make it to Australia, but it’s definitely something different.

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The Omoda 5 launched in turbocharged petrol guise in March, and through to the end of October Chery has registered 4271 examples for a 3.5 per cent share of the VFACTS small SUV under $45,000 segment.

That puts the Chery essentially on par with the likes of the Toyota C-HR (4750 units, 3.8 per cent share).

Further to the addition of the all-electric model, Chery Australia has confirmed it will add a more powerful 1.6T petrol version of the Omoda 5 for the 2024 model year, which will debut all-wheel drive (AWD) for the nameplate. Pricing and specifications will be confirmed closer to launch.

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