China’s Plug-In Hybrid SUVs Can Now Double As Boats, Apparently
- China’s car industry is now churning out amphibious SUVs to the masses.
- Chery boasts its Jetour G700 plug-in hybrid can float like a boat.
- Not only that, but the luxury SUV has propellers that activate in case of an emergency.
It’s no surprise that China’s electrified cars are in a different league compared to America’s homegrown models. However, we’re now at a point where it’s hard to pinpoint what features are actually useful and what’s just a gimmick.
Three years ago, BYD’s YangWang U8 luxury SUV made headlines for its ability to float in water for half an hour, but now Chery has upped the ante with a plug-in hybrid SUV that can actually double as a boat, thanks to its built-in propellers.
The company claims that the water-crossing feature, which is only found on the cheekily named Ark Edition, is there purely for emergency situations, like flash floods, but it sure makes for a cool party trick. Chery, which showcased the G700’s boating abilities several times in the past months, said the SUV relies on an advanced gyroscopic stability system to stay level on the water.
During a recent publicity stunt, the plug-in off-roader crossed the Minjiang River in just 10 minutes, without taking on any water.
The Jetour G700 is roughly the size of a Lexus GX—it kinda even looks like one—but its underpinnings are anything but similar. In what has become a staple of China’s new-energy vehicle (NEV) market, the G700 is powered by a 2.0-liter gas engine and two electric motors that make a combined 892 horsepower and 837 pound-feet of torque. Three locking differentials are also on offer.
The plug-in SUV also has a sizeable 34.1-kilowatt-hour lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery pack sourced from CATL, which can deliver an all-electric range of up to 62 miles (100 kilometers) on the WLTC procedure. With a full tank of gas, Chery advertises a total driving range of up to 620 miles (1,000 km).
Fast charging is also on the table, with the floor-mounted pack capable of accepting up to 170 kilowatts, courtesy of its 800-volt nominal voltage. As a result, topping up from 20-to-80% takes about 10 minutes.
