Photos: ART CHEN/The Star
KUALA LUMPUR: The Jaecoo J7 PHEV (plug-in hybrid) sport utility vehicle (SUV) has been launched at RM158,800 on-the-road without insurance.
It comes with a seven-year/150,000km warranty for the engine and eight-year/160,000km warranty on its battery, power motor and power motor controller unit.
The eight-year warranty provides a one-to-one exchange when the state of health (SOH) of the battery falls below 70%.
All J7 PHEVs also come with a free vehicle-to-load (V2L) charger.
Early bird customers who place bookings till March 2, 2025 get a 10-year/one million km warranty (engine and High Voltage battery).
The J7 PHEV promises fuel consumption of 4.77 litre per 100km and all-electric driving range of 106km based on the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC).
Combined driving range is claimed to be 1,300km (NEDC).
The two-wheel drive, five-seater 1,795kg SUV is powered by Jaecoo’s fifth-generation 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol direct injection (TGDI) engine, mated to a single-speed dedicated hybrid transmission.
Jaecoo says this innovative transmission allows the J7 PHEV to glide like an electric vehicle at low speeds and even while idling.
The Chinese automaker says this can disconnect from the engine, enabling drivers to move without using a drop of petrol.
Yet when drivers demand power, the electromagnetic clutch re-engages the engine to deliver maximum torque to the front wheels — accelerating from 0 to 100kph in just 8.5 seconds.
The J7 PHEV's combined maximum output is 255kW and 525Nm of torque.
Its 18.3kWh High Voltage (HV) battery has a 106-cell lithium iron phosphate Blade design, and its smart battery management system never lets the charge fall below 20%.
Jaecoo says this means optimal battery health and performance throughout its life cycle.
The HV battery is rated to last up to one million km, and is fortified with 780mpa battery armour so that even in a collision, discharge is prevented. It is also said to be puncture-proof.
The J7 PHEV’s battery has the highest IP68 rating for protection against water and dust.
Jaecoo also says the HV battery is engineered to perform under extreme temperatures.
It supports fast DC charging — boosting up to 40kW from 30% to 80% in just 20 minutes.
Using an AC wall box at home, the battery can be charged at 6.6kW from 0 to 100% in less than four hours.
To differentiate the J7 PHEV from the internal combustion engine (ICE) variant, the J7's hero colour is presented in a striking two-tone Olive Grey, complemented by 19-inch Aero rims and an aero side mirror.
At the rear, the exhaust tips are discreetly hidden, and a standout feature is the Cinema Tonneau Cover.
The underside of the tonneau cover is white and can be flipped to convert into a screen.
With this, users can project movies or livestream sporting events outdoors through a projector powered by the 3.3kW V2L capability.
The J7 PHEV is currently available in three colours, namely Khaki White, Carbon Crystal Black and Moonlight Silver.
Only 100 units in Khaki White will be offered in Malaysia, after which Jaecoo will introduce the Olive Grey option.
For the interior, a noticeable difference in the J7 PHEV is the relocation of the gear knob to a column-mounted gear shifter, to free up space in the centre console.
Drivers have the option to choose either to fully drive in EV (electric vehicle) mode or to allow the vehicle to decide the optimal mode, based on driving conditions.
The J7 PHEV’s Intelligent Drive Modes system offers drivers two power modes, three driving modes, and an additional three power saving modes - activated via a button on the centre console.
As for safety features and Advanced Driving Assistance Systems (ADAS), the J7 PHEV comes with Level 2.5 ADAS, eight airbags and includes a Driver Monitoring System, Lane Departure Prevention, and Adaptive Cruise Control.
