China’s own version of the Range Rover is the best-selling plug-in hybrid (PHEV) in the UK, with sales soaring since its launch. New figures show the Jaecoo 7 was the best-selling plug-in hybrid in August, with thousands of models leaving the forecourt.
As of July, Jaecoo confirmed that 10,000 orders had been confirmed in the UK just seven months after launch, The SMMT reported that sales now stood at a whopping 12,526 vehicles, incredible growth for a start-up brand adapting to a new market. Price is one of Jaecoo's biggest selling points, with the vehicle starting from just £30,115.
In comparison, the Range Rover Evoque is priced at around £40,000, with a plug-in model nearer to £45,000. However, the Jaecoo 7 is around one-third of the cost of the larger Range Rover Sport P460e which is priced at around £90,000.
But, the fully-electric Range Rover is expected to cost well over £100,000 when it finally hits the road next year. The UK sales have certainly taken parent company Chery by surprise with UK boss Gary Lan confirming the surge in demand was not entirely predicted from the outset.
He said: "The Jaecoo is well perceived by UK customers than we thought. It’s a happy surprise. It shows that our prior customer research, we’ve prepared for 20 years. It’s a happy surprise.”
The Jaecoo 7 is equipped with a 18.3 kWh lithium-ion battery and a 60-litre fuel tank. Together with its Super Hybrid System ,the Jaecoo has a spectacular range of up to 745 miles with the battery component topped up from 30-80% in just 20 minutes.
Like most hybrids, the car has sharp acceleration, reaching 0-62mph in just 8.6 seconds with a top speed of 112mph. Jaecoo is set to become even more accessible with the highly anticipated Jaecoo 5 set to launch at just £24,505.
A slightly more expensive Luxury option will only hit the market at £28,000, keeping the brand in line with its affordable pricing structure. But, bosses are keen to stress that the cheaper piece tags does not mean Jaecoo products are any less inferior.
Chery’s Dr Luan Yunfei said: “We are selling quality, I would not say we are selling on price. I would not say we are selling price.”
