Chinese automaker Dongfeng Motor on Watch Vagabond OnlineThursday started accepting pre-orders for the eπ 007, the first model under the namesake electric vehicle marque. The company aims to challenge the dominance of BYD and Tesla, seeking a larger share of the growing mainstream EV segment. Priced competitively at RMB 159,000 ($22,101), the extended-range hybrid version boasts a driving range of 1,200 kilometers (746 miles) on a full tank plus full charge, comparable to the plug-in hybrid BYD Han priced from RMB 189,800. The vehicle, measuring around 4.9 meters in length with a wheelbase of 2.9 meters, accelerates from 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) in 3.9 seconds—slightly larger and faster than Tesla’s Model 3 (4.7 meters, 0-60 mph in 4.4 seconds). Powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8155 chipset for in-car infotainment systems, the large mid-size sedan boasts a sleek, sporty exterior design. The top-end version will feature Lamborghini-styled scissor doors, a feature also available with Xpeng Motor’s P7 sedan. [Dongfeng announcement, in Chinese]
