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Avatr 12: Electric luxury sedan without rear window

Avatr is another young electric car brand from China, created as a cooperation between Changan and Nio. At the IAA Mobility 2023, they tested European reactions at Königsplatz in Munich.

The Avatr 12 was designed and showcased in Munich: It premiered at the IAA Mobility 2023. | Photo: G. Soller
The Avatr 12 was designed and showcased in Munich: It premiered at the IAA Mobility 2023. | Photo: G. Soller
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Gregor Soller

This is the design Stellantis needed! With a few detail changes, the four-door fastback sedan could easily pass as a new Citroen C6 or DS 9! In the design team led by chief designer Nader Faghihzadeh, who is of German-Iranian descent, many French-speaking colleagues also work and were personally present at the stand – of course, the brand's own Global Design Center is located in Munich, so they treated themselves to a stand. At the end of 2022, the somewhat less spectacular SUV coupe Avatr 11, whose name is pronounced "One One" in reference to the Fibonacci sequence, was presented as the first series in Shanghai. Now follows the "One Two".

Behind Avatr stands Changan - one of many mass manufacturers in China, with sometimes over a million cars built per year no longer a niche provider, but primarily at home with combustion engines. But also on board is Nio, aiming electrically at premium direction Tesla. According to media reports, the battery manufacturer CATL and the tech company Huawei are also said to have joined Avatr.

Avatr: The One-One is followed by the One-Two. The former is already in production

In December 2022, the series production of the One-One started in the 31-million-inhabitant city of Chongqing. The factory is expected to be able to assemble up to 350,000 vehicles annually. According to Avatr CEO Tan Benhong, around 12,000 One-One have been delivered in China by September 2023, which is not a large, but a decent start. By 2025, two more models are to be presented, and the dealer network in China is to be expanded. They started in metropolises like Chongqing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Wuhan, but plan a total of 500 new support points in 110 Chinese cities, with which they would be represented nationwide.

Avatr naturally uses sensors from Huawei, which are supposed to enable automated driving up to level 4. At the IAA 2023, CEO Tan Benhong also explained that they have already driven autonomously for 200,000 hours and the level 4 systems have been used 1.6 million times, however one might interpret that. His statement behind it is: This is supposed to become the USP of the brand, and here they want to be at the forefront.

Avatr 12 without rear window

So, with the Avatr 12 Grand Coupe, they immediately dispensed with the rear window, because the five-meter One-Two takes care of the rear view for you. It is also available with all-wheel and rear-wheel drive. The former is said to deliver up to 425 kW (578 hp), while the latter leaves it at 230 kW (313 hp). The Avtr 12 shares its platform with the Avatr 11, but it has been modified to create even more space inside: The gross battery capacity has been reduced to 94.5 kWh in the 12 to provide more room in the rear.

The battery cells are supposed to be directly assembled into a battery pack by CATL and go into the car as a cell-to-pack system. This saves weight and costs. And is supposed to be enough for up to 650 km (all-wheel) or 700 km range - according to the Chinese standard cycle. In reality, with this battery size, our experience suggests a range of about 400 to 500 kilometers.

The One-Two is slightly larger than the One-One

The 12, at 5.02 meters in length, is half a class larger than the 4.88-meter-long CUV Avatr 11, and the wheelbase has also been stretched: Both, however, stand on the same platform called "CHN". The body is extremely smooth, cameras replace the mirrors, and the door handles are recessed. They are opened by a button or smartphone, electrically - if something stands next to the Avatr 12, the door only opens until contact. Inside, you open them with a touch button. The trunk can only be accessed through a flap, which, due to the lack of a rear window, is at least a bit further up than on the Nio ET 7 or Tesla Model 3. Still, a large flap with variability would have been nicer.

Three Lidars for Autonomous Driving

Avatr naturally wants and needs to go big on assistance systems, which means: 29 sensors, including three lidars. Additionally, there is a "Halo Display" and a black-panel surface between the front hood and windshield that serves to communicate with people outside the vehicle. As its name suggests, the Avatr should also be able to communicate with its surroundings. Otherwise, cool reduced elegance prevails inside. The Avatr indulges in extremely minimalist door panels and two-tone seats. Here too, they've taken a bigger leap than most others. But it has turned out well, and they found a great balance between individuality and mainstream…

Starting in 2024, the brand plans to present internationally. Which countries are targeted has not yet been communicated.

What does that mean?

Another Chinese premium brand that is primarily aiming to score points with design (made in Munich) and driving assistance up to Level 4. Per se a strong presence with strong optics. Could cannibalize Nio, but would be the car that Citroen or DS would actually have needed. Compared to the One-Two, the C5X and DS9 suddenly look very old...

 

 

 

Translated automatically from German.
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