Hongqi to launch two EVs in Europe

Chinese automaker Hongqi will launch two electric vehicle models later this year in Europe, according to Reuters.

Hongqi said late last week the EH7 and EHS7 models will hit the market in a number of European countries - including Norway, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Denmark, Iceland and Sweden - where it has established relationships with dealers.

The automaker did not disclose details of the two models’ price. The cars can be charged in 30 minutes at -10 degrees Celsius and would retain 50 percent of their range at -20 degrees Celsius, making them ideal for the colder climates in the UK and other European countries.

The company said the EH7 has a range of to 690 kilometers on a single charge and can get fully charged in 20 minutes.

Hongqi joins a number of Chinese brands trying to make inroads into Europe, including BYD, Geely and SAIC despite recently announced EU tariffs.

The European Commission has put provisional duties of between 17.4 percent and 37.6 percent on Chinese EV imports, accusing Chinese makers of having benefited from unfair subsidies.