Jaecoo J7 PHEV Malaysia gallery – 347 PS, 525 Nm, 88 km EV range, 1,200 km total range, from RM170k est

The popular Jaecoo J7 will soon get a new plug-in hybrid variant simply called the J7 PHEV. The car was originally slated for a launch in November or December but that timeline has clearly slipped, although it should still be arriving very soon.

In the meantime, we have managed to get our hands on an example and have thus provided you with a full gallery of this intriguing petrol-electric SUV. The first plug-in hybrid sold officially not from an established premium brand, the J7 PHEV will also be the first to be priced under the RM200,000 mark, with estimated pricing of RM170,000 for this front-wheel-drive model.

The PHEV version may look very similar to the regular J7 but there are a few changes, with those under the bonnet being the obvious ones. Out goes the 1.6 litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine out of the Chery Tiggo 7 Pro, replaced by a 1.5 litre unit from that car’s smaller sibling, the Omoda 5. In hybrid-specific form, it makes 143 PS and 215 Nm of torque, which is 54 PS and 75 Nm less than the pure petrol J7.

Making up for the shortfall is an electric motor that produces 204 PS and 310 Nm, hooked up with the engine via a single-speed dedicated hybrid transmission (DHT). Combined, they produce a claimed 347 PS and 525 Nm of torque, although the performance figures don’t quite reflect those lofty figures – the J7 PHEV gets from zero to 100 km/h in 8.5 seconds (still seven tenths of a second quicker than the petrol model, mind) on its way to a top speed of 180 km/h.

More impressive is the car’s efficiency. Fuel consumption is quoted at just 4.9 litres per 100 km, and even with the battery depleted, this figure only rises to 5.99 litres per 100 km. The BYD-sourced 18.3 kWh Blade lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery delivers a WLTP-rated electric range of 88 km, and together with the comparatively large 60 litre fuel tank, Jaecoo claims an overall range of 1,200 km.

Those figures are evidently very conservative – a contingent of Malaysians and other nationalities recently drove a J7 PHEV from Guangzhou to Wuhu on a single tank and battery charge, a distance of over 1,300 km. Along the way, the group managed to drive 125.2 km on electric power alone.

The J7 PHEV supports up to 40 kW of DC fast charging power, taking 20 minutes to top up the battery from 30 to 80% charge. It also accepts up to 6.6 kW of AC charging, providing a full charge in around 3 hours and 20 minutes.

Visual tweaks that distinguish the PHEV variant from the rather Land Rover-inspired J7 include new aero-design 19-inch alloy wheels (similar to the Omoda E5‘s but with different covers), sleeker door mirrors, a chequered flag motif on the door trim strips and the deletion of the petrol model’s fake tailpipes.

Inside, the PHEV is set apart through a cleaner door card design that dispenses with the ornate grab handles (there are also no more physical door mirror switches), along with a revised centre console without the large drive mode selector and gearlever – the latter replaced by a simple stalk on the steering column. In its place is a row of physical buttons, including for the EV and HEV powertrain modes, while the 10.25-inch digital instrument display gets new graphics.

Despite the addition of a large battery under the boot floor, the PHEV actually offers more luggage space at 500 litres, thanks to the jettisoning of a full-size spare tyre (there’s a tyre repair foam canister instead). This can be expanded to 1,265 litres by folding the rear seats.

Provisional specs for the Malaysian market include full LED head- and taillights, front and rear fog lights, keyless entry and start, dual-zone climate control with a single rear vent, power-adjustable front seats with memory, heating and ventilation functions, front passenger seat shoulder switches, faux leather upholstery, a panoramic glass roof and a powered tailgate with proximity-based hands-free opening.

In terms of tech, you get the full works – a 10.25-inch digital instrument display, a head-up display, a 14.8-inch portrait infotainment touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto, a Qi wireless charger, a 360-degree camera system with a “transparent” function, a built-in dash cam and an eight-speaker Sony sound system.

The J7 PHEV will also come with a full complement of driver assistance systems, including autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control with stop and go and curve speed control, lane centring assist, an Intelligent Evasion System (IES), front departure alert, a camera-based driver attention monitor, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert with auto brake, a door opening warning and auto high beam. Eight airbags and stability control are fitted as standard, of course.

The J7 PHEV will be offered in three colours – Khaki White, Moonlight Silver (with a black roof) and Carbon Crystal Black, all with a black interior; this China-built tester is painted in Olive Grey, which won’t be offered here. Like the petrol-powered J7, the car will be CKD locally assembled from the get-go at the Chery Corporate Malaysia plant in Shah Alam.

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