Chery Ant, the first dedicated electric SUV from Chery Automobile, has received several upgrades for MY2022 in the Chinese markets. The revisions are mostly cosmetic, as the model is still new and has the competitive specs to continue in the marketplace.
The Chery Ant (also called the Chery eQ5) competes with the Weltmeister EX6 Plus and the NIO ES6. Its prices start at CNY 156,600 (EUR 21,451) and go up to CNY 179,900 (EUR 24,643).
Chery Ant MY2022 changes
The Chery Ant is available in two new exterior colour options, namely Nansha Blue and Ili Purple. These increase the number of paint choices to seven. A newly designed key fob, an upgraded manual anti-glare interior rearview mirror, an optimized welcome light pattern, and an 8-speaker Sony audio system are also among the changes for MY2022.
On the smart features front, Chery has upgraded the Ant’s Face ID recognition system. It says that this system’s accuracy is no less than 98%, and takes only 0.2 seconds to complete authentication. The company has added Level 2+ autonomous driving pilot to the Ant. To make the drive more relaxing, it has equipped the new model with three fragrance boxes, and it offers ten different fragrance options to customers.
Chery has upgraded the electric drive system of the Ant to provide a quiet and comfortable drive. The company offers it in 130 kW/280 Nm and 150 kW/295 Nm single-motor variants, both with an RWD drivetrain layout. A 70.1 kWh Lithium-ion battery pack is standard, and it provides an NEDC range of 510 km in both variants.
| Aspect | Chery Ant Low-Output Variant Specs | Chery Ant High-Output Variant Specs |
| Length | 4,630 mm | 4,630 mm |
| Width | 1,910 mm | 1,910 mm |
| Height | 1,655 mm | 1,655 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,830 mm | 2,830 mm |
| Drivetrain Layout | Rear-wheel drive | Rear-wheel drive |
| Battery Pack Energy Storage Capacity | 70.1 kWh | 70.1 kWh |
| Motor Power | 130 kW | 150 kW |
| Motor Torque | 280 Nm | 295 Nm |
| Top Speed | 170 km/h | 200 km/h |
| Range (NEDC) | 510 km | 510 km |
| Normal Charging Time | 11-13 hours (using 6.6 kW charger) | 11-13 hours (using 6.6 kW charger) |
| Fast Charging Time | 0.5 hours (30%-80% SoC) | 0.5 hours (30%-80% SoC) |
Chery Ant basic information
The name ‘Ant’ has nothing to do with its bug-faced design; it’s actually about creating an ‘Ant family’ of EVs at Chery. The company already sells an EV called the ‘Little Ant’, and an ‘Ant Concept’ was presented way back in 2013. Here are all other details about the Chery Ant, which was referred to as the Chery eQ5 and also Chery S61 previously.
Exterior
The Ant’s design language is drastically different from the brand’s other models and is expected to be seen on all future Chery pure EV models. At the front, the Chery S61 EV sports a split headlamp design with LED strips above and projector lamps below. Then there’s the fake grille element not requisite of an electric vehicle. A horizontal chrome strip runs the width of the SUV. At the rear, a LED strip runs across the width with stylish split design tail lamps adorning the corners. The wheels are 225/60 R18.
Interior
The interior of the Chery Ant has a luxurious design with a combination of tech and finesse. With an all-digital instrument cluster and central infotainment, faux wood and leather trims are used throughout the cabin. There are 28 storage spaces in the Chery electric SUV, including an additional, front trunk.
Chery sells the Ant electric SUV with features like Mercedes-style dual 12.3 inch displays (virtual instrument cluster and touchscreen infotainment system), black panoramic sunroof, 220-volt power outlet, Qi fast charger, face ID, AQS air quality management system, CN95-standard air filter, electric seats, etc. According to Chinese reports, the list of features includes AI voice recognition system, multi-screen interaction, Zhiyun Butler 2.0, smart bracelet, OTA, ADAS+ (assisted driving), and 5G-V2X as well.
The Chery Ant is said to be the world’s first vehicle to use onboard technologies, including the infotainment system, running on Huawei’s Harmony OS.
Production
Production of the Ant takes place at the Wuhu plant. It remains to be seen when Chery will export the Ant (and the vehicles coming off this specialized EV platform) to take on rivals from Asia and Europe in the global marketplace.
Featured Image Source: Chery
