With the usual information overload a the show, two electric vehicles from Seres and Chery Omoda may have slipped under your radar

SINGAPORE

Inside the Suntec City Convention Hall with all the razzle-dazzle and noise, it’s easy to miss out on some cars that aren’t parked in prime locations. But fret not, because we’re telling you what two very interesting propositions are, right here.

Omoda E5

News of the Chinese Omoda brand coming to Singapore was already making its rounds in late 2023, and here’s the Omoda E5 on display.

It’s strictly preview-only, and rumour is that the car is expected to be homologated and available for sale here sometime in March 2024 for official dealership Vertex Automobile.

Here’s the thing: if you don’t already know, the Omoda is actually a Chery Omoda. If the Chery name is bringing back flashbacks of the terrifying tiny Chery QQ compact hatchback from two decades ago, at that time also sold by Vertex Automobile, banish that thought. The new cars from China are seriously accomplished. The Omoda E5 is available in China with every type of powertrain from ICE to PHEV to EV, but the news is that the car will be EV-only in Singapore.

The rumour is that the local launch edition will have a single motor, 201hp electric motor which will make it a Category B COE car. Given how flexible Chinese cars have been with their packaging, the possibility of a cheaper, lower powered version coming to Singapore eventually should not be ruled out. The preview car exhibits some very nice features including a Sony audio system and a BMW-esque wide digital dashboard.

Expect it to be in direct competition with the BYD Atto 3 and this other car below…

See our top EV selections from the 2024 Singapore Motorshow

Seres 3

Here’s another EV SUV from China. The Seres 3 (pronounced ‘series’), is being previewed at the lobby space outside the main Singapore Motorshow hall. It’s being imported by Hong Seh EVolution, and is said to be aimed at budget-conscious family motoring.

From what we’ve seen so far it’s a pretty tidy package and you can expect the car to be ready for sale here before June 2024. Full details have not yet been confirmed but we know that it will have a 99kW (133hp) motor, so will be a Category A COE car and with a 54kWh battery that claims to give the car a range of around 330km per charge.

The car will likely be sold here in base level Comfort and high-spec Premium trims. Powertrains will be identical but the amount of standard equipment will vary.

The dealership is collecting expressions of interest, and it states that the car will be cheaper than the current hot-seller in the EV SUV segment, the BYD Atto 3.

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