The Chinese manufacturer Wey, a subsidiary of Great Wall, founded in 1984 and China’s largest SUV manufacturer, plans to deliver its models to us in the first half of 2022. Great Wall, once China’s first private automaker, has big goals. From 2025, four million vehicles are to be sold globally each year, 80 percent of them with battery-electric drives, fuel cells or at least as plug-in hybrids.
Great Wall CEO Jack Wei leaves no doubt about the mission at the IAA Mobility in Munich: “The only way to outperform our competitors is to quickly gain our advantages in the field of battery technology and artificial intelligence over the next three to five years to enlarge. “
In addition to Wey, there is also Ora
First of all, Great Wall is now sending the electronics brand Ora and the luxury offshoot Wey to Europe. The first Wey shop is currently being built in Munich, followed by nine more city stores, ten pop-up shops and 60 service stations. A first European production facility is under construction.
The new Wey flagship, with the admittedly somewhat peculiar name, Coffee 01, was ready in time for the IAA. A stately SUV with a broad chrome smile and a coupé-like body line sloping backwards. Just like the European customers are familiar with from brands known in this country.
Almost as long as an X5, but with more space
The Coffee 01 is 4.87 meters long, the lush wheelbase of 2.91 meters offers plenty of space for five people in the interior. A plug-in hybrid with a system output of 350 kW / 476 PS (vehicle is not yet for sale, homologation pending²) marks the start of Europe. According to Wey, the purely electric range of the 40 kWh battery is up to 150 kilometers according to WLTP.
Two electric motors, one on each axle, make the China SUV a lively all-wheel drive with quite impressive driving values. The sprint to 100 km / h should succeed the 2.2 ton truck in five seconds, the top speed is specified with 235 km / h. Inside, Wey wants to score with a 9.2-inch display and a 7.5-inch head-up display that masters augmented reality.
In the interior with a lot of feel-good atmosphere
In addition, the specifications of the Coffee 01 include complete comfort equipment consisting of a floating center console, clever driver assistants, four cameras for a 360-degree all-round view and a multimedia package including WiFi hotspot and over-the-air updates. According to Wey, the Coffee 01 can be ordered from November – exclusively via the app. The price tag will then be quite self-confident 50,000 euros. The Coffee 02, an SUV in Tiguan format, will follow a little later for around 30,000 euros. (Text: tv, th / sp-x | Images: Manufacturer, IAA)