Luxury EV ‘looks like a Rolls Royce Cullinan’ but costs £230k less – genius feature makes unloading boot easier
THIS luxury EV looks like a Rolls Royce Cullinan and is packed with tech, including a genius boot feature, but can be had for £230,000 less.
The six-seater SUV boasts four infotainment screens, charging ports and private jet-style seats, all on a shoestring budget.
The Hongqi E-HS9 might not be a big name in Europe, but it is the latest premium model from one of China’s largest manufacturers.
Everything is controlled by a touchscreen, with a fully digital dashboard offering all the mod cons, including climate control, sat nav and a specialist passenger console.
Even the stop/start button is virtual, based on a keyless ignition system.
Design-wise the E-HS9 clearly takes inspiration from the sweeping bonnet and imposing metal grille of the Rolls Royce Cullinan.
While it’s a fair bit smaller than Rolls’ vast 4×4, it is also far cheaper as the Cullinan starts at over £300,000 compared to the Hongqi’s £68,000 price tag.
Not that it comes with a particularly noticeable drop in performance, with the Chinese giant still clocking a top speed in excess of 124mph and a 0-60 time of just 4.9 seconds.
The range is also impressive, with a claimed average of 257 miles for a single charge in mild weather.
However, this does drop as low as 198 miles in cold weather on average, according to EV Database.
It’s also packed full with neat features, including a genius bit of tech in the boot.
Not only can you fold down the third row of seats to create extra space, but there’s a button tucked away on the side wall of the compartment that allows you to play with the suspension height.
This makes loading and unloading the boot a breeze as you can lower the motor to a comfortable height, before raising it back up to get out on the road with better manoeuvrability.
Sadly, it may be a struggle to get your hands on one despite the low price.
Hongqi has not produced any plans to bring its cars to the UK and there are mostly only available across Asia and the Middle East.
That being said, you can snap one up in select European locations, including the Netherlands and Norway.
In the latter, they are actually even cheaper, retailing at around £52,000 (NOK 669,900).
It comes as a major brand is reportedly set to produce a compact supermini EV in the UK within the next two years with a starting price lower than £20,000.
