In case you needed another reason to feel jealous of Chinese car enthusiasts, the Chery Exeed VX C-DM three-row SUV is officially available for pre-order with 610 hp, 1,300 km (over 800 miles) of EREV range, and a starting price of $33,085 US.

State-owned Chinese automaker Chery recently launched the Exeed luxury brand, with its latest model, the Exeed VX C-DM plugin, making its international debut in Saudi Arabia February 23. At the same time, Chery opened the order books on the Exeed in China under the Exeed Lanyue C-DM name. And it is, in a word: impressive.

It’s really nice, you guys

Dubbed “the land business jet” on Exeed’s website, the Exeed VX C-DM pairs a 1.5L range-extending ICE motor with a three-speed DHT gearbox that integrates with a 165 kW e-motor. A second 175 kW electric motor sits in the rear axle, giving the big, seven-passenger SUV a combined peak power output of 455 kW (about 610 hp) and 920 Nm (nearly 680 lb-ft) of torque. That’s enough to rocket the big SUV from 0-60 mph in less than 5.0 seconds.

On the EV side of the ERVE equation, the Exeed VX C-DM packs a super-safe CATL NMC battery pack good for 180 km (about 112 miles) of CLTC range in electric mode – a far cry from the twenty-or-thirty-odd miles you’d get out of a conceptually similar Mazda CX-90 PHEV or Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe.

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It’s nice inside, too

In addition to that power and performance Exeed VX C-DM buyers also get a high-end interior with quilted leather, massaging front seats, slick infotainment screens, panoramic glass roof, a 23-speaker Lion Melody sound system, and LED mood lighting. That high-tech interior sets the stage for more high-tech baubles, like 26 ADAS functions that include self-driving features, an SDG system to reduce collisions, a 540-degree (?) camera for easy parking.

That ADA system combines with a “high-performance integrated cage body” and 10 driver and passenger airbags to deliver a 5 Star C-NCAP crash test rating.

And, yes – al that goodness starts at the equivalent of just 239,900 yuan ($33,085 US) in China.

Eat your heart out.

Electrek’s Take

We can talk about tariff this and trade war that all day long. The real message here, however, is that China is objectively, unequivocally, and obviously years ahead of the US when it comes to American EVs in terms of manufacturing efficiency, battery and charging technology, and value. And, for as long as they have a system that takes the burden of pensions and healthcare and other basics of life off the manufacturer (and we don’t) they’ll probably keep pulling ahead.

Head on down to the comments and tell me convince me otherwise.

SOURCE | IMAGES: Chery Exeed, via CarNewsChina.

With revenue tumbling almost as fast as market share, Tesla stock is taking a pounding – exactly like CEO Elon Musk predicted! We’ve also got FSD rolling out in China, a German automation acquisition, and more on today’s red candlestick edition of Quick Charge!

We’ve also got some clarifying news at Mercedes-Benz, which is set to ditch its confusing EQ-based model alphanumerics and (God willing) their suppository-based styling language, too. Plus, Rivian launches a new upfit service to make it easier for fleet managers to order ready-to-work EVs, Ram ProMaster EV lives up to its promises with more options and a lower price tag, and a big solar deal goes down.

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Lennox Residential HVAC has launched an extreme cold climate heat pump that warms a house with low global warming potential (GWP) refrigerant in temperatures as low as -20F.

It’s called the Dave Lennox Signature® Collection SL22KLV Cold Climate Heat Pump, and Lennox claims its efficiency levels are 150% higher at colder temperatures than standard heat pumps.

In 2022, Lennox was the first company to complete the first phase of the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Residential Cold Climate Heat Pump (CCHP) Technology Challenge, and the SL22KLV is a souped up version of the unit developed for that challenge.

The heat pump, which pairs with a smart thermostat, uses a variable-speed compressor with Electronic Refrigerant Injection (ERI) to adjust the energy usage based on the outside temperature, which helps to lower energy costs. When the temperature drops, the ERI increases heating output efficiently.

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The SL22KLV has efficiency ratings of up to 21.10 for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio 2 (SEER2), 13.2 for Energy Efficiency Ratio 2 (EER2), and 10.50 for Heating Seasonal Performance Factor 2 (HSPF2). It also features a precision-balanced, direct-drive fan and sound-dampening system for ultra-quiet operation as low as 58 decibels.

The heating capacity is between 21,600 Btuh and 60,000 Btuh, and the cooling capacity is between 22,000 Btuh and 56,000 Btuh.

Lennox’s new extreme cold heat pump uses the low global warming potential R-454B refrigerant, reducing environmental impact without compromising performance. It’s also eligible for the Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit, a federal IRA tax credit for homeowners (and it’s still in place). There may also be other local utility and state incentives for installing a heat pump, so it’s definitely worth checking. It’s now available for order through local Lennox dealers.

Read more: Seriously good cold-climate heat pumps are headed to the US market

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