Great Wall Haval E SUV debuts, scissor doors and all

Greetings from Beijing, where Auto China 2012 kicked off yesterday, with more than can be chewed in terms of displays. My first stop was at the Great Wall Motors stand, where the Haval E hybrid SUV made its debut.

The company proudly says the concept vehicle has been researched and developed independently by it, and as such is very much a showcase of its capabilities and expertise. It’s striking, for sure, with scissor doors being the leading visual design element.

It wears a 242 hp and 490 Nm BSG light-duty hybrid system, which is made up of an electric drive motor offering 94 hp and 270 Nm, partnered with a GW4813 1.3 litre engine, which puts out 148 hp and 220 Nm, the latter mated to a 6DCT transmission.

The 4,390 mm-long vehicle has a kerb weight of 1,600 kg, and performance specs include a 8.0 seconds time for the 0-100 km/h sprint and a 190 km/h maximum top speed.

In pure EV mode the max achievable speed drops to 130 km/h, as does the sprint time, to 10.7 seconds from 0-80 km/h. The Haval E does however manage an operating range of 80 km range running purely in electric mode.

The features list includes a panoramic sunroof as well as an interior kitted out with a multi-functional electroluminescent display matched to a human-machine interface.

The blue theme is played up on – aside from it being found in the instrument and display lighting in the cabin, the headlamps and front grille display a lighter tinge, almost lavender-like even. Oh, but no mistaking that found on the wheels!