At an exclusive preview held in the Strand’s stylish ME London hotel, London welcomed Chinese SUV and electric vehicle (EV) specialist Omoda to the UK .
Run in conjunction with the Evening Standard, the event saw readers who had won tickets to attend be the first to view the electric Omoda E5 compact SUV and its petrol Omoda 5 sister.
Omoda’s Jaecoo sibling brand’s J7 premium off-roader also made its British debut.
The experts driving EV discussion
Attendees enjoyed an expert panel discussion on the future of electric cars, focusing on fashion and design.
Welcoming guests to the event, Evening Standard editor-in-chief Dylan Jones said that fashion and design were crucial to a car’s appeal, and that EVs were vital “to the long-term health of our city”.
Discussion host, comedian, environmental economist and author Dr Matt Winning was joined by GadgetsBoy TV presenter and tech expert Tomi Adebayo, Women Drive Electric pressure group co-founder Michelle Breffitt, and Rob Durrant and Jasmine Grewal from Omoda’s growing UK team.
Ideas that emerged on EV fashionability centered on people feeling that driving electric was a positive environmental choice, and that their looks, performance and user-friendliness, as exemplified by the Omoda E5, made such cars desirable objects.
Breffitt suggested the cars appealed to female drivers for pragmatic reasons, and that many of their design features were “liberating”.
The panel answered audience questions on charging, safety, long-term usability and environmental impact, concluding that EVs often had advantages in these areas and the next decade would see major technical breakthroughs.
View Omoda cars in UK showrooms from May
When its designs reach UK dealers next month, Omoda will offer British car buyers a selection of electric and petrol crossover SUVs.
Its headline EV design, the Omoda 5, not only boasts an all-electric powertrain option and value-for-money pricing, but also has impressive levels of technology and standard equipment.
What’s more, the Chinese brand says it will merge cutting-edge tech with a forward-looking eco-conscious approach, and reassuringly high levels of quality, safety and design for its cars.
Let’s take a closer look at the flagship Omoda model’s specifications...
Under the hood of the Omoda E5
The Omoda E5’s advanced 61kWh battery can be 30 to 80 per cent rapid charged inside 30 minutes, has a range of around 260 miles and is backed with an eight-year, 100,000 mile warranty.
Comfort and Noble trim levels are available with a comprehensive suite of advanced driver assistance tech, and Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and wireless phone charging feature. Noble models enjoy 3D, 360-degree cameras, heated seats, sunroof and powered tailgate. With safety in mind, the Omoda 5 achieved a five-star Euro NCAP crash test rating.
A fast-expanding dealer network will sell both the Omoda E5 electric, and the 1.6-litre turbo-petrol 5, with prices starting from £23,995. Further models will follow.
To find out more about Omoda visit linkedin.com/company/omoda-uk