Chery has officially launched its Q small, pure-electric hatch in Thailand with pricing starting at the equivalent of around $20,400 and an introductory offer of roughly $19,500.
Called QQ3 and priced from ¥68,920 (~$14,000) in the Chinese domestic market, the value-focused small EV will be offered across three tiers in Thailand - the entry-grade Qlick referenced above, mid-level Qool (~$21,700) and top-spec Quint (~$22,500).
All but confirmed for local sale, the rear-motor, rear-wheel drive city car has regularly been spotted testing in Australia with CarsGuide invited to a preview drive in China only last month.
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And if Australian pricing is even close to the Thai Q line-up it will throw a ferocious cat amongst the EV pigeons, undercutting the current electric car price leader, BYD's Atto 1 Essential at $23,990, before-on-road costs.
In China, two powertrains are available - one with 58kW/90Nm and another producing 90kW/115Nm, the latter offered in Thailand, the first confirmed export market for the latest iteration of the car.
Again, there are two LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate) battery options in China, rated at 29.5kWh and 41.3kWh, respectively, but it's the bigger pack only for Thailand, with range quoted at 400 km (NEDC).
It's safe to assume Australia would follow the Thai market battery and powertrain template.
Measuring just under 4.2m long, a fraction more than 1.8m wide and close to 1.6m tall, the Q is shorter (-95mm) but wider (+41mm) than the BYD Dolphin while riding on an identical 2700mm wheelbase.
DC fast charging at 85kW translates to a 30-80 per cent fill in 16.5 minutes with 6.6kW AC charging capability onboard. The car is also V2L (vehicle-to-load) capable.
Boot capacity is a useful 375 litres with the rear seat upright and an impressive 1450L with it folded. A front boot adds another 70 litres and there's a 35-litre compartment tucked under the rear seats.
The Q is underpinned by Chery's 'T12' battery-electric platform and rides on a strut front multi-link rear suspension set-up with disc brakes all around (ventilated at the front).
Equipment highlights on upper grades for the Thai market include auto LED headlights and LED tail-lights, an 8.9-inch instrument display, 15.6-inch multimedia touchscreen, dual-zone climate-control and wireless device charging as well as an electric front boot lid and tailgate.
The flagship Q Quint picks up 17-inch alloy rims, ambient lighting, voice recognition, six-speaker audio, auto-parking, a powered driver's seat and front proximity sensors.
Safety includes up to 10 airbags and a suite of 21 ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) functions including AEB, adaptive cruise, rear cross-traffic alert and automatic parking assist.
Interestingly, Thai introductory pricing for the Q includes an eight-year/200,000 km warranty (seven-year/unlimited km in Australia), a lifetime high-voltage battery warranty (eight-year/unlimited km in Oz), five years' 24-hour roadside assistance (up to seven years conditional here), a year's "free insurance", an AC portable charger and a carpet set.
When contacted for comment on the car's likelihood for Australian sale a Chery spokesperson told CarsGuide, "There's a lot of interest around the Chery QQ3, but at this stage it is not confirmed for Australia.
"However, a number of international models are currently under consideration for the local market," they said.
Stay tuned.