Hongqi Officially Enters Thailand, Luxury Electric SUV E-HS9 as the First Model

JAKARTA - Hongqi, a Chinese luxury car manufacturer, has officially entered the Thai automotive market, and immediately launched its first model, the E-HS9 electric SUV, which is priced at 2,990,000 baht or Rp1.62 billion for the first 400 units.

Quoting from the thaiautonews website, Friday, June 19, in Thailand, Hongqi is distributed by Metro Group Co Ltd led by CEO Bodin Boonvisuth, after winning the distribution rights from FAW Group Corporation, Hongqi's parent company.

"The key to our success as a Hongqi distributor is our long experience in the automotive industry, making Thailand one of the few countries in the world to launch the right-hand drive version of the Hongqi E-HS9," said CEO Bodin Boonvisuth.

"With the distinctive features of the E-HS9 and the strength of Metro Group, as well as dealers in each region, I believe that the E-HS9 will open a new premium EV experience for Thai customers," he added.

The E-HS9, designed by Giles Taylor, a British car designer who previously worked at Rolls-Royce, features a chrome-plated front grille inspired by a waterfall, there is also a glowing red line that divides the center of the hood and flows into the grille.

With a length of 5,209 mm and a width of 2,010 mm, the E-HS9 has three rows of seats (the 2nd row is a captain seat), a 16-speaker Bose audio system, and many luxury features.

The power comes from two electric motors that produce 493 horsepower and 606 Nm of torque. The all-wheel drive E-HS9 accelerates from 0-100 km/h in 5.5 seconds and has a top speed of 200 km/h. The large-capacity 120kWh ternary lithium battery provides a range of 760km CLTC (623km WLTP) and has a fast charging capability of 140kW.

There are seven driving modes and a comprehensive ADAS package. Body color options include Pacific Blue, Jade White, and Imperial Black, while interior color options include Saddle Brown, Graphite Black, and Mysterious Gray/Chrystal White.

The talk of the Hongqi brand is indeed loud and will also be present in Indonesia.