Jaecoo Malaysia promised that it will launch the Jaecoo J7 PHEV in February, and it has delivered on the final day of the month. Now, those considering the hot-selling J7 can choose between a pure ICE powertrain or a plug-in hybrid that promises up to 1,300 km of range on a full tank, for a premium.
That’s what you want to know, so here it is – the Jaecoo J7 PHEV is available in a single high-spec variant, priced at RM158,800 on-the-road without insurance. That’s lower than the estimated RM170k figure, and is just RM10k more than the petrol-only J7 AWD, which goes for RM148,800 (the 2WD is another RM10k cheaper). Like the ICE-powered J7, the CKD PHEV rolls out of Chery’s plant in Shah Alam.
What’s different here is under the hood, where the J7’s 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine and seven-speed dual-clutch transmission is replaced by a hybrid-specific version of the Omoda 5’s 1.5-litre turbo engine. Here, it makes 141 hp and 215 Nm of torque – paired with a 204 PS/310 Nm electric motor and a single-speed dedicated hybrid transmission (DHT), total output of the Super Hybrid System (SHS) is 347 PS and 525 Nm.
That’s a big jump from the regular J7’s 194 hp/290 Nm, and the front-wheel-drive 1,795 kg PHEV is seven tenths of a second quicker than the ICE from 0-100 km/h at 8.5 seconds. Top speed is 180 km/h. However, the PHEV’s main selling point is fuel economy. Jaecoo claims petrol consumption of 4.77 litres per 100 km (NEDC) when the battery is depleted (at the minimum 20% SoC).
Speaking of the battery, it’s a BYD-sourced 18.3 kWh Blade lithium iron phosphate (LFP) unit that’s capable of 106 km NEDC-rated electric range – good enough for a few days of school/grocery runs. Jaecoo says that the system never allows charge levels to fall below 20%, which ‘guarantees optimal battery health and performance throughout its life cycle’. The IP68-rated ‘puncture-proof’ battery is claimed to last up to one million km.
If you’re going on a road trip, the battery combines with a 60-litre fuel tank for an overall claimed range of up to 1,300 km (NEDC). Sounds big, but that headlining range figure is realistic, conservative even.
Our man Jonathan Lee was part of a fuel efficiency drive last month and the group drove 1,066 km from Singapore to Hat Yai in Thailand. His car averaged 3.8 litres per 100 km almost entirely on highways and still had 190 km of range remaining, as estimated by the SUV’s trip computer. By the way, while Jaecoo Malaysia quotes NEDC range figures, the WLTP numbers are 88 km EV and up to 1,200 km total.
By the way, the J7 PHEV supports up to 40 kW of DC fast charging power, which tops up the battery from 30% to 80% in 20 minutes. The more likely charging scenario is at home, and Jaecoo sells a wallbox separately. At 6.6 kW max AC, a full charge takes less than four hours. Again, the pure EV range is 106 km NEDC.
The rest of the car is as per the J7 except for minor details such as the aero-design 19-inch alloys (we noticed that they’re similar to the Omoda E5’s but with different covers), curvier door mirrors, a chequered flag pattern on the door trim strips and the removal of the ICE variant’s fake tailpipes. There’s a ‘PHEV’ logo on the tailgate.
Inside the black interior, the PHEV gets a simpler, sleeker door card design (no more chunky door grab handles and physical wing mirror switches) and a revised centre console that dispenses with the ICE’s large drive mode selector and gear lever. In place of the latter is a steering column stalk. The freed up space between the seats gets a row of physical buttons for the EV and HEV powertrain modes. The 10.25-inch digital instrument display gets PHEV-related graphics.
Surprisingly, the PHEV has more cargo volume than the ICE at 500 litres, despite having a battery under the boot floor. The catch is there’s no full-size spare tyre here, just a can of tyre foam. Fold the rear seats and you’ll get 1,265 litres of space. There’s a party trick here (literally) in the Cinema Tonneau Cover, where the white underside of the tonneau cover can double up as a screen for your projector. There’s a 3.3 kW V2L function for your accessories.
The kit list is pretty much like the ICE car’s – you get full LED lights at both ends, keyless entry and push start, dual-zone climate control (there’s a single rear vent), powered front seats with memory and ventilation (heating too, it comes in a pack), front passenger seat ‘boss switch’, faux leather upholstery, a panoramic glass roof and a powered tailgate with proximity-based hands-free opening.
Top row J7 AWD, bottom row J7 PHEV
In the screen and tech department, you get the above-mentioned digital meter panel, head-up display and a 14.8-inch portrait infotainment touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto, with sound coming from eight Sony speakers. There’s also a wireless charger, 360-degree camera system and a built-in dashcam.
Safety wise, it’s the full ADAS pack together with front departure alert, a camera-based driver attention monitor, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert with auto brake, door opening warning and auto high beam. The airbag count is eight, including a front centre airbag and one for the driver’s knee.
Again, the Jaecoo J7 PHEV is priced at RM158,800 on-the-road with insurance and you can have one in Carbon Crystal Black, Moonlight Silver and Khaki White. The latter is a limited edition colour of sorts, and only 100 units will be available. After that, Jaecoo will replace white with the rather fetching Olive Grey colour you see below.
The factory warranty is for seven years or 150,000 km, and there’s a separate eight-year or 160,000 km warranty for the PHEV battery, motor and controller unit. Jaecoo Malaysia promises a one-to-one exchange when the battery’s state of health falls below 70% during the warranty tenure.
“The SHS with its best-in-class technology and performance is what we believe enhances Malaysia’s vibrant hybrid vehicle landscape and creates room for competitive growth. Essentially, we’re happy to provide greater options to drivers looking to make the transition to hybrid mobility, in support of Malaysia’s energy transition ambitions,” said Jaecoo Malaysia VP Emily Lek.
So, if you’re set on the Jaecoo J7, will it be the simplicity of the ICE model or are you drawn to the fuel-efficiency and long range of the PHEV for just RM10k more? A carrot for the PHEV is the early bird package for bookings from now till March 2, where you’ll get 10 years or one million km of vehicle and battery warranty, plus a free V2L charger. Yes, that’s two days to get the extra perk.
GALLERY: Jaecoo J7 PHEV launch
GALLERY: Jaecoo J7 PHEV in Olive Grey
