Chery Fulwin T7 crossover: a brother of the Russian Tenet Plus L6 with different design and technology

Chery is bringing a new SUV from the Fulwin family to the domestic market. The five-door model is a front-wheel-drive electric car, with a single battery option across all trim levels.

The Chery Fulwin T7 crossover first appeared in the database of China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology back in May, with the manufacturer officially announcing the new model in July. Now the five-door has been unveiled in China, with preliminary prices announced and orders opened. As a reminder, the SUV is an electric vehicle, and on other markets it will be sold as the Lepas L6 EV (the Lepas brand is owned by Chery). Meanwhile, the Lepas model also has a purely petrol version, which is about to launch in Russia under the Tenet Plus brand: our crossover also carries the L6 index.

Externally, the Chery Fulwin T7 is almost indistinguishable from the export-market Lepas L6 EV. When compared with the Russian petrol Tenet Plus L6, however, the electric cars feature a completely different front-end design. The electric SUVs get an original bumper, with a smooth panel instead of the giant radiator grille. The electric models also have conventional headlights, whereas our crossover features two-tier front lighting.

The Chery Fulwin T7 measures 4,570 mm in length, 1,852 mm in width and 1,694 mm in height. The Russian Tenet Plus L6 is slightly shorter (4,554 mm), but the wheelbase of both crossovers is identical at 2,700 mm. In China, the Fulwin T7 is offered with 17- or 18-inch wheels. The boot capacity of the Chinese version is 450 litres, expanding to 1,550 litres with the second-row seatbacks folded down. There is no additional front storage compartment.

Inside, both our petrol SUV and the export electric car feature a vertical multimedia screen. The Chery Fulwin T7, however, gets a tablet of a more conventional format (15.6 inches), with air vents positioned beneath it. Otherwise, the interior of the Chery model is the same as that of the Lepas and Tenet Plus SUVs. Inside, there is a three-spoke steering wheel, an 8.8-inch instrument display and a two-tier central tunnel.

The Chery Fulwin T7 is offered with a single 242 hp electric motor on the front axle. There is also just one battery option, with a capacity of 65.05 kWh. The driving range is 600 km on the CLTC cycle. Charging from 30 to 80 per cent will take approximately 20 minutes.

In China, the Fulwin T7 is currently available in three trim levels. The base specification includes: the aforementioned screens, dual-zone climate control, a reversing camera, adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking and lane-keeping assist. From the mid-range trim upwards, buyers get a powered tailgate, a panoramic roof, heated and ventilated front seats, wireless smartphone charging and surround-view cameras. The top-spec SUV features multimedia with a more powerful Qualcomm 8775 chip and an expanded suite of driver assistance systems.

The electric Chery Fulwin T7 crossover is preliminarily priced at 109,900 – 129,900 yuan, equivalent to roughly 1.35 million – 1.6 million roubles at the current exchange rate. Live sales in China are expected to begin at the end of August.