Test Drive Avatar 11 Extended Range

   Not long ago the range-extended version of the Avatar 12 was officially launched, the first range-extended power model under the Avatar banner. And just before the Guangzhou Auto Show, the range-extended version of Avatar's groundbreaking Avatar 11 also came, and this time we took it for a test drive. Overall, the extended-range version can still give people more peace of mind in the process of using the car with the advantage of no mileage anxiety.

Exterior with latest family design elements

The exterior design of the Avatar 11 Extended Range model has been tweaked a bit compared to the current electric-only version, especially at the front end where it adopts Avatar's latest family design scheme, with the left and right light bands connecting via the underside of the bumper. Of course, you're welcome to leave a comment in the comments section to discuss which design looks better on this car versus the current model. But as the Avatar brand's groundbreaking work, I think the overall design of the Avatar 11 still has a good face value, and even at a time when vehicles are being updated so quickly, it's still quite a looker.

 In addition, the car's length is slightly longer compared to the purely electric version of the Avatar11, but its wheelbase remains unchanged at 2975mm. This size ensures that the exterior of the car has an atmospheric visual effect, and also ensures that the interior has a generous amount of passenger space. The rear of the car in the lower edge of the bumper is also compared to the pure electric model some adjustment, using a hidden exhaust pipe design. In terms of configuration, the three-laser radar is still equipped. And the Smart Drive system has also been upgraded to Huawei Qian Kun ADS 3.0, which, like the Avita 12, will support autonomous driving assistance from space to space.

 Complementing the exterior is the car's interior design scheme, the Avatar 11's interior looks quite edgy, especially the Vortex emotional swirls on the dashboard, which have had a nice design touch since its launch. While the car is positioned as a techy youngster, it also features a rather restrained seat design that is simply paired with darker colored trims. Combined with the HarmonyOS operating system behind the center console, there's no problem with the convenience of using the car.

 In terms of power, the range extender version of the Avatar11 utilizes the same Quinlan range extender powertrain as the Avatar12 range extender. The range extender (1.5L displacement turbo) is arranged in the front nacelle and is rated at 115kW with a thermal efficiency of 44.39%, generating 100kW of peak power and maintaining 70kW of continuous power generation. The battery is also powered by a 39.05kWh pack with a peak charge multiplier of 3C, and can be charged from 30% to 80% in just 15 minutes.

 In terms of power, the range extender version of the Avatar11 utilizes the same Quinlan range extender powertrain as the Avatar12 range extender. The range extender (1.5L displacement turbo) is arranged in the front nacelle and is rated at 115kW with a thermal efficiency of 44.39%, generating 100kW of peak power and maintaining 70kW of continuous power generation. The battery is also powered by a 39.05kWh pack with a peak charge multiplier of 3C, and can be charged from 30% to 80% in just 15 minutes.

 In addition this range extender system also comes with a stopping piston active control technology, when the range extender stops it will adjust the piston to the optimal position, which can reduce the cylinder pressure at startup, according to the information provided by the manufacturer, the vibration of the instant of startup can be reduced by 90%, and the range extender start-stop action can be more senseless. Officially announced CLTC pure electric range of more than 225 kilometers, compared to the styling of the lower Avita 12 range-extender version of the model range to be about 20 kilometers shorter, the integrated range of up to 1065 kilometers or more. As for power, the rear-mounted electric motor has an output of up to 231 kW and a combined torque of 367 Nm, so naturally there is no need to worry about power for a model in the new energy era. 0-100km/h acceleration takes only 6.9 seconds, and it takes only 7.5 seconds to feed the power to complete the zero-hundredth of a second acceleration. 

As far as the driving experience is concerned, the Avatar 11 Extended Range still feels like a pure electric car when driven. The suspension is supportive and resilient to bumps, continuing the Avatar's tradition of good chassis performance. The steering is also well directed and the chassis doesn't filter its road feel quite as thoroughly as it does to accommodate comfort considerations, and there's a certain communicative feel to the drive. Combined with our previous test drive of the Avatar 11 pure electric version of the car, the car basically maintains and continues the chassis of the pure electric model as well as the handling style, there is not much difference in the physical feel, both do quite a good job of performance.

Editor's comment:

　　Today's Chinese brand market, just with pure electric models “a fresh move” to fight all over the world is no longer possible, after all, even the super-charging of each family there is also a certain amount of energy to make up for the predicament. Hybrid or extended-range models may still be the best solution at this stage. Therefore, the Avatar's extended-range version of the model also came into being, and in the Avatar lineup of extended-range systems also added such as electronic oil pumps, stopping piston active control such as to enhance the car's “decency” degree of configuration, can increase the vehicle's sense of technology and sense of luxury. All in all, I'm quite optimistic about this car, and judging by the Avatar 12 Range Extender's list price, the Avatar 11 Range Extender's price is worth waiting for as well.