Editor’s Word: Join CNN’s In the meantime in China e-newsletter, which explores what it is advisable to know in regards to the nation’s rise and the way it impacts the world.

Hong Kong/Beijing
CNN
 — 

Huawei has launched a brand new electrical car (EV) that’s designed to tackle Elon Musk’s Tesla.

The Chinese language tech big started taking preorders of the Luxeed S7, its first sedan, on Thursday. Beforehand, it had offered SUVs.

The automotive, which has developed with Chinese language automaker Chery, has a beginning value of 258,000 yuan ($35,400) through the presales interval. Common gross sales will start on November 28, the corporate mentioned at a press convention on Thursday.

Richard Yu, the corporate’s shopper chief, unveiled the smooth four-wheeler onstage within the megacity of Shenzhen, saying it was geared up with a robust high-voltage battery pack. He has beforehand mentioned the S7 would surpass Tesla’s (TSLA) Mannequin S “in each specification.”

The comparability could also be a little bit of a stretch, says Mark Rainford, an automotive business commentator based mostly in Shanghai who hosts the YouTube channel “Inside China Auto.”

“In all honesty, I believe comparisons with the Mannequin S could also be a bit formidable on most metrics that I can discover info for,” he advised CNN, noting that some efficiency metrics had not been absolutely launched.

“The place the S7 does stand out although is the 800-volt platform, which ought to allow very quick charging. Tesla [doesn’t] but use an 800-volt platform, so the S7 could have an edge on this space,” Rainford mentioned.

The S7’s 800-volt battery pack, the thinnest within the business in accordance with Yu, is made by Chinese language EV battery big CATL.

A 15-minute cost will yield a driving vary of 400 kilometers (249 miles), in accordance with Yu, which surpasses the 347-kilometer vary (about 216 miles) for Tesla’s Mannequin S after an analogous charging interval.

“Our vary exceeds the extent of our friends,” he added.

The US automaker, which now not maintains a public relations staff, didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.

Rainford mentioned whereas the vary comparability had not been examined, it was attainable as a result of battery.

Tesla could have a bonus due to its sturdy Supercharger community in China, which has many stations, he mentioned.

“Ease of discovering a great charger … is of as a lot significance as its potential,” Rainford mentioned.

Nevertheless, on the equal of $35,400, the S7 is less expensive than essentially the most primary Mannequin S, which prices 698,900 yuan or $95,800 in China.

Tesla has been compelled to slash costs in China lately in response to rising competitors on this planet’s largest auto market.

Though Huawei first made its identify as a tech and telecoms big, it has been hobbled lately by US export restrictions, which despatched the corporate right into a tailspin.

This 12 months, it has made no secret of its ambition to make a comeback — and create a splash within the automotive world. It launched its first EV in 2021.

At a September occasion, the corporate teased the discharge of the S7 in addition to the Aito M9, an electrical SUV developed with one other Chinese language automaker, Seres.

Yu mentioned on the launch occasion that an upgraded model of the Aito M7, which was first launched final 12 months, had obtained greater than 86,000 preorders in simply 50 days.

The S7 caters to feminine customers — with a delegated cosmetics drawer, mirror for touching up make-up and a spot to stash away excessive heels once they’re ditched in favor of flat sneakers for driving — in accordance with Huawei.