The Chery QQ Ice Cream has broken cover as a continuation of the Chinese manufacturer’s budget car offering. What was once a bare-bones economy hatch has now been reshaped into a chic super compact EV.
The Chery QQ Ice Cream is the first product to be positioned under the brand’s iCar Ecology umbrella that promotes an easy commuting experience for drivers and passengers. As Car News China reports, this arm works with companies outside the automotive industry to create an ecosystem around the vehicle. iCar Ecology is currently working with companies such as Haier and Alibaba Cloud to develop a cloud-based Internet of Things (IoT) services that will connect the vehicle to other internet-connected devices at home, at the office and at other places like shopping malls and restaurants.
Those familiar with the brand’s local offering in South Africa may recall the Chery QQ3 which was based on the Daewoo Matiz. This model made use of a naturally aspirated 0,8-litre three-cylinder petrol engine that delivered 38 kW to the front wheels. A larger 1,1-litre four-pot with 50 kW was also offered to those who needed a bit more oomph.
The Chery QQ Ice Cream seen here is a notable evolution over this product with its boxy proportions that claims to comfortably seat four passengers. While it moves away from the internal combustion engine, the Chinese hatch isn’t big on power. Applied to the chassis of this car is a small electric motor that boasts a power output of just 20 kW which it sources from a lithium iron phosphate battery pack. As a result, the tiny car can only hit a top speed of 100 km/h with a total range of 175 km.
An official public debut of this product will take place at the Chengdu Auto Show which commences this week.
