The Hongqi brand was introduced in the country in 2023. They started bringing in luxury vans which are popular with businessmen and government leaders in China.
In 2024, Hongqi brought in sedans and SUVs that were all electric. One of these is the mid-size sedan, E-QM5. It is a fully electric
car with a range of 431 kilometers on a full charge. The E-MQ5 is slightly more spacious than the Camry and Accord especially if you take the rear seat which gives you the feeling that you’re in a limousine. When seated, a five-foot-six person still has 14 inches of knee and leg space in front of him.
The Hongqi EM-Q5 is the first car I encountered that does not use the push button start/stop system. Instead, the car starts the moment the driver steps on the brake pedal and wears his seatbelt. Then he can start operating the car. To turn off the electric motor, the driver steps on the brakes and presses three times with his finger a control button behind the steering wheel and the motor comes to a full stop. Parking mode is activated by pressing a black button on the shift lever. This is very useful when you’re in a long traffic situation. To resume the drive, you just have to pull the lever down and release the electronic brake switch and you’re ready to go again.
When I picked up the car at the Evo Xterra main office along C-5 in Taguig and after exchanging pleasantries with their top executives, I drove the carto Sta. Rosa City in Laguna. Driving the E-MQ5 is almost effortless. Just a slight press on the accelerator and the car responds with the enthusiasm of a competitive athlete. At the SLEX, I probably enjoyed the car’s speed, I stayed on the fast lane most of the time. My waze had no voice instruction and I just glanced at the directions occasionally. And this is the main reason I missed the exit to Sta. Rosa. I exited to Calamba and made a return trip towards Sta. Rosa but at this time, I took the exit to Eaton. It was good to drive the car to the Nuvali area where there were more twists and turns. Fortunately, I arrived at my destination just in time.
The E-QM5 which has a single variant showcases a sleek design with a close-off grille (as the electric motor does not need an air intake) and LED daytime running lights. It stands on 18-inch wheels and the rear is highlighted by eye-catching LED taillights and a power tailgate,
The sedan offers a comfortable, spacious cabin with leather upholstery and a 10-inch infotainment screen. The trunk has generous space for at least three golf sets but the car’s big charging cable set may get in the way.
It’s interesting to note that the Evo Xterra has its own fast and regular charging facilities at its parking area similar to what we see in Japan. We charged the E-QM5 for about 12 minutes which cost P28 per kilowatt hour or a total of P480. Payment is via Gcash. We were able to add about 70 kilometers to our driving range of 180 kilometers. The company will put up more charging stations in the coming months.
The car’s safety features include anti-lock braking system, ISOFIX child seat anchors, stability control, traction control, multiple airbags, uphill assist, reverse camera, auto hold and driver fatigue monitoring.
The E-QM5 is powered by a 55-kilowatt-hour lithium-iron-phosphate battery and an electric motor with 188 horsepower. Top speed is 160 kph and can accelerate from 0-60 kph in 5.5 seconds. It has an 8-year warranty for the Battery Degeneration Performance.
The price is P1.78 million.
The car is so quiet (as most electric cars are) and I wish Hongqi can install a sound of an incoming carthat can be heard outside by pedestrians. It will also help if the car has front and rear sensors to assist the driver in maneuvering the car.
Hongqi’s main showrooms are located at the EVO Xterra offices at C-5 Taguig and at Asian Century Center on 27th St. at BGC Taguig.
