The Jaecoo J7 PHEV has arrived in Malaysia and it’s capable of 106km of electric driving.
Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) used to be the realm of premium brands. Today, the Chinese sub-brand of Chery, Jaecoo, has launched the most affordable PHEV in Malaysia – the Jaecoo J7 PHEV.
This vehicle was previewed here at the Malaysian Autoshow 2024 less than a year ago. It’s clear they’ve been paving the way for market acceptance. While the pure-petrol Jaecoo J7 models have been widely accepted with something like 7,000 units sold in 2024, it remains to be seen if the same car with a super-efficient, but more complex powertrain will be as popular.
The key feature of the Jaecoo J7 PHEV is of course its Super Hybrid System (SHS). Here’s what you need to know about this 3-component system:
Component 1: 5th Generation 1.5L Turbocharged Gasoline Direct Injection Engine
- Delivers 141hp and 215Nm on its own
- Uses advanced technologies for maximum efficiency:
- Deep Miller cycle
- Intelligent lubricating system
- Smart thermal management
- Sophisticated exhaust gas recirculation system
Component 2: Single-Speed Dedicated Hybrid Transmission
- Allows EV-like gliding at low speeds and while idling
- Can disconnect from engine for zero-petrol movement
- Features electromagnetic clutch that re-engages for maximum torque
- Enables 0-100 km/h acceleration in just 8.5 seconds
- Remarkable performance for a 1,795 kg two-wheel drive SUV
Component 3: High Voltage (HV) Battery
- 18.3 kWh capacity with 106-cell Lithium Iron Phosphate Blade design
- Smart battery management system maintains charge between 20-100%
- Rated to last up to 1 million km
- Protected by 780 mpa battery armor to prevent discharge in collisions
- Puncture-proof design
The powertrain is IP68 rated for dust and water resistance. Plus, it has been tested for the extreme conditions of our climate including high temperatures and flood conditions. While it’s the most affordable PHEV you can buy in Malaysia, it still features items found only on the latest premium PHEV models such as DC fast charging support.
Here it’s limited to 40kW, which is still rapid enough to move the battery’s state of charge from 30% to 80% in just 20 minutes. AC charging is limited to just 6.6kW though, meaning you’ll need to plug it in for 4 hours to fully recover the battery charge. Maximum combined output is 255 kW and 525Nm of torque.
When fully charged and fueled up, the Jaecoo J7 PHEV is rated for 1300km of range on the NEDC cycle. On pure electric power, the vehicle can move 106km on the NEDC cycle on its 18.3kWh battery. It should be note that the NEDC cycle is more generous than the WLTP cycle.
Design
How do you tell the petrol version from the PHEV version?
The 19″ aero rims and aero wing mirrors on the outside are giveaways that it’s the PHEV. Inside, you’ll see a a column-mounted transmission selector on this new version too.
In the boot you’ll find a ‘Cinema Tonneau Cover’, which creatively doubles as a projection screen. This should be do-able in the wild as the J7 has 3.3kW Vehicle-to-Load capability to power a projector. The Jaecoo J7 PHEV also features hidden tailpipes and an exclusive 2-tone Olive Grey ‘hero’ colour.
Other colour options include Khaki White, Carbon Crystal Black and Moonlight Silver. Only 100 units of the Khaki White will be available in Malaysia. In terms of driving, the Jaecoo J7 PHEV has 2 power modes, 3 driving modes and 3 power saving modes.
In terms of safety, you get Level 2.5 ADAS, 8 airbags, Driver Monitoring System, Lane Departure Prevention, and Adaptive Cruise Control.
Warranty Package
In terms of warranty, the car gets a 7-year/150,000km vehicle warranty, an 8-year/160,000km battery warranty with a 1-to-1 battery swap if the state of health falls below 70%. Early bird customers who order before the 2nd of March 2025 will get a 10-year vehicle warranty and a 10-year battery warranty with up to 1,000,000km coverage. There’s also a free V2L cable thrown in. Pricing is set at RM158,800.
