Chinese carmakers are taking every opportunity to experiment with their fortunes overseas. After Nio and Xpeng, another Chinese EV maker is poised to enter Europe. Dongfeng Motor Corporation’s premium brand Voyah will enter Europe in June 2022, with Norway as its first European market, the company announced on 17 February 2022 via voyah.com.cn. The launch model is the Voyah Free SUV.
Voyah Free Design
Some elements on the Voyah Free’s front fascia are reminiscent of the Maserati Levante, especially the vertical chrome embellished slats on the grille, chrome grille surround, and how the Voyah logo is positioned centrally. It has flush door handles, 19-inch alloys, and smooth surfacing, bereft of any creases.
The Dongfeng Voyah Free is presently the brand’s only offering, with the Dreamer MPV coming online this year. Image: Dongfeng Motor
We can’t help but compare the rear of the Voyah Free to the Porsche Cayenne, primarily because of the near-identical positioning of the full-width light bar. Although, the overall design appears premium. It looks like it could easily suit European tastes, given its safe and clean design.
Interiors & features
The cabin of the Voyah Free looks neat. The dashboard houses three digital screens, one for the driver’s display, one for the infotainment and another in the co-driver’s view. Visibly expensive materials are used for the upholstery and the door trims. Steering controls, panels on the central console, and the door trim have a matt aluminium finish.
The Voyah Free interior looks relatively plush and modern. The pricing and the dealer network would decide its fate in Europe. Image: Dongfeng Motor
The Voyah Free SUV is well-equipped. It’s 5G enabled and has Face ID recognition. Multiple driver profiles can be saved into the system. When the vehicle is unlocked, door handles automatically pop out, and the chassis gets lowered for easier ingress and egress. The system can also diffuse fragrances in the cabin.
The system supports voice recognition and helps customers locate nearby EV charging stations. There’s an attention assist for the driver well. What’s more, there’s a massive panoramic sunroof.
Voyah Free Electric specifications
The Voyah Free is 4,905 mm (193 inches) long, 1,950 mm (75 inches) wide, and 1,660 (65 inches) mm tall. It has a relatively long wheelbase of 2,960 mm (117 inches). There are two powertrains in China; the first is a single-motor RWD set-up with 255 kW and 520 Nm.
The dual-motor AWD Voyah Free has been tuned for 510 kW and 1040 Nm, and it could be this variant that has been chosen for the Norwegian market as the official announcement mentions four-wheel drive capability. The pure electric Voyah Free SUV gets an 88 kWh battery which provides a NEDC range of 475 km (295 miles) for the AWD and 505 km (314 miles) for the 2WD. It has scored impressively on the safety front with a 5-star C-NCAP rating.
Range extender variant
The Voyah Free also come in an extended range version with a hybrid powertrain that uses a 1.5-litre engine to charge the 33 kWh battery that delivers 140 km range on the NEDC cycle. However, this variant is doubtful for the country that is switching to EVs rapidly.
Price & release date
Currently, only Voyah Free is present in the brand’s portfolio. According to Chinese reports, customers in Norway will be able to take deliveries of the Voyah Free by Q4 2022. The Voyah Free was introduced to the Chinese market in 2020, and deliveries started by June 2021. The SUV is priced RMB 313,600 (USD 49,500) to RMB 363,600 (USD 57,483).
Voyah also plans to launch a luxury MPV christened the Dreamer to take on the Toyota Alphard and the Mercedes V-Class. The MPV has been revealed, and it will be available in multiple seating configurations. On the other hand, the Voyah Free has the Li Xiang One and the Xpeng G9 in its crosshairs.
Sales
Cnevpost reported on February 17, 2022, that Voyah delivered the 10,000th Free SUV in China in January 2022, 7 months after its launch. Sales look relatively modest in the competitive Chinese market; hence the brand is looking to increase growth by expanding beyond China and introducing new models like the Voyah Dreamer electric MPV.
Featured image source: Dongfeng Motor
Keyword: Voyah Free to be launched in Norway in June 2022