- Chery plans to equip its all-electric model Little Ant with a smart driving system based on the Qualcomm 8620 platform, according to local media.
- The Little Ant is one of Chery's least expensive models, currently starting at RMB 59,900 ($8,270) in China.
Chery will reportedly equip a smart driving system on its low-cost models, following BYD's (HKG: 1211, OTCMKTS: BYDDY) move to make smart driving available for all.
The automaker plans to equip its entry model, the all-electric Little Ant, with a smart driving system based on the Qualcomm 8620 platform, local media outlet Xinliu Auto said today, citing people familiar with the matter.
The Little Ant with smart driving system will support highway NOA (Navigate on Autopilot) and memory parking functions, and will probably benchmark directly against BYD's Seagull Smart Driving Edition, according to the report.
The Little Ant is one of Chery's least expensive models, with the four-seater currently starting at RMB 59,900 ($8,270) in China and having a CLTC range of at least 251 kilometers.
BYD unveiled its vehicle intelligence strategy on February 10, saying it would offer smart driving features across its entire model lineup, including not only premium models but also those under RMB 100,000 as well.
The company launched the Smart Driving Edition updates to 21 models at the time, with the least expensive being the Seagull Smart Driving Edition, which has a starting price range of RMB 69,800 to RMB 85,800.
Chery's plan means that models priced at less than RMB 60,000 will also start to come with smart driving systems, Xinliu Auto's report noted.
Leveraging the Qualcomm 8620 chip platform, Chery is expected to differentiate itself from BYD with its low-cost solution, the report said.
2025 is expected to be the first year of smart driving in China, and the next stage of competition will likely center on data ecology and user experience, the report said.
Chery is one of China's largest carmakers, selling a record 2,603,916 vehicles in all of 2024 and surpassing RMB 480 billion in annual revenue for the first time, according to data it released on January 1.
It sold 583,569 new energy vehicles (NEVs) in 2024, up 232.7 percent year-on-year.
The company exported 1,144,588 vehicles in 2024, up 21.4 percent year-on-year.
($1 = RMB 7.2448)
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