Weima launches its second model, EX6 Plus, at the Guangzhou Auto Show in November 22, 2019, a year and a half after its first model, EX5, debuted in April 20, 2018.

Unlike the usual new car releases, the Weima EX6 Plus was unveiled in a dramatic way at the event, breaking out of a prop resembling an iceberg. It was an unusual move for an auto show.

Weima showed us the coldness of the 2019 car market, so can the EX6 Plus become a ray of sunshine in the market?

You might have noticed that the limited-edition founder version of the Weima EX6 Plus costs CNY 2.399 million after subsidies in the image above. It seems a bit expensive, doesn’t it? Don’t worry, let’s first take a look at the EX6 Plus product itself.

The Familiar Weima EX6 Plus

Firstly, the Weima EX6 Plus measures 4802*1839*1710 mm in length, width and height respectively. Compared to the size of the A-level SUV EX5, it is obviously in the B-level SUV circle.

The exterior of the Weima EX6 Plus inherits the design style of the EX5. You can still find many family-oriented design elements on the front face of the EX6, such as the interactive logo with colors and the black decorative strip that runs through the front face.

In many details, the EX6 Plus is more refined. The headlights are slimmer and the light sources use a full LED design. The bumper on both sides of the air intake is equipped with a three-stage daytime running light, which echoes the Weima logo again. Unfortunately, the fast charging port is still located at the front of the car.

The rear of the WEY EX6 Plus still adopts a through-type taillight design, but the width of the light strip is wider and the level is richer, and the logo at the rear has also become a luminous form.

On the side, the length of the WEY EX6 Plus has reached 4.8 meters, and the dual-color multi-piece wheel hub has a strong sports atmosphere. The 19-inch large foot does not look big on the EX6 Plus, and the overall side styling is very substantial, giving the temperament of the first-generation Q7 after mid-term facelift.

One thing worth mentioning is that the WEY EX6 Plus and the WEY EX5 both belong to the WEY STD platform. Therefore, although the body size is much larger than the EX5, the wheelbase is 2715mm, only 12mm more than the EX5.

However, for the car interior space, we don’t need to worry at all. After all, the body has been lengthened a lot. WEY has reset the cabin layout based on this, and the EX6 Plus can still bring very spacious rear space.

• Interior

When I first saw the interior of the EX6 Plus, I even suspected that I got into the wrong car. Except for the position of the in-car camera being moved from the steering wheel to above the center console, there is almost no other noticeable change.

It is understood that the EX6 Plus still uses the same 12.3-inch instrument and 12.8-inch multimedia display as the EX5. The processor chip is Texas Instruments J6.

• Three Electric

In terms of power, the WEY EX6 Plus is equipped with a permanent magnet synchronous motor with a highest power of 160 kW and a maximum torque of 315 N·m. The acceleration time from 0 to 100 km/h is 9.5 seconds.

In terms of endurance, the capacity of the new car’s battery pack is 69 kWh, and the NEDC comprehensive operating condition endurance mileage is 505 km.If you are slightly familiar with WM Motor, you will know that the EX6 Plus and the EX5 520 versions have exactly the same three-electric hardware parameters, except that the range has dropped from 520 km to 505 km.

Initially, I found it unbelievable because the EX6 Plus is much larger than the EX5, but using the same motor and battery capacity, the range only slightly decreased by 15 km.

From the information disclosed by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, it appears that the EX6 Plus only weighs 61 kg more than the EX5 with the same battery capacity. This shows that WM Motor has made great efforts in controlling the weight of the EX6 Plus.

WM Motor EX6 Plus and its competitors

From the brief introduction above, it is not difficult to see that the WM Motor EX6 Plus looks like an extended version of the EX5. Regardless of technical or range parameters, there aren’t too many highlights. For WM Motor’s second product, it seems a bit too plain.

However, precisely because it inherits many of the designs of the EX5, the EX6 Plus has significant cost advantages.

Going back to the beginning, the founder’s version of the limited edition EX6 Plus model after subsidies is priced at RMB 2.399 million. Let’s compare its parameters and prices to other models in the same class.

Even as the top-of-the-line model of the EX6 Plus family, the limited edition founder’s version is still cheaper than the lowest-equipped model of its domestic counterparts, and has no disadvantages in range.

But don’t forget, the top-of-the-line models are not meant to be high-volume sellers. Referring to the price list for the WM Motor EX5, the higher-equipped EX5 520 model has a difference of RMB 20,000 compared to the lower-equipped model.

Also, the WM Motor EX5 520 version does not come with a standard Living Pilot assisted driving system (worth RMB 15,000).To put it plainly, if a lower version of the EX6 Plus 505 km endurance version is released in the future and Living Pilot is offered as an option, the starting price will drop to around 200,000 yuan.

Next up, the Geely A, Aion S, and BYD Qin Pro EV, the three most popular electric compact sedans currently on the market, have extended range versions (NEDC ≥ 500 km) priced at around 180,000 yuan depending on the configuration.

As a midsize SUV, the EX6 Plus has an overwhelming advantage in terms of space, but the price difference is not that big.

Therefore, it is conceivable that when the EX6 Plus volume models are truly launched, they will not only compete with the BYD Tang EV and the Aion LX in the market, but also attract users of compact pure electric sedans.

It is always interesting to see the development ideas of new players in the automotive industry through the second car.

From ES8 to ES6, NIO has steadfastly implemented luxury in every detail.

From G3 to P7, Xpeng has done its utmost to achieve upward breakthroughs in branding through automation, intelligence, and electrification.

WmAuto has continued to maintain its consistent high cost-effectiveness from EX5 to EX6 Plus.

These three routes are not good or bad, there is no right or wrong, and each will have a suitable consumer group. Just do your own thing carefully.

At WmAuto’s brand night in April of this year, a sentence from WmAuto’s founder, Shen Hui, impressed me: “In the cold winter, either be outstanding, or be eliminated.”

So will WmAuto’s EX6 Plus, which adheres to the cost-effectiveness route, become the cotton jacket that helps WmAuto through the cold winter? We have yet to see.

This article is a translation by ChatGPT of a Chinese report from 42HOW. If you have any questions about it, please email bd@42how.com.