European manufacturers are still dreaming of electric cars under 25,000 euros, while the Chinese are already driving them – and not just any kind. The Dongfeng 007 is not a small city car, but an elegant, luxury sedan, as big as a BMW i5, as fast as a Porsche Taycan and packed with futuristic technology. And all this for the price of a decent used Golf. If you've ever wondered whether Chinese cars are a serious problem for European giants, now's the time to sit down. Because the Dongfeng 007 is not the future – it's the present.
While European manufacturers are still struggling to bring electric cars to the market for under 25,000 euros, the Chinese are already driving elegant electric sedans that offer dimensions for the same price. BMW 5 Series and Tesla technology. Dongfeng 007 is the latest blow to the European automotive industry – a car (on the Chinese market) that in theory offers everything the big ones have, but for the money you would pay for a decent used car in our country. In China, its price starts at 20,000 euros. In Europe, its price would most likely be 33,000 euros.
Dimensions like a BMW i5, price like a city car
If Dongfeng 007 Parked next to the Mercedes EQE, you'd hardly say it's a significantly cheaper car. At 4,880mm long and with a wheelbase of 2,915mm, it's bigger than the Volkswagen ID.7 and almost identical to the BMW i5. But then comes the shock – the price. In China, it starts at 159,000 yuan, which is about 20,000 euros.
This means that for less money than the Dacia Duster you get a futuristically designed sedan with technology you would expect in the premium segment. If European manufacturers continue to think that the Chinese will stick to “cheap and small” models, it’s time to take another look at the numbers.
Aerodynamics that even Tesla would envy
It's design Dongfeng 007 a true masterpiece of aerodynamics. With an extremely low drag coefficient 0.209 Cd It is one of the most efficient electric cars on the market, which means better range and less noise at higher speeds.
Then there are the details that add the wow factor. An adjustable rear spoiler that raises depending on speed? Sure. All this in a car that costs less than the base model. Volkswagen ID.3.
An interior that smells like premium class
When you enter the cabin, there is no feeling that this is an affordable electric car. The first thing that catches your eye is head-up display (HUD), which projects speed and navigation onto the windshield. Then there's ambient lighting that flashes to the rhythm of the music, as if you were in a luxury nightclub.
The driver's seat? Not only is it electrically adjustable, it also offers 8-point massage and electrically adjustable lumbar support. It all rounds off intelligent cabin fragrance system, which ensures that your car always smells like your favorite perfume. Does that sound like a premium Mercedes? Sure, except it costs half as much.
Electricity or gasoline? Why not both?
Dongfeng 007 offers two key powertrain variants – all-electric and a range extender version.
The basic electric version has one electric motor with 160 kW (218 hp) and battery 56.83 kWh, which is sufficient for 530 kilometers of range according to the optimistic Chinese CLTC standard. For those who want more power, a version with 200 kW (272 hp) and a larger battery 70.26 kWh, which enables 620 kilometers of range.
The most brutal version bears the label 540Max and offers two electric motors with a total power of 400 kW (544 hp) and 640 Nm of torqueAcceleration to 100 km/h? 3.9 seconds. The Porsche Taycan 4S also needs that much. But the Taycan costs about five times more.
And if anyone is still afraid of running out of battery? For those, there is a version with range extender – 1.5-liter gasoline engine powers the battery 28.4 kWh, which allows 200 kilometers of pure electric drivingBut when the petrol engine is also engaged, the total range is extended to 1,200 kilometersThis is what a worry-free electric future looks like.
Will 007 come to Europe?
There is currently no official confirmation whether the Dongfeng 007 will also be sold in Europe. But the fact is that Chinese brands such as Voyah, are already sold in our country. So if Dongfeng decides to enter the European market, we can expect serious headaches for Volkswagen's ID.7, BMW i5 and even Tesla Model SPrimarily because a solidly equipped one with a 70 kWh battery would cost around 40,000 euros, before subsidies. That's a really solid price for a sedan that's almost 5 meters long.
In reality, there is only one question – If you had 40,000 euros and could choose between a Dongfeng 007 or an ID.7, which costs more than 50,000 euros, what would you choose?
