Yesterday in Munich, Germany, the Chinese automotive joint venture Avatr—which sounds like a misspelled version of Avatar but isn’t—between Changan, CATL, and Huawei unveiled the second electric vehicle (EV) in its lineup, officially launching the company into the European market.
The elegant four-door coupe is known as the Avatr 12 (pronounced “one two”). It features a hatchback at the back and a so-called Halo Display on the bonnet, which is a black panel LED display that allows the car to speak with people outside the car, according to the manufacturer.
The Avatr 12 has dimensions of 197.6 inches (5,020 millimetres) long, 78.7 inches (1,999 millimetres) broad, and 57.4 inches (1,460 millimetres) high. It offers two powertrain choices both using CATL cell-to-pack ternary lithium-ion battery packs.
Avatr 12 (2024)
The all-wheel drive version has a Huawei dual-motor arrangement that produces 425 kW (578 hp), while the rear-wheel drive model is propelled by a 230 kW (313 hp) electric motor. In order to achieve a driving range between 403 miles (650 kilometres) and 434 miles (700 kilometres), both models rely on a 94.5 kilowatt-hour battery, although the press release doesn’t specify if WLTP or CLTC was utilized to calculate these numbers.
Similar to the Polestar 5, the four-door hatchback has the appearance of a coupe but lacks a rear glass in favour of a camera that feeds live video to a computerized rearview mirror.
According to Chief Design Officer Nader Faghihzadeh, “In a world where products are merely objects, Avatr is a friend – a mirror to your aspirations, a vessel for your essence, and a partner for your journey.”
According to Avatr, the interior of the Chinese EV has an enlarged dashboard with floating components that resembles a smooth spaceship with large wings stretching between the front doors. The primary touchscreen is where all the apps and settings are located, while a wide-band screen that covers the width of the dashboard serves as a “digital window.”
With the flip of a button, the electrochromic glass canopy above may be either opaque or transparent. There are also zero-gravity seats, invisible air vents, and other features.
On the safety front, the Avatr 12 comes with no fewer than 29 sensors, including three Lidar sensors and a high-performance central computer that make up the Huawei Advanced Driving System (ADS) 2.0 assistance suite.
Avatr was founded in 2018 and its first model – the 11 (pronounced “one one”) crossover EV – debuted in China in 2022.
