THE Jaecoo J7 plug-in electric hybrid (PHEV) is officially available in Malaysia, increasing the J7 variant options to three.

The two-wheel drive (2WD) sports utility vehicle (SUV) is competitively priced at RM158,800 and comes with a seven-year vehicle warranty or up to 150,000km mileage, and an eight-year warranty or up to 160,000km mileage on its battery, power motor and power motor controller unit. 

The eight-year warranty provides a 1-to-1 exchange when the state of health (SOH) of the  battery falls below 70% during the warranty tenure.  

A special early bird package for all existing J7 PHEV bookings and bookings placed up to March 2, 2025 includes a 10-year warranty or up to 1,000,000km mileage extended engine and high voltage battery warranty.

Made up of three core components, the highlight of Jaecoo's signature Super Hybrid System (SHS) is its 5th Generation 1.5L turbocharged gasoline direct injection engine, a single-speed dedicated hybrid transmission, and its 18.3 kWh high voltage (HV) battery. 

The dedicated hybrid engine delivers 141hp and  215Nm as it harnesses advanced technologies such as the Deep Miller cycle, an intelligent lubricating system, smart thermal management, and a sophisticated exhaust gas recirculation system. 

Its transmission can disconnect from the engine to enable drivers to move without using petrol. When power is demanded the electromagnetic clutch re-engages the engine to deliver maximum torque to the front  wheels—accelerating from 0-100 km/h in 8.5 seconds. 

Lastly, the 106-cell lithium iron phosphate Blade-design HV battery is fortified with 780 mpa battery armour and is also puncture-proof. 

It is also resistant to dust and water, earning it an IP68 rating and engineered to perform under extreme temperatures.

For the first time in a PHEV, the Jaecoo J7 PHEV supports fast DC charging—boosting up to 40 kW from 30-80% in 20 minutes. Home AC wall box (can be purchased separately) charging is at 6.6kW from 0-100% in less than 4 hours. 

The SUV can travel up to 1,300km (NEDC range) on a single tank and a single charge, with a pure electric range of 106km (NEDC range) and a fuel  consumption at 4.77 (NEDC range) litres per 100km.

Exterior is complemented by 19-inch Aero Rims and an aero side mirror. At the rear are hidden exhaust tips and a Cinema Tonneau Cover. The underside of the tonneau cover is white and can be flipped to convert into a screen. 

This can be used to project movies or livestream sporting events outdoors through a projector powered by the 3.3kW Vehicle to Load capability. 

Interior sees a relocated gear knob to a column-mounted gear shifter compared to the internal combustion engine (ICE) variant.

For the first time in a PHEV, drivers have the option to choose either to fully drive in EV mode or to allow the vehicle to decide the optimal mode based on driving conditions. In all we're looking at 2 power modes, 3 driving modes, and an additional 3 power saving modes.

Safety includes a comprehensive Level 2.5 Advanced Driving Assist System (ADAS), eight airbags as standard and enhanced features like a Driver Monitoring System, Lane Departure Prevention, and Adaptive Cruise Control. 

It is currently available in three colours, namely Khaki White, Carbon Crystal Black and Moonlight Silver. Khaki White is a limited-edition option as there will only be 100 units of its kind in Malaysia, after which Jaecoo will subsequently introduce a two-tone Olive Grey option.