OMODA, has launched its award-winning electric OMODA E5 flagship model in the UK.

Offering a dynamic, futuristic, exterior design, a spacious, luxurious interior, fast, intuitive connected technology with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard, and a full suite of advanced driver assistance systems – evidenced by a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating – the OMODA E5 is a compelling new choice in the compact SUV segment.

Featuring a 61 kWh Lithium-Iron Phosphate battery pack, and a single motor on the front axle developing 204 PS and 340 Nm torque, the E5 can accelerate from 0-62 mph in 7.6 seconds – and deliver a range of up to 257 miles (WLTP).

Rapid DC charging can top up the battery from 30 to 80% in as little as 28 minutes, while the powerful 11 kW on-board charger enables fast and convenient home charging: replenishing the battery from 0-100% can be achieved in 8 hours. The battery can also power external devices such as kettles, cookers and fridges, using the E5’s vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability, making it ideal for camping and other outdoor activities.

Ride and handling have been meticulously tuned to offer an ideal balance of agility, comfort and refinement. The expert team responsible for vehicle dynamics are based on the brand’s Frankfurt R&D Centre and performed the final sign-off testing on a mix of UK and European roads, ensuring that the OMODA E5 meets the high expectations of customers in these demanding markets.

The OMODA E5 is offered in the UK in two trim levels – Comfort and Noble, with UK pricing for the range guiding at £33,500 and £35,000 respectively.

Futuristic design

Shaped by its own, dedicated design language, known as “Light of Movement”, which draws inspiration from the dynamics of light and shadow during natural phenomena such as lightning, the OMODA E5 has a visually modern exterior design.

The front takes the form of a distinctive ‘X’ shape, conveying the vehicle’s sporting, confident character. The slimline LED headlights with their distinctive horizontal blade daytime running light signature accentuate the vehicle’s visual width and reinforce the theme of advanced technology that is a defining element throughout.

The taught lines and sculpted surfaces of the body reinforce the OMODA 5’s poised, planted stance, while the steeply-raked rear screen and prominent roof-mounted spoiler add further visual flourish and enhance aerodynamics. The LED tail lights, like the LED headlights, also enhance the vehicle’s visual width, and feature intricate, distinctive vertical lighting elements. Opening the powered tailgate reveals a spacious 380-litre luggage compartment, which extends to 1,075 litres with the rear seats folded. The front luggage compartment offers additional storage space.

The interior seamlessly integrates cutting-edge digital cockpit technology with premium materials and finishes, to create a tranquil environment that makes every journey comfortable and relaxing.

Engineered for exceptional comfort and support, the sports front seats feature 6-way power adjustment for the driver as standard, the Noble variant adding power adjustment for both front seats and seat heating. The seats themselves are covered in a synthetic leather material.

For enhanced occupant wellbeing, the dual-zone climate control system – standard on the Noble specification – features a PM2.5 filter to keep ultrafine particulate matter out of the cabin.

The interior has also been designed to make day-to-day life simpler and more comfortable through a series of special modes. Pet Mode, for example, is there to keep pets safe when left inside the locked vehicle: the climate control system will maintain the cabin at a comfortable temperature, while a message displayed on the touchscreen reassures passers-by that all is well.

Sleep Mode has been designed to help occupants decompress when stationary, reclining the seat and playing relaxing music.

Connected technology

Employing cutting-edge technology within an elegantly streamlined, slimline design, the E5’s digital cockpit promises intuitive operation and an immersive user interface.

The infotainment system runs on a cutting-edge cockpit computing platform featuring the Qualcomm 8155 ‘Snapdragon’ chip. With its powerful 7nm processor, it offers rapid responsiveness to user inputs and supports 4G connectivity, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and seamless over-the-air software updates for continuous enhancements and feature additions.

In front of the driver is a 12.3-inch, high-definition instrument cluster displaying essential driving information such as speed, range, and power usage. A second curved, 12.3-inch touchscreen is angled towards the driver and offers a fast, intuitive control of the infotainment system. Natural voice control using a virtual assistant has a specially-designed animal avatar. The assistant is connected so its capabilities evolve over time, enhancing usability and enjoyment. The Sony surround sound audio system, standard on the Noble model, offers superb quality sound reproduction for every occupant.

To deliver the optimum balance of virtual and physical controls, a row of buttons for commonly-used features, such as climate control, are integrated into the centre console.

Helping the driver keep their eyes on the road and hands on the wheel is a 7-inch colour head-up display that projects navigation guidance directly onto the driver’s line of sight. The enhanced EV navigation system, which uses market-leading mapping from HERE, makes it simple to use public charging stations by showing chargers along the route, which network they belong to, what they cost, and whether they are available or in use.

Wireless Apple CarPlay® and wireless Android Auto™ are standard, delivering seamless smartphone integration, while the 50W wireless charger in the centre console, capable of accommodating two devices at once, ensures fast charging and removes the reliance to carry charging cables. An integrated cooling element ensures reliable and fast charging at all times.

All-electric powertrain: efficient, responsive

Packaged beneath the vehicle floor is a 61 kWh battery pack featuring blade technology with an advanced Lithium-Iron Phosphate (LFP) chemistry. This has been engineered to offer the optimal balance of range, performance and cost, together with enhanced durability and sustainability compared to more commonly-used Lithium-ion battery chemistries such as Nickel-Cobalt-Manganese. An advanced battery management system ensures a useable battery capacity of at least 60 kWh, ensuring maximum efficiency.

The battery powers a single electric motor driving the front axle. Developing 204 PS and 340 Nm of instant torque, it delivers impressive acceleration of 0 to 62 mph in 7.6 seconds. A choice of three driving modes – Eco, Comfort and Sport – enables drivers to tailor the driving experience to their preference.

For optimum efficiency, the synchronous, permanent magnet design uses flat copper windings instead of the typical round wire used in other motors, improving heat dissipation by 10%. The motor is packaged with a single-speed transmission and the inverter in a light, compact module: this integrated electric drive unit saves weight and space, and has also been designed for ease of maintenance.

On a single charge, the OMODA E5 can travel up to 257 miles (WLTP). While the vehicle is plugged in, preconditioning automatically heats or cools the battery to reach its ideal operating temperature. Using power from the grid to do this instead of drawing current from the battery itself enhances range.

On the move, regenerative braking charges the battery when the driver lifts off the accelerator pedal. In the process it also slows the vehicle down, reducing the need to use the friction brakes, reducing wear and the formation of particulates. Drivers can select three different settings – low, medium, and high – with the high setting enabling ‘single-pedal’ driving. Under braking the E5 can recoup up to 80 kW of energy.

On Noble variants, a heat pump integrated into the climate control system draws energy from the air outside the vehicle and uses it to warm the interior instead of using just the electric heater. In this way, the amount of energy needed from the battery is reduced. Aerodynamics play a large part too, aided by features such as the active grille vanes, which blank off cooling air flow when it’s not required, and by the special design of the wheel covers – both help to reduce drag.

An 80 kW DC charging capability can take the battery from 30 to 80% in as little as 28 minutes when charging on-the-go. The powerful 11 kW AC on-board charger enables customers with three-phase electricity supplies to enjoy fast, convenient home charging: plugged into an 11 kW wallbox, a 0 to 100% charge requires around 8 hours. Using the more common single-phase supply, a 7 kW wallbox can deliver a full charge in under 10 hours.

To take advantage of low-cost energy tariffs, it’s easy to set start and stop times for the charging process using the OMODA smart phone app. Cabin preconditioning, which will ensure that the interior is at your desired temperature when you begin your journey, can also be set using the app or through the vehicle’s touchscreen.

Once parked, the V2L functionality can be used to power a range of devices, from cookers, kettles, fridges, to TVs and games consoles – perfect for camping and other outdoor activities. A socket in the luggage compartment delivers up to 3.3 kW of power.

Chassis & suspension: meticulously tuned for UK roads

The OMODA E5 has been engineered in close co-operation with the European R&D centre to deliver a rewarding, engaging driving experience for the UK together with impressive levels of comfort and refinement. Fundamental to these qualities is the high torsional stiffness of the body structure, which was designed to accommodate both electric powertrains and internal combustion engines from the outset, ensuring no compromises. The high levels of rigidity achieved provide the optimum platform for the suspension system to work effectively, while minimising noise and vibration fed into the cabin from the road.

The front suspension features MacPherson struts and coil springs, with a multi-link suspension and coil springs at the rear. This configuration ensures responsive handling together with a smooth, quiet, comfortable ride, whether on city streets or country roads. OMODA understands that customers in the UK and Europe are some of the most demanding worldwide when it comes to vehicle dynamics, engaging the experienced team of experts based in the brand’s R&D Centre in Frankfurt from the very beginning.

Everything from spring and damper rates, steering ratios, anti-roll bar stiffness, bush rates, summer and winter tyres, and brake pad materials are developed to deliver the expected ride, handling, and agility.

Safety & Advanced Driver Assistance Systems

From the outset of its development, the E5’s T1X architecture was engineered to offer very high levels of safety. The efficacy of its body structure design, restraints systems and suite of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) were reflected in a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating.

An optimised combination of high- and ultra-high strength steels are used to form the passenger compartment safety cell, while the front crumple zone is enhanced with six energy-absorbing crash structures.

Enhancing the high levels of protection provided by the body structure is a complement of 11 airbags, including a centre airbag to mitigate the effect of any collision between the driver and front seat passenger.

Using data from an array of camera, radar, and ultrasonic sensors, the E5 has a 360-degree vision of its surroundings to give all the information needed by the suite of up to 17 ADAS systems, which can deliver L2+ capability. All are designed to help protect the occupants, other road users, cyclists and pedestrians. Among the systems included as standard are Adaptive Cruise Control, Traffic Jam Assist, Lane Change Assist, Lane Departure Warning, Blind Spot Detection, Forward Collision Warning, Autonomous Emergency Braking, Rear Cross Traffic Brake, and Door Open Warning. These technologies helped the E5 achieve a score of 88% for safety assist systems as part of its five-star Euro NCAP safety rating.

Pricing and trim levels

Alongside its petrol engine stablemate, the E5 will be offered in the UK in two different trim levels: the Comfort variant, priced from around £33,055, and the Noble variant priced from £34,555. Each is generously equipped with features that set new standards of connectivity, convenience, comfort, and can be further enhanced by the carefully curated range of options and equipment packs.

Following the UK launch of the E5, the brand will strengthen its line-up of electrified powertrains with the introduction of a Plug-in Hybrid variant.