Hongqi E702 Prototype Rolls Out - Luxury EV Levels Up

Still remember the Hongqi name? Even though the brand still isn’t officially sold to the Malaysian public, it did make headlines here back in April 2024.

That was when the Hongqi L5, valued at around RM3.2 million, was presented to Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Ibrahim, by the Chinese government as a diplomatic gesture. 

Since then, His Majesty has been spotted using the L5 for official duties, which says a lot about the prestige Hongqi aims to represent. If a King with one of the most impressive luxury car collections around approves of it, the brand must be doing something right.

Now, Hongqi is pushing deeper into the premium EV space, and the latest sign of progress comes from China with the completion of the first prototype of the Hongqi E702 known internally as the P601 project. 

This model will sit within Hongqi’s flagship 9-series, and is positioned as a mid-to-large full electric sedan under the brand’s New Energy sub-brand.

What makes this milestone important is how quickly development seems to be moving. During the initial electrical commissioning stage, engineers managed to activate the high-voltage system in just 10 days - a new record for the FAW Group’s development institute - suggesting Hongqi is taking EV development very seriously.

Design-wise, the E702 remains true to the Hongqi identity. The prototype features the brand’s latest New Energy logo, stylish LED headlights shaped like sweeping sickles, and lidar neatly integrated into the headlamp units. 

The side profile carries a clean, streamlined look with hidden door handles, a concealed B-pillar, and likely frameless windows, all helping aerodynamic efficiency. Electronic side mirrors and large low-drag wheels hint at a tech-forward approach, while the rear mirrors the front with matching LED graphics and a smooth bumper design. 

Additionally, a large glass section connects the roof to the rear window, giving the sedan a very modern, premium feel.

The tech story doesn’t stop there. Reports highlight advanced “point-to-point” autonomous driving for major trunk roads, including automated lane changes, ramp entries and exits, and path planning that learns from real-world data. Early tests indicate fewer than 0.5 human interventions per 100 km, which, if true, is impressive progress. 

Inside, a 7.1.4-channel Dolby Panoramic Audio system pushing 2,800 watts is expected to deliver a cinema-like sound experience, while its over-the-air update capability can transfer data at up to 5 GB per minute - extremely fast for the industry.

For now, Hongqi has not revealed pricing or when the E702 will officially hit the market, but the prototype’s completion confirms that testing and refinement are already well underway. When it eventually launches, it will join China’s small but growing list of premium EV sedans and maybe, just maybe, one day it might make its way here. 

Source: CarNewsChina