New electric crossover Luxeed RX: design, specifications, and controversy
Another stylish electric SUV, whose appearance strongly resembles the Ferrari Purosangue, has debuted in China. This similarity in itself is not an insult, but it undoubtedly causes irritation in Maranello.
The new model is called the Luxeed RX and comes from the Luxeed brand, which is owned by Chery. The company works in partnership with Huawei within the Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance (HIMA). This alliance also includes Aito, Stelato, Maextro, and SAIC. Luxeed itself calls the RX an “FUV” (Fashion Utility Vehicle).
Controversy surrounding the design and the “former chief designer of Ferrari”
This is where things get interesting. According to Carnewschina, Luxeed’s Executive Director and Vice President Zhao Changzheng claims that the RX design was developed by a recently hired specialist, who is described as a “former chief designer of Ferrari.” Whether this is true is a big question.
Ferrari’s PR director in China took to social media to ask for this designer’s name, noting that the company has not actually lost its chief designer. Draw your own conclusions.
The car’s shape, meanwhile, occupies an intermediate position between the Purosangue and the Xiaomi YU7.
Technical specifications and dimensions
The crossover has a length of 197.6 inches (5020 mm), a width of 79 inches (2007 mm), and a height of 62.4 inches (1585 mm) with a wheelbase of 118.1 inches (3000 mm). The front looks quite impressive thanks to stylish headlights, a splitter, and a black grille. Other notable design elements include black rocker panels, prominent rear fenders, and a rear spoiler. Like other Luxeed models, the taillights feature a complex LED strip.
Options and trim levels
Photographs published by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology show that many options will be available, including yellow, red, and silver brake calipers. Several different wheel designs are also offered, including ones with bright purple spokes.
Powertrain and batteries
The battery capacity of the RX is not yet known, but the base model will use an NMC battery from CATL, while the flagship version will receive an NMC battery from CALB. However, we know that the base model will have an electric motor producing 372 hp, driving the rear wheels. A dual-motor version will also be offered with a total output of 586 hp and a top speed of 156 mph (251 km/h).
The Luxeed RX is trying to capture some of the attention away from the popular Xiaomi YU7 by offering its own vision of a stylish and powerful electric crossover. Whether it can succeed in the oversaturated Chinese EV market remains to be seen, but controversy is already swirling around it, which undoubtedly fuels interest. It is worth noting that the claim about the involvement of a former chief designer of Ferrari has caused skepticism, and this could affect the perception of the brand, especially among connoisseurs of Italian style. Nevertheless, the technical specifications, particularly the 586 hp output for the dual-motor version, make the RX a serious player in the segment of high-performance electric vehicles.