Haima Automobile plans to enter the Indian market with a mid-size SUV, a premium MPV, and an electric hatchback.
Chinese carmaker Haima Automobile is planning to enter the Indian market in a collaboration with Bird Electric – a part of the Bird Group – in the upcoming years. Haima Automobile has displayed three models, which are being considered by the company for the Indian market, at the Auto Expo 2020.
For those unaware, Haima Automobile is a Chinese automotive manufacturing company based in Haikou, Hainan, and a subsidiary of the FAW group. It was founded in 1992 as a joint venture between the Hainan provincial government and Mazda Motors – hence the name Haima.
Starting off with its most important product, which is, of course, a mid-size SUV, the Haima 8S was first unveiled in 2019, and it is expected to be the manufacturer's first product for the Indian market. A split-headlamp setup, dual-tone alloy wheels, and LED taillamps doesn't come as a surprise, considering it's a design trait for many SUVs since last year. On the features front, the China-spec model gets a fully-digital instrument cluster, panoramic sunroof, and a touchscreen infotainment system.
Under the hood, the 8S internationally gets a 1.6-litre T-GDI engine, which is good for 190hp and 195Nm of torque. It comes mated to a 6-speed automatic gearbox. From a standstill, the 8S breaches the 100km/h mark in a claimed 7.8 seconds. It also gets three driving modes.
Next is the Haima 7X MPV, which also made its China debut last year. On the whole, the 7X MPV looks a bit unconventional but in a good way. Upfront, the MPV features a huge Maserati-inspired grille flanked by slim LED headlamps. The profile is slab-sided, although the 10-spoke alloy wheels are a nice addition. The rear-end, though, seems inspired by the Tata Altroz.
At the heart of the international-spec 7X is a 1.6-litre turbo-petrol engine, which is good for 190hp and 293Nm of torque. It comes mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox and gets three driving modes.
And, of course, there's an EV too! The Haima E1 EV is a hatchback that comes powered with a 34kWh lithium-ion battery, which gives it a range of 302kms on a single charge. And if driven constantly at 60km/h, the range increases to 352kms (all figures are according to the NEDC cycle).
The India-spec E1 EV will be manufactured at Bird Electric's soon-to-be-set-up plant at Manesar, Gurgaon. Haima has also revealed that there will be two versions of the E1 EV – one with a driving range of 200kms and the other with 300kms.
Haima is still considering its entry into the Indian market. There's neither any official confirmation nor any date for when the company will set its foot in the Indian market.
Also read - Auto Expo 2020: China's Great Wall Motors & Haval to enter the Indian market in 2021
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