Chevrolet Menlo EV Goes on Sale in China
Chevrolet’s first all-electric vehicle for the Chinese market is now available across the country. Available in four variants, the Chevrolet Menlo presents elements of hatchback, coupe, and crossover design and a driving range of well over 200 miles.
“Along with being a new-energy vehicle, the Chevrolet Menlo inherits Chevrolet’s sporty DNA that dates back to its founding by race car drivers,” said Scott Lawson, general director of Chevrolet for SAIC-GM. “It will meet the performance and styling demands of our customers and at the same time provide the efficiency that new-energy vehicle owners expect.”
The Menlo’s electric powertrain generates 147 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque, running on a battery that can achieve an 80 percent charge with around 40 minutes of DC fast charging. According to Chevrolet, the Menlo has an NEDC-estimated driving range of around 254 miles. However, NEDC test numbers aren’t the most reliable, so the Menlo’s range may be overstated a bit.
The Menlo is equipped with three driving modes (economical, normal, and sporty) and three energy recovery modes. These settings allow drivers to customize their preferred dynamics and maximize or balance the vehicle’s performance and range.
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On the outside, the Menlo’s looks are quite striking and sporty — somewhere between a compact crossover and a wagon. Many of its styling cues are drawn from the Chevrolet FNR-X sports concept vehicle that debuted in 2017. Exterior highlights for the Menlo include split LED headlights, a floating roofline, and 17-inch five-spoke wheels with a two-color design.
The vehicle’s interior is characterized by a multilayer center console with two large LCD screens, a dual-width steering wheel, and a panoramic skylight. The 10.1-inch MyLink system features Apple CarPlay and Baidu CarLife, intelligent voice recognition, OnStar services, and over-the-air software updating abilities. Driver-assist tech in the Menlo includes Forward Collision Alert, Side Blind Zone Alert, Lane Departure Warning, and Automatic Parking Assist. The Menlo also features 28 storage compartments and about 38 cubic feet of cargo space.
The Menlo’s generous features and range don’t come at a premium — the vehicle is being sold for the equivalent of $23,000. Unfortunately, U.S. customers looking for a reasonably priced fully electric vehicle won’t be able to buy this one, as GM hasn’t announced any plans to sell it outside China.
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A longtime editor/writer and recently transplanted Hoosier, Caleb Cook lives in Xenia, Ohio. His favorite activities are reading and listening to music, although he occasionally emerges from the heap of books and vinyl records in his basement to stand blinking in the sunlight. Once fully acclimated to the outside world again, he can be observed hanging out with his wife, attempting a new recipe in the kitchen, attending movies, walking the dog, or wandering into a local brewery to inquire about what’s on tap. See more articles by Caleb.