Chery Omoda X: RAV4-sized SUV with thermal night vision

Chery has revealed the Omoda X, a boxy compact SUV that goes after the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V with a feature rarely seen in this class: thermal imaging night vision. The car was shown as a concept at the Chery Group International User Summit in Wuhu, China, Carscoops reports.

Night vision as the headline feature

The infrared system detects pedestrians and wildlife up to 90 m (295 ft) away when light is poor. Chery says it's the first time the technology has appeared on one of its cars. Thermal cameras see heat rather than reflected light, so a deer or a person in dark clothing stands out well before the headlights reach them, which gives the driver more time to react.

It isn't clear yet whether night vision will be standard on the production car. Carmakers usually save features like this for higher trims, so expect it on the more expensive versions if it makes it to the showroom. For background on how cars "see" the road, our explainer on lidar vs cameras in self-driving cars compares the main sensor types.

Size, ground clearance and towing

At 4,650 mm long, the Omoda X sits right in the RAV4, CR-V, Subaru Forester and Mazda CX-5 class. The design, which Chery calls "Crossvolution", borrows from Japanese mecha anime: angular panels, jagged LED lights and three-spoke 19-inch wheels. Squared-off wheel arches, all-terrain tyres, skid plates and roof rails push the off-road look.

Chery quotes these figures:

• 200 mm ground clearance;
• wading depth of more than 700 mm;
• towing capacity of 1,800 kg.

Rugged versions of the RAV4 and Forester sit higher, but the Omoda X claims an edge in wading depth and towing.

EV or plug-in hybrid, no full specs yet

Chery confirmed fully electric and plug-in hybrid versions, each with front- or all-wheel drive, plus an X-Mode setting that adjusts the car's behaviour. Battery sizes, range and power haven't been announced.

There are no interior photos yet either. Chery describes a "Mecha Command Cockpit" with an X-shaped floating centre console, a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, a 13.2-inch touchscreen and, welcome news, physical climate controls. It also claims 39 storage compartments.

The Omoda X has only been revealed in China so far. Carscoops expects it to reach export markets, possibly below the Omoda 9, since Omoda and Jaecoo already sell in Europe, the UK and Australia. Chery is also pushing hard on charging, as its 1.44 MW Volt Dragon charger showed. Driver-assist claims are easier to judge once you know the levels of self-driving.