WM Motor has entered the Philippine market. And along with a fresh new dealership in Taguig City, the company has also launched the Weltmeister W5 fully electric crossover.
The 2023 Weltmeister W5
For those unaware, Weltmeister is a Shanghai-based car brand founded by former Geely executive, Freeman Shen. It is also the first all-electric car brand to officially enter the Philippines as well. The W5 in particular is a new model from the marque, as well as its first in the local market.
So, what does the W5 offer prospective buyers?
Exterior
Size-wise, the all-new W5 comes in a size that places it within the compact crossover market segment. For its front end, it gets a pair of sharp-looking LED headlamps from below by LED daytime running lamps.
The W5 from the rear
The sides of the front bumper are also decorated by a pair of faux vents, which themselves are surrounded by LED lighting. It also lacks the usual grille that comes common on other internal combustion or even hybrid vehicles, though the lower bumper does appear to have an intake.
From the side, it assumes the typical crossover shape. It even gets black plastic cladding all around. The rear then features a LED light strip linking together its LED taillights. The said cladding also wraps around the rear of the vehicle. Up top, the W5 also gets roof rails.
Other exterior features present on the W5 EV include a panoramic sunroof, automatic power-folding side mirrors, a power tailgate, and a rear fog lamp. All of its door handles are also hidden, and are electronically actuated.
Its side profile
In terms of size, the W5 is 4,584mm long, 1,835mm wide, and 1,672mm in height. It also has a wheelbase length of 2,703mm, and a ground clearance of 174mm.
Interior
Inside the W5, you’ll find a decently spacious cabin that can accommodate up to five occupants. It also has ample trunk space which at default can fit up to 488 liters. Fold the rear seats down though, and that can expand up to 1,500 liters. The rear seats also have a 60:40 split-fold function.
For the driver, this new EV model provides a tilt and telescopic steering column, and a sizable digital gauge cluster.
A peek inside the W5's rear cabin
All of its seats are clad in a black PVC material, and the one for the driver is a six-way power adjustable seat. The passenger meanwhile gets a four-way power adjustable seat.
Occupants of the W5 are then kept cool by a dual-zone climate control system with rear vents. This uses a CN95 air filter, and the interior is kept clean by a UV sanitizing device.
Tech & Safety
Ensuring the safety of the W5’s occupants is an array of driver assist features. Among these are a blind-spot monitoring system, lane departure warning, cruise control, a 360-degree view camera, hill hold and hill-start assist, among others.
Other standard safety features aboard the W5 are a total of six airbags, anti-lock braking with electronic brake-force distribution, electronic stability control, as well as front and rear parking sensors.
The W5's cockpit
Protecting the electric powertrain of the W5 is a battery crash power-off protection system. The said system also comes with an IP68 waterproof rating.
For entertainment, the W5 is kitted out with a 15.6-inch touchscreen that’s linked to four speakers. It is capable of audio streaming, and it can connect to smartphones via Bluetooth.
Engine & Performance
Propelling the W5 is a permanent magnet synchronous electric motor powered by a 52 kWh Ternary Lithium battery.
The said motor produces up to 217 horsepower and 315 Nm of torque, good for traveling up to 400 kilometers at full charge. Speaking of which, the W5 can be charged to 80 percent full in just 35 minutes using a DC fast charger. Meanwhile, AC charging would take longer at around 14 to 16 hours.
Open the Weltmeister W5's hood and this is what you'll find
Power is sent to the front wheels, and it also comes with an eco-drive mode as well as a sport-drive mode.
For suspension, the W5 uses a MacPherson strut at the front, and a torsion beam for the rear. Disc brakes are present on all four wheels, and it also uses an electronic parking brake with auto-hold function.
Price
At launch, the Weltmeister W5 has a retail price of Php 2,548,000. This puts it within roughly the same price range as the Toyota Prius hybrid.
Of note, WM Philippines is already taking orders for this model, and interested buyers can even visit their showroom at the Bonifacio Global City to see this new EV in the metal.
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