Compared to some of the more outlandish concepts we’ve witnessed at the Guangzhou Auto Show, the Nezha/Neta S might look a bit restrained, and indeed it seems like something that could be close to production-ready.
Nezha is also called Neta. Both names refer to the automobile brand Hozon Motors. They’ve been quietly making a name for themselves within China, building fairly no-nonsense EVs that have proven to sell well.
The Nezha S is a new addition to their product line. The S follows the Eureka 03, which was shown last year. It boasts a plethora tech that rivals the likes of Tesla or XPeng. It’ll supposedly be capable of Level 4 autonomous driving, using three lidar sensors and five millimeter-wave radars, as well as six cameras.
Autonomy level 4 means the vehicle can respond to road conditions and without human intervention. Although the vehicle can respond to road conditions without human intervention, the driver is able to take full control of the system. However, almost all automakers are currently at Level 2 autonomy, with BMW confirming that the new 7-Series will be Level 3 capable, and as far as we know there’s no legislation yet in place anywhere that would allow Level 4 operation outside predefined areas, so the Chinese company’s claims are bold, to say the least.
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The production Nezha S, which is currently a concept car, will debut at next year’s Beijing Auto Show. The automaker hasn’t released technical details about the concept’s powertrain,, but has previously stated that it will be able to hit 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4 seconds and has a range of 800 km (497 miles) on the NEDC cycle.
The Nezha S will be the first car built on the company’s new Shanhai platform and has a heavy focus on “360 security.” While precise details are sketchy, the platform will feature dual backup batteries, dual backup braking, and dual processors, as well as a system of multiple safeguards built into the battery management system.
The suspension will be quite sophisticated with double wishbones at the front and five links at the back. Air suspension will be optional, while the Shanhai platform can also host a range of powertrain configurations, including a dual-motor layout that can be spec’d in either front, rear, or all-wheel drive.
This platform can be used for both pure EV and range-extender hybrid applications. Nezha S will be the first platform to implement, but the company anticipates that it will eventually support SUVs (MPVs) and coupes with wheelbases between 2,750 and 3100mm.
