SERES Philippines: A New Electric Experience

This year’s Manila International Auto Show was one for the history books – two venues, two simultaneous events, and arguably one of the largest crowds to ever participate in the annual event. But there was another reason this year was different than past shows: the exhibitors were predominantly Chinese brands. With the exception of a few brands, more than half of the show was dominated by the likes of GAC, Foton, and Chery, with new brands like BAIC and Lynk&Co taking center stage as the newest brands to make it to our shores and display their wares.

Clearly, predictions made in the early 2010’s about Chinese cars dominating the landscape were true, but I don’t think anyone could have foreseen just how quickly they would eclipse their Japanese rivals. While some said they were a passing fad, the Chinese brands made partnerships with the very companies we held to high standards, to make market-specific cars for the Middle Kingdom. Now, thanks to those joint ventures, Chinese car manufacturers have reached a level of quality that can no longer be dismissed.

One such company, SERES, exemplifies exactly how far Chinese cars have come, and just how far they still have to go.

Presenting three different models at the SMX Convention Center, SERES showcased the E5 Crossover SUV, the SERES 5 Compact SUV, and the SERES 7 Midsize SUV, in their various guises, with another vehicle, the SERES 9 still under consideration for the market. In other markets, the SERES 5, 7, and 9 are sold under a different brand, AITO, as the M5, M7, and M9 respectively, while the E5 is a carry-over model from it’s partnership with Dongfeng under the DFSK brand.

Starting with the E5, this Crossover SUV is primarily powered by a 1.5 liter naturally aspirated inline 4 engine making all of 110 horsepower and 135 Newton-meters of torque. While that may be sufficient in many use cases, the E5 pairs this engine with an electric motor that generates 175 horsepower and 300 Newton-meter. Power from both is coursed through a Dedicated Hybrid Transmission and sent to the front wheels. On its own, the battery and electric motor can handle an all-electric range of 87 kilometers, but with the engine acting as both driver and generator, the E5 can go as far as 1150 kilometers on a full charge, and a full tank of gas. While a test drive around the perimeter of the convention center was the only route available to us, the E5 was impressively light on its feet, with acceleration that would put many of its main rivals to shame.

Moving on to the 5 and 7, the two cars are decidedly aiming for European design and aesthetic standards. Both SUVs look just as home in front of Gare de Lyon as they would be in the heart of Shanghai’s Business districts, and while the SERES 9 is as yet unavailable, all three SUVs look like they could easily have come out of the design studios of Mercedes Benz or Porsche. Just like the E5, the SERES 5 and 7 are far more luxurious than their heritage would have you believe. The SERES 5 and 7 use copious amounts of Vegan leather on the seats, as well as faux wood and brushed aluminum accents all over the interior, with the SERES 5 and 7 inching ever closer to German vehicles in the level of fit and finish presented, as well as an attention to detail that is second to none.

SERES may be trying to enter the high end market, but at its core, it’s a product that QSJ Motors Philippines Inc. decided was worthy of being imported into the country because they understood that Filipinos look and crave for the best that there is to offer. And while that may differ from features to aftersales service and reliability, QSJ Motors knows that for the brand to survive, people need to get to know the brand more closely, and they need to know that the people behind SERES understand what the buying public wants to see as well. In speaking with one of their executives, I was able to glimpse just how much they like the brand – after all, they drive the very cars they’ve displayed, not just as their company cars, but as their personal daily drivers, and that is testament to their trust in the brand. It’s not so much the bottom line, but the relationship that QSJ Motors wants to build with their customers, that endears people like me to them – a brand that, for all intents and purposes, isn’t selling you a great car with highly advanced features, but quality service and customer care. The greatness of the car is just the cherry on top of the sundae.

Finally, the SERES 7 will only come as an EV with range extender, utilizing the same engine as the SERES 5 EVR. The Rear Wheel Drive model will make 268 horsepower and 360 Newton-meters of torque, while the All Wheel Drive model comes with 443 horsepower and 660 Newton-meters of torque. Total driving range for the SERES 7, however, will come in at 1220 kilometers on a full charge and a full tank.

With the all electric SERES 5, the Rear Wheel Drive only version is powered by a 342 horsepower, 580 Newton-meter electric motor, while the All-Wheel Drive version will have up to 577 horsepower, and 940 Newton-meters of torque. Battery packs for the SERES 5 EV start at 80 kW-h and end at 90 kW-h, for a total range hovering around 500 kilometers.

The range extender version of the SERES 5 will have the same power figure in Rear Wheel Drive form, while it will have just 543 horsepower in All Wheel Drive form. On top of that, the SERES 5 EVR is fitted with a smaller battery at just 40 kW-h, giving it an all electric range of 180 kilometers, but the EVR will have a 1.5 liter turbocharged engine on board to act as a range extender, giving the SERES 5 EVR a full range of 1250 kilometers before it runs out of both electricity and gasoline.