Suda (marque)

Suda
Company typePrivate
IndustryAutomotive
FoundedSeptember 2010; 14 years ago (September 2010)
Headquarters34°46′09″N 111°14′56″E / 34.7692°N 111.2489°E / 34.7692; 111.2489 Sanmenxia
Websitewww.sudacar.cn

Suda (Chinese: 速达), also known as Henan Suda EV (Chinese: 河南速达电动汽车) and in short, SD EV, is a Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer.

History

Suda was founded in 2010, by Li Fuhuo (李复活), an engineer from Weinan, Shaanxi, who previously founded a company producing gasoline engine parts.[1] The company is based in Sanmenxia, Henan. In May, they built a 2.6 billion yuan 100,000 unit annual production factory that was completed in August 2018.[2]

Their first production vehicle was the SA01,[3] also called the Lanse. It is powered by a 45 kWh battery that gives 107 horsepower. Its dimensions are 4046 mm/1737 mm/1606 mm, a wheelbase of 2500 mm, and a kerb weight of 1390 kg.[4]

The SD01 was Suda's second vehicle, also called the Yinse. It also has a 45 kWh and 107 horsepower. It is 4417 mm/1737 mm/1576 mm, and has a wheelbase of 2500 mm, and a weight of 1390 kg.[5] It was marketed under Yema.[6]

Controversies

The Sanmenxia city government has supported the company as part of a transition to a high-tech and renewable energy economy. The company attracted controversy, with local media calling it a 'zombie-company', as it appeared dormant for 5 years, with only some prototypes built, and eventually starting mass-production in 2019.[1] In 2015, the company failed to pay out wages to employees.[7] According to revenue numbers it was estimated that the company produced just 240 vehicles in 2019, most of them purchased by Henan government agencies and its own employees.[7]

The SA01 was exported to Germany in 2020, according to a Chinese reporter, this was just for show, as the company hadn't even made any sales to Chinese consumers yet at the time.[7][8] The SA01 has subsequently been criticized and avoided because of its bad crash test results.[9][10]

Vehicles

Suda currently has 2 production vehicles.

Model Photo Specifications
Suda SA01/Lanse

Body style: Sedan

Class: Electric vehicle

Doors: 5

Seats: 5

Battery: 45 kWh

Production: 2020-present

Revealed: 2017

Suda SD01/Yinse

Body style: hatchback

Class: Electric vehicle

Doors: 4

Seats: 5

Battery: 45 kWh

Production: 2020-present

Revealed: 2017[11]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "起底河南速达". m.qctt.cn. Retrieved 2021-06-10.
  2. ^ "HENAN SUDA ELECTRIC VEHICLES". 28 May 2017.
  3. ^ "Henan Suda's First EV SA01 To be Released in China Market". 29 March 2024.
  4. ^ "Henan Suda SA01". 28 May 2017.
  5. ^ "Henan Suda SD01". 28 May 2017.
  6. ^ "Suda". 5 August 2023.
  7. ^ a b c "速达汽车：一家河南电动车企的出口之谜 | 南方周末". www.infzm.com. Retrieved 2021-06-10.
  8. ^ "EV maker Suda begins exports to Germany". Automotive News Europe. 2020-04-24. Retrieved 2021-06-10.
  9. ^ "This Chinese EV Tested In Germany Reminds Us Why Crash Safety Matters". InsideEVs. Retrieved 2024-02-04.
  10. ^ "Suda SA01, the crash test of the Chinese electric car is scary".
  11. ^ "Patent Applied: Henan Suda SD01 is an electric clone of the Suzuki SX4". 30 September 2013.