Another new name from the East has arrived, but does it have the products to match? John Challen finds out.

WHAT IS IT? Electric large SUV  HOW MUCH? From £36,995  RANGE? 248-304 miles (WLTP)   CHARGE? 20-70% in 36/45 minutes (72kWh/86kWh) (100kW)

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You’d be forgiven for not being able to keep track of the number of Chinese brands that have arrived – or are planning to arrive – in the UK’s automotive scene. Some make an instant impact – BYD has made great inroads in a short space of time – but not all of them will be afforded that luxury. The fear is that Skywell – a joint venture between Skyworth Group and the Nanjing Golden Dragon Bus Company – might be one company that finds it tougher than others, for a number of reasons.

For example, David Clark, Skywell’s general manager, tells us that Omoda effectively nipped in before it to nab a lot of the retail outlets that Skywell was hoping to operate from. Then there is the issue that the company doesn’t have a huge name behind it, something that Clark also admitted finance companies were a little concerned about.

And then there’s the vehicle itself. While BYD models and the likes of the Omoda 5 fit in, there’s something lacking – or a few things – about the BE11.

But first let’s focus on the positives. It’s competitively priced, from £36,995 and going up to £39,995 to ensure it fits in underneath the Government’s ‘expensive car supplement’ threshold of £40,000.

Then there’s a choice of battery options: either 72kWh (which provides up to 248 miles WLTP) or an 86kWh version (304 miles WLTP). All versions – albeit there’s one trim level for simplicity – use the same 198hp motor (sourced from BYD).

There are also interesting quirks, such as the ability to fold in one wing mirror at a time and a user interface that can be easily accessed by both driver and passenger.

There’s ample room and the quality of the materials is probably what you’d expect for a car pitched around this price, such as wood veneer, suede and leather-style seats. On the outside, there are LED lights, 19-inch alloy wheels and electric tailgate with motion sensors.

However, for a car that was described to us as ‘a fully loaded SUV’ there were a few glaring emissions. For example, there is no heating for the seats or steering wheel – something that UK EV drivers kinda expect these days.

There’s also a lack of some major ADAS, such as lane keeping assist, due to a timing anomaly around the times of the latest legislation’s introduction.

On the road, the BE11 is not the most confidence-inspiring vehicle. The steering is very light, with close to zero feel around the centre – and the car has a tendency to wheel spin out of junctions, even at relatively low speeds. The ride is OK, but there’s also a fair amount of body roll through even slight bends. The infotainment and Bluetooth connection was a bit glitchy on our drive out, but we’ll reserve judgement a little bit here because other cars didn’t have the same issue. The BE11 has already been revised once, but there’s still work to be done.

However, there are more Skywell products on the way, including a sporty hatchback, which will be hoping for a better reception in the UK.

IN BRIEF

Key fleet model: Long Range

Pros: Nice interior touches, space, value

Cons: Ride and handling, no heated seats

Seven-word summary: More of a miss than a hit

Also consider: Nissan Ariya / Škoda Enyaq / Vauxhall Grandland