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Skywell's BE11 offers yet another Chinese take on what a mid-sized SUV electric vehicle should be. Conservatively styled, luxuriously trimmed and competitively powered, it's an interesting addition to its over-crowded segment.
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Detailed ratings
Medium-Sized Premium SUVs
Driving experience
There's a choice of two batteries, a base 72kWh unit or the longer-ranging 86kWh option you'll probably want. Both work only with a single front-mounted BYD-sourced electric motor; Skywell (disappointingly) has no plans for a dual motor AWD version of this car for our market. That would have hurt driving range of course, which even in the single motor model isn't exceptional, rated at 248 miles for the Standard Range 72kWh model and 304 miles for the Long Range 86kWh version. Either way, there's 201bhp and 320Nm of torque; and 62mph takes 9.6s en route to a very modest top speed of 93mph.
Don't expect engaging handling, but few cars in this class offer that. Still, because the big batteries are mounted low down centrally in the chassis, there's a low centre of gravity, so the BE11 shouldn't lurch too much through the bends. Eco-moulded tyres won't do much for cornering traction, but of course you'll get the usual high standard of EV refinement, tempered only by wind and tyre roar.
There are of course driving modes, with a 'Sport' setting that makes the steering heavier. You can separately configure the steering (via 'Standard', 'Comfort' and 'Sport' settings). And you can also separately configure the brake pedal, with 'Comfort' and 'Sport' options, the latter giving a more aggressive pedal with immediate braking force. Regenerative braking is offered - on a sliding scale from 0-100%, though you don't get steering wheel paddles to access the system. There's also a curiously named 'Worm' mode, which allows you to creep forward in heavy traffic without touching the accelerator.
Despite the fact that this is theoretically an SUV, don't imagine that you could go anywhere very far on a rutted track in a BE11; just 159mm of ground clearance puts paid to that.
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Design and build
It's difficult to reconcile Skywell's description of this car ("a dynamic and emotive exterior design") with what you see in the metal. Which is somewhat bland but neat, sharply contoured with shiny chrome accents and durable black skirting. Diamond-cut 19-inch wheels set off a smart silhouette. And at the rear, there's a sculpted spoiler, a large silver skid plate and a Skywell illuminated rear light bar. With a length of 4.7m and width of 1.9m, this is one of the mid-sized segment's larger EV crossovers.
Inside, there's clearly European-influenced contemporary design in the cabin, the interior dominated by a 12.8-inch central screen and embellished by nice touches like a 'Skyroof' panoramic glass top and a 128-colour ambient lighting system. Instruments are dealt with by a separate binnacled customisable digital display. There's not much physical switchgear; just a small panel of buttons retained for some of the climate functions. A large central armrest includes lots of built-in storage and below the twin cupholders on the centre console is a lower level for further oddments stowage.
The seats are quite supportive, include heating and ventilation but have only limited electrical adjustment and lack lumbar support. All-round visibility is good and there's room for a couple of taller adults in the rear. Out back, the powered tailgate rises to reveal ample boot space (467-litres), with room below the floor for the charging leads. Folding the rear backrest boosts carriage capacity to 1,141-litres.
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Market and model
Pricing starts at around £37,000 for the Standard Range 72kWh version - and around £40,000 for the Long Range 86kWh variant. Either way, there's just one fully-loaded standard of spec. Obvious well established rivals in this class include cars like the Volkswagen ID.4, the Kia EV6 and the Hyundai IONIQ 5.
The BE11's exceptionally well equipped. Standard kit includes 19-inch 'Lynx' diamond-cut alloy wheels, premium metallic paintwork, silver roof rails,, power-folding mirrors, rear privacy glass, keyless entry and 'Razor' LED headlights. Inside, there's a 12.8-inch central touchscreen, leather-style and suede upholstery, wood-style interior veneer, three USB ports and a 128-colour ambient lighting system. Wireless 'Apple CarPlay' and 'Android Auto' come included, along with an 8-speaker German engineered Metz sound system with an under-floor sub woofer. Plus there's a rear 220V power outlet, power-adjustable front seats and a 12.3-inch LCD instrument panel.
You also get adaptive cruise control, all-round parking sensors, Active Park Assist and a 360-degree parking camera. The BE11's comprehensive ADAS package includes over twenty comfort and safety aids including Intelligent Cruise Assist, Traffic Sign Recognition and Blind Spot Detection.
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Cost of ownership
We gave you the quoted EV range figures in our 'Driving' section: 248 miles for the 72kWh battery and 304 miles for the 86kWh version. Skywell claims consumption efficiency of 3.5mp/kWh for the 86kWh model, which is reasonable. The battery supports rapid DC charging, but only up to a very modest 80kW; and AC home charging at up to 11kW. As a result, recharges will take a bit longer than with rivals. Skywell quotes a DC charging time from 20 to 70% of 36 minutes for the smaller NMC lithium-ion battery; and 45 minutes for the larger one. AC charging from home takes 4 hours 30 mins with the 72kWh battery and 5 hours and 30 minutes with the 86kWh battery.
If you're nervous about committing to an unknown brand, you'll be reassured by the 7 year / 100,000 mile warranty. The battery gets its own eight year / 155,000 miles warranty. You may though, want to check out servicing arrangements before you commit to purchase or a leasing deal because Skywell's UK dealer network is currently very limited. Industry experts reckon the BE11 will hold on it 43% of its original value after three years or 30,000 miles, which is class-competitive. Servicing is every year or 15,000 miles and Skywell offers an optional three year service plan.
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Summary
If you happen to want to fly under the radar in your choice of electric mid-sized SUV, then this BE11 is certainly for you. No one else in your street, town or possibly county will have one. But despite this extreme rarity value, the car will go completely unnoticed wherever you take it. There's an appeal in that, we suppose.
It's a design clearly influenced by the European brands that avoids too much of a chintzy Oriental feel, especially in its under-stated looks. No fresh standards are set in terms of its EV drivetrain, but all the figures - for efficiency, range and charging speed - look decently competitive. AWD and seven seats would have given this model wider appeal. But as it is, there's room in this sector of the market for this BE11, should you come to it in search of something conservatively different.
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