Skywell Skyhome: 617bhp Chinese limo EV confirmed for UK launch

The UK importer for Chinese EV brand Skywell, Innovation Automotive, has announced that it will launch a striking luxury saloon after the BE11 compact crossover.

The Skyhome is a four-seater that majors on in-car entertainment and advanced technologies, with a design inspired by Chinese architecture.

Its front lighting, for example, references the upswept roof on a Chinese pavilion. The rear end features a series of small LED ‘pixel’ lights, each inscribed with major milestones in Chinese history, such as the year paper was invented and the year the People’s Republic of China was founded.

The active rear spoiler – capable of extending to boost downforce by 5% at high speeds or in poor conditions – is a further reference to the pavilion roof.

Inside, the Skyhome is inspired by a traditional Chinese courtyard, with LED light ‘pillars’ flanking a large infotainment and instrument touchscreen.

The system includes an artificial intelligence (AI) assistant named Xiaowei, whose functions are said to be as wide-reaching as navigation, time management and even financial advice.

The two rear seats, accessed through Rolls-Royce-style rear-hinged doors, are capable of sliding and reclining and have massage functionality.

Tablets are fitted in the front seatbacks, controlling key functions, including rear seat adjustment, and allowing rear passengers to join work meetings on the move.

There's also a large television mounted to the ceiling, which folds out to meet the rear passengers, like that in the BMW i7. This screen can too be used for work, or it can be connected to a games console for entertainment.

Skywell has yet to release technical information such as the size of the screens or the full outputs of the Skyhome’s powertrains.

It has, however, said the saloon will be available with single-motor and dual-motor powertrains, the latter putting out 617bhp to yield a 0-62mph sprint time of 3.5sec.