Today’s pell mell automotive world leaves little time for thought. Information crowds in on us from every direction. Advice follows advice; the latter contradicting the former. The head spins. Social Darwinism impels us to become winners all, lest, Heaven forbid, we become losers. As the immortal Bard Of Avon once pointed out: ‘We are not safe’.
Frankly one gets tired of hearing that competition per se is good. No more so than in the car market where manufacturers vie for supremacy. Wouldn’t it be a better world, perhaps, were we to stress that unexciting word ‘competency’. It suggests the right person for the right job. The right tool in the right hands. The right car for the right purpose.
My thoughts were occasioned by the Skywell BE 11 electric SUV. Immediately I felt completely at home, utterly secure and comfortable. All deriving from the cumulative effect of good engineering and perceptive design. Here was competence: everything honed to a high level.
Beefy but graceful, the look imparts a feeling of solidity and safety without seeming bulky or intimidating. And it’s a sensible package for those who want utility without losing style or capacity. And talking of capacity, the space in the rear is unrivalled in its class (and classes above!) – to a limousine level. There’s even a reclinable backrest. Fortunately all this room has not compromised the large luggage area.
The interior conveys an opulent message under that full length Skyroof. You know at once you are in luxury land with a burnished gold finish to ‘metal’ trim and door handles – adding to the sumptuous ambiance. All the expected aids and equipment are there with enough functions and graphics to impress NASA….intelligent mood, party mood, camping mood, healthy noon break mood…(the mind struggles to keep up) – up to the top notch specification of the Metz sound system. This is tomorrow’s world today.
Front seats – heated and ventilated – are trimmed in faux leather and Alcantara and are outstandingly comfortable. Electric adjustment hits the sweet spot of personal preference in an environment conducive to a relaxed frame of mind. Put simply, it is one of the most comfortable cabins.
The 150kW/204Ps electric motor is powered by an 86 kWh battery pack which gives over a 300 mile range. NMC batteries give more power in a smaller lighter package than lithium iron phosphate batteries and they function better in cold weather and charge more quickly too.
With a top speed of ‘fast enough’, and very competent dynamics tuned to give a smooth ride and well controlled handling, it’s reassuring to drive in sport mode when the car is surprisingly brisk. But its forte is for comfort and making today’s driving as pleasant and relaxing as can be. In that it succeeds admirably. It’s a sensible car that has safe and secure driving characteristics – and top safety features too – and it invites you, as it were, to accompany it on the journey, compelling you to accept the imposition of the car’s own pace: a balm to one’s excitable mood. The result is a perceptible sense of tranquility, with the surprise that journey times are in no way increased. You arrive punctually, unflustered and invigorated.
At £28,240 (with customer incentives), a 7 year warranty and 10 years roadside assistance, no other large electric SUV comes close in value. Within its design parameters, what it sets out to do, it does very well. Super comfortable, a smooth and quiet ride and enough performance: it’s just a jolly good car.
