The Dongfeng Forthing Xinghai S7 is the first all-electric sedan launched under Dongfeng Forthing's dedicated new energy series "Forthing Xinghai", and the second production model in the stable following the Xinghai V9 mid-to-large plug-in hybrid MPV. Positioned as a mid-to-large all-electric sedan, it made its official market debut on 26 September 2024 before making its international premiere at the Paris Motor Show in October 2024. A series of derivatives—including range-extended (EREV), 650 km long-range, and 800V ultra-fast charging variants—were subsequently rolled out to expand the model range.
As of June 2026, the core offering is the 2026 Xinghai S7 EV, which officially went on sale in November 2025 across 4 variants, carrying an official recommended retail price range of RM119,900 to RM149,900, or a promotional one-price range of RM105,900 to RM135,900 inclusive of limited-time trade-in rebates. Meanwhile, the Xinghai S7 EREV arrived in early 2025, offering three variants: 135km Xingcheng Edition, 235km Xingyao Edition, and 235km Xingzun Edition, priced between RM129,900 and RM154,900. The model adopts an aggressive "C-segment size at an A-segment price" value strategy, locking horns with key electric sedan rivals including the BYD Qin PLUS EV, GAC AION S, and Deepal SL03.
Penned by top international designers, the Xinghai S7 embraces a "Flowing Clouds and Water" design philosophy, delivering sleek, aerodynamic contours with a class-leading drag coefficient of just 0.191 Cd. Up front, a closed-off fascia is framed by sharp split LED headlights, featuring vertical DRL strips that outline a distinctive "7" motif for immediate road presence. A fastback roofline slopes gently past the B-pillar to create a sweeping four-door coupe profile, complemented by frameless doors and a powered liftback tailgate fitted as standard across the range for a blend of style and everyday usability.
Dimension-wise, the Xinghai S7 EV measures 4,935 mm long, 1,915 mm wide, and 1,510 mm tall (1,495 mm for the EREV variant), riding on a 2,915 mm wheelbase. Overhead, it features a 1.9 m² double-curved teardrop panoramic glass roof made of two expansive panels engineered with heat insulation and UV protection. Six exterior paint finishes are on offer: Misty Rain Blue, Bibo Green, Yunshui White, Xuanmo Black, Chiyun Red, and Yunxia Purple.
Inside, the cabin follows a "Wandering the World" aesthetic, prioritising clean, minimalist elegance and drastically cutting down on physical switchgear. The wraparound cockpit comes standard with an 8.8-inch full digital instrument cluster and a 15.6-inch floating central touchscreen (14.6-inch on the 555 Qingxiang Edition), complemented by a two-spoke flat-bottom multi-function steering wheel and a column-mounted electronic gear selector for a modern, high-tech ambience. Seating is upholstered in one-piece leatherette, with front seat heating and ventilation available on higher-spec trims.
The Xinghai S7 comes with a choice of pure electric (EV) or range-extended electric vehicle (EREV) powertrains, both configured with a rear-mounted motor and rear-wheel drive (RWD) setup, alongside an Electronic Parking Brake (EPB) as standard.
The EV variant features a rear permanent magnet synchronous motor offered in two tuning states—160 kW and 200 kW:
160 kW variant: Delivers a maximum output of 160 kW (approx. 218 PS) and 310 Nm of peak torque, completing the 0-100 km/h sprint in 6.67 seconds.
200 kW variant (650 Long-Range Edition and 800V Ultra-Fast Charging Edition): Delivers 200 kW (approx. 272 PS) and peak torque of 310 Nm or 320 Nm, accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.9 seconds, with a top speed of 165 km/h.
Energy is stored in lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery packs available in 56.8 kWh and 70.26 kWh capacities, delivering CLTC-rated ranges of 555 km and 650 km respectively. The 650 km long-range variant also supports 3.3 kW Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) reverse power supply.
The EREV variant utilizes the Mach Super Range Extender System, pairing a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated engine (serving strictly as an onboard generator) with a permanent magnet synchronous motor. The petrol generator outputs a maximum of 77 kW, while the electric traction motor delivers 160 kW and 310 Nm. Paired with a 28.4 kWh LFP battery, it delivers a CLTC pure electric range of 235 km and a total combined range of 1,250 km on a full tank and full charge. WLTC fuel consumption in charge-sustaining (battery-depleted) mode is rated at 4.89 L/100 km on regular RON 92 petrol, achieving a fuel-to-electricity conversion efficiency of 3.55 kWh/L.
On the charging front, the 2026 model year introduces an 800V Ultra-Fast Charging Edition that substantially cuts downtime, juicing up from 30% to 80% in approximately 26 minutes, whereas 400V models complete the same DC fast-charging cycle in around 0.43 hours (approx. 26 minutes).
Built on the Dongfeng Quantum Architecture, the Xinghai S7 adopts a front-engine front-wheel drive layout (rear-engine rear-wheel drive) rear-engine rear-wheel drive platform across the range, boasting chassis hardware rarely seen at this price point. Up front is an independent MacPherson strut suspension, paired with an independent five-link rear suspension. Higher trims gain Frequency Selective Damping (FSD) adaptive suspension (variable damping), which automatically tailors damper stiffness to road conditions—softening up over rough surfaces to isolate vibrations and stiffening under cornering loads to suppress body roll, sharing its technological origins with the suspension system found on the Lamborghini Gallardo.
With a tight turning radius of just 5.45 metres, the car manoeuvres effortlessly through tight U-turns, sharp 90-degree corners, and cramped multi-storey car parks. On the road, the suspension does an admirable job of soaking up road imperfections without secondary body float, while tyre and wind noise are well-hushed at highway speeds, resulting in a distinctly comfort-biased ride quality with great compliance. The RWD configuration provides a more balanced front-to-rear weight distribution, freeing the front wheels purely for steering while the rear wheels handle propulsion, sharpening cornering agility. Drive modes can be toggled between Sport, Eco, and Standard/Comfort.
The Xinghai S7's digital cockpit centres around a 15.6-inch floating central touchscreen and an 8.8-inch full digital instrument cluster running on the proprietary Xinghai OS. The interface is clean and snappy, supporting smartphone integration, intelligent voice command with "see-and-say" functionality, continuous dialogue capabilities, and a 50W wireless smartphone charging pad. Aside from the baseline trim fitted with a 14.6-inch display, the 15.6-inch screen is standard across the rest of the line-up.
In terms of creature comforts, standard equipment across the range includes a multi-function steering wheel, leatherette upholstery, power-adjustable heated wing mirrors, PM2.5 air filtration, heat pump climate control, full LED headlights, and smartphone app remote vehicle control. The driver enjoys 6-way power adjustment while the front passenger gets 4-way manual adjustment, with seat heating and ventilation offered on higher-grade trims. In-car audio varies by trim, topped by a premium 12-speaker sound system on the range-topping model.
Practicality-wise, while official standard boot capacity figures are unstated, the liftback tailgate provides a wide loading aperture, and 60:40 split-folding rear seats allow cargo room to be expanded considerably. Cabin storage is plentiful, featuring dedicated cupholders, phone slots, and a deep centre console box. Notably, the car also features a facial recognition system for driver fatigue monitoring and personalised profile recall.
On the passive safety front, the Xinghai S7 features a high-strength safety cage structure with integrated die-cast construction in critical sections, with higher variants packing 8 airbags (including dual front, front side, and full-length side curtain airbags). For high-voltage safety, the battery pack is rated at IP68 water and dust resistance (withstanding submersion in 1 metre of water for 30 minutes without ingress) and has earned the authoritative CATARC TOP Grade safety certification.
For active safety and ADAS, the Xinghai S7 is fitted across the board with the Xinghai Pilot driver assistance suite. A hardware array of 17 smart sensing units (combining millimetre-wave radars, HD cameras, and ultrasonic sensors) backs the system. Key functions include Full-Speed Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Lane Keeping Assist (LKA), Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), Blind Spot Detection (BSD), Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Lane Departure Warning (LDW), Traffic Sign Recognition (TSR), and Auto Parking Assist (APA), offering comprehensive Level 2+ semi-autonomous driving capability. With 13 active safety modules, the system constantly tracks road obstacles ahead and initiates autonomous braking when necessary to mitigate collisions. A 360-degree surround-view camera system comes standard across all variants to aid low-speed parking and tight navigation. High-spec models can also be optioned with digital side mirrors.
Since its debut, the commercial performance of the Xinghai S7 has fallen short of the brand's internal targets. Looking at sales trajectories, monthly deliveries hovered between 2,000 and 3,000 units in late 2024 (recording 2,192, 2,935, 2,212, and 1,516 units respectively) before dipping drastically in early 2025, with January sales sliding to just 42 units. By June 2025, combined series sales stood at 844 units (EV and EREV combined). These figures remain well below the manufacturer's initial target of 3,500 units per month and its longer-term goal of 5,000 units.
Industry analysts attribute the lukewarm sales to three key factors: limited brand awareness, as the fledgling Xinghai moniker has yet to establish strong brand equity or widespread recognition among mainstream EV buyers; fierce market competition, with the crowded RM100,000 to RM150,000 electric sedan segment fiercely defended by heavyweight contenders such as the BYD Qin PLUS EV, GAC AION S, and Deepal SL03; and constrained dealer network coverage, where retail and service network expansion failed to keep pace with model launches. The introduction of the 2026 800V Ultra-Fast Charging and 650 km Long-Range models has provided some sales momentum, leading to a steady recovery through 2026.
Owner sentiment has generally been positive regarding the Xinghai S7's sleek aesthetic, generous cabin room (the 2,915 mm wheelbase yielding substantial rear legroom), and the responsive 15.6-inch infotainment system; buyers prioritising low operating costs and long driving range have also commended the real-world efficiency of the 650 km EV and EREV variants. On the flip side, owner complaint portals such as 12365auto have highlighted occasional powertrain abnormal noises and intermittent infotainment glitches.
As Dongfeng Forthing's flagship strategic spearhead in the pure electric sedan arena, the Xinghai S7 carves out a unique niche through its compelling blend of executive-class dimensions, entry-level pricing, a rear-wheel-drive platform, FSD adaptive damping, and a practical liftback body style. Following its global unveiling at the 2024 Paris Motor Show, the model has steadily entered Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and selected European markets, driving overseas sales up by more than 30% year-on-year. While the Xinghai S7 offers an attractive balance of value-for-money and packaging efficiency, its long-term market success will ultimately hinge on strengthening brand equity, expanding dealer networks, and solidifying product reliability and customer trust.
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