• Up to 304 miles of range
• Apparently reliable range read-out
• Aftersales an unknown quantity

What are the running costs?

The Skywell BE11 is available with two batteries. The Standard Range model has a 72kWh battery capacity, while the Long Range has a 86kWh capacity. According to the official WLTP figures, they’re capable of delivering a range of 248 miles and 304 miles, respectively.

We haven’t driven the BE11 far enough to know how accurate those figures are. But our tester noted the indicated range fell by one mile with each mile driven, so it seems to be a reliable gauge. Range also didn’t seem to be particularly affected by the frigid temperatures – impressive in a car that doesn’t have a heat pump.

The BE11 can recharge at up to 11kW from an AC (domestic) charger, or at 80kW from a DC (public) charger. According to Skywell, the Standard Range can recharge from 20-70% of battery capacity in four hours 30 minutes from the AC charger, or in 36 minutes from the DC charger. The Long Model takes five hours 30 minutes and 45 minutes, respectively. Skywell doesn’t quote any figures for a standard 7.4kW domestic charger.

You can find more facts and figures for the Skywell BE11 on our specs pages.

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Servicing and warranty

Skywell currently has a network of 10 UK dealers and services centres and hopes to have about 20 by the end of 2025. How much servicing costs is unknown at this stage, however it’s unlikely to be pricey. Servicing plans that help spread the cost are in the works. 12 months of AA roadside assistance cover is included when you buy a BE11, and that’s extended by another 12 months with each service at an approved service centre, up to a limit of 10 years.

The warranty shows Skywell’s faith in its product. The whole car is covered by a seven-year, 100,000 mile warranty, matching that offered by MG and Kia. On top of that, the battery is covered for eight years or 155,000 miles.

Reliability

• A complete unknown at this stage
• Warranty shows faith
• Doubts over build quality

As it’s a car and brand that’s completely new to the UK, we can’t make any judgements about the Skywell BE11’s long-term reliability. The car was launched in China back in 2020, but we’ve been unable to find any information on how it’s faring there.

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We can say the car’s seven-year warranty shows Skywell believes it won’t give problems and any that do crop up should be fixed relatively quickly. Skywell’s UK importer has invested in a large, well-stocked parts warehouse and distribution centre, hopefully getting around the issues other Chinese brands have had with parts supply. Nevertheless, our tester had doubts about how well-made the BE11 is, noting it felt quite flimsy in many areas. Which doesn’t inspire much confidence in its robustness.