Skywell BE11 review – well equipped, but slow to drive and charge

Verdict  – is the Skywell BE11 a good car?

When you flick through the specification and equipment list of the Skywell BE11, it seems like a decent alternative to the likes of the BYD Atto 3, Skoda Enyaq or Volkswagen ID.5 among quite a few other electric SUVs. It’s got lots of standard kit, a generous warranty, roomy cabin, and decent driving range. Reality bites, however, when you start to use the BE11, where you find the drive is some way off the average cars in this class, never mind the best. Nor is the boot especially large, while charge times lag behind what we expect nowadays. It’s not even impressively cheap next to the class leaders.

Skywell BE11 models, specs and alternatives

Skywell offers the BE11 in a single very well equipped trim, but you do have a choice of Standard or Long Range batteries. The Standard has a 72kWh battery that gives a 248-mile official driving range, while the 86kWh version can cover up to 304 miles. If you choose the Standard model, it costs £37,000 and the Long Range adds £3,000 to that tally.

Beyond that, the only option you can add to the BE11 is a different paint colour and Skywell doesn’t charge anything extra for this. This puts the BE11 into direct contention with the excellent Skoda Enyaq and Volkswagen ID.5, as well as others such as the BYD Atto 3, Kia EV3 and Skoda Elroq depending on whether you’re comparing the Skywell with similarly priced or sized cars.

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With the one trim approach, all Skywell BE11s come with metallic paint, silver roof rails, a panoramic sunroof, 360-degree parking camera, rear privacy glass, and 19-inch alloy wheels. Look inside and you’ll find a 12.3-inch digital dash display and 12.8-inch infotainment screen, which is backed up by an eight speaker Metz stereo. There’s also leather and suede upholstery, electric front seat adjustment, wireless phone charging, and air conditioning.

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Skywell offers the BE11 with two battery sizes, the 72kWh Standard model and the Long Range version with an 86kWh battery. This means a claimed driving range of 248 and 304 miles, respectively for the two options, and more real-world ranges of 200 and 250 miles. Colder weather might take more of a toll on the BE11 as it does not come with an efficiency-boosting heat pump.

While the driving ranges of the Skywell BE11 are okay by class standards, the time it takes to recharge then isn’t. Compared to a Skoda Enyaq that recharges at a rate of 135kW or a Peugeot E-3008’s impressive 160kW speed, the BE11’s 80kW is rather humdrum. For drivers, it means waiting 45 minutes for the Skywell to charge from 20 to 70%, which is less than the more usual 10-80% figure quoted by most manufacturers. As a result, not only is the BE11 slower at recharging, these figures mean you get 20% less charge in that time, too. 

That’s for the 86kWh battery, while even the smaller 72kWh battery needs 36 minutes to recoup the same percentage of energy. At home and using a wall charger, the smaller battery needs 11 hours to fully recharge from near empty and the Long Range model needs 13 hours.

On a more positive note, the Skywell BE11 is liable for only £10 for the first year of VED (road tax), while subsequent years see it cost the normal duty of £195 per annum.

What will the Skywell BE11 cost to insure?

Insurance for the Skywell BE11 sits in group 43 for both versions. That’s a high rating compared to its obvious rivals such as the Skoda Enyaq that ranges from group 24 for the cheapest to 38 for the priciest – and that’s the performance vRS model.

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We can forgive a car a lot if it makes us smile when we drive it. The Skywell BE11 is not one of those cars. While we don’t expect a family-sized SUV to be the last word in fast driving dynamics, at least some sort of interactivity and enjoyment would be appreciated. Yet the BE11 just doesn’t do this and as a result it trails almost all of the others in this class, and notably the likes of BYD and MG that have been quick to learn, adapt and improve their cars for British roads.

The BE11 does deal with pockmarked road surfaces decently thanks to its soft set-up, so you can potter through town or head down the motorway without being jolted. Insert a corner into any drive, though, and the Skywell quickly gets out of its depth as the body leans. There’s little steering feel to help out here and there’s an unnerving amount of slop in the steering while driving in a straight line.

As if this isn’t bad enough, when you put your foot down on the accelerator pedal to pull out of a junction, there is a delay in response you can actually count. It might only be a second before the car reacts, but that’s more than enough for oncoming traffic to be bearing down on you. And when you do pull out, the BE11 is not the briskest EV at getting up to speed – both models take a 9.6 second stroll to get from 0-62mph.

Compounding the BE11’s driving woes are the way its front tyre can scrabble for grip just when you want to get going out of a side street or on to a roundabout. Then there’s the snatchy brake pedal feel when slowing down. At least there is regenerative braking to eke out more from the driving range, though even this isn’t powerful enough to allow for one-pedal driving.

Any redeeming features? Well, the Skywell BE11 is quiet on the motorway and its 360-degree parking camera makes it easy to slot into nip and tuck spaces.

Carbuyer notes

“We pulled out of several junctions only for the inside front tyre to light up in a flare of wheelspin – on one occasion when attempting to do so in a moderate hurry, it was enough to cause a smokey single-wheel burnout” Alex Ingram, Chief Reviewer

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Is the Skywell BE11’s infotainment and navigation system easy to use?

A 12.8-inch infotainment touchscreen sits proudly in the upper centre of the Skywell BE11’s dash. The display is reasonable for clarity and graphics, but you have to scroll through too many menus to get to functions that you will likely use on most journeys – heater controls or the stereo’s volume.

You can pair your phone to the BE11’s infotainment system using Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. That’s fine when using the apps from your phone, but you have to come out of this to work the climate control and it’s all just too much faff for our liking. There is a wireless charging pad to keep your phone from draining its battery, and the 12.8-inch main dash display is simple and clear.

Is the Skywell BE11 well equipped?

Skywell offers just a single trim with the BE11, but rather than skimp and then charge more for equipment as optional extras, this SUV has everything bar the kitchen sink included. That encompasses metallic paint, as well as items like 19-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels, roof rails, parking assistance, a 360-degree parking camera, and keyless entry. There’s also an electrically worked tailgate with motion sensor opening where you wave a foot under the bumper to open the hatch.

On the inside, the BE11 provides leather and suede upholstery, with six-way electric adjustment for the front chairs. A panoramic glass sunroof lets in plenty of light, while air conditioning keeps the cabin at your preferred temperature. Cruise control is standard, too, as well as wireless phone charging, 12.3-inch digital dash display, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a 12.8-inch infotainment touchscreen.

What options should you choose on the Skywell BE11?

The only choices a Skywell BE11 customer has to make are what colour to choose and which battery to power the car – 72kWh in the Standard Range model or the Long Range’s 86kWh pack. It costs nothing to choose the colour, but upgrading to the bigger battery costs £3,000.

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Skywell has not gone quite as minimalist in its design approach to the BE11 as some EV manufacturers. This is a good thing to our minds as it means this SUV still retains some physical buttons in the centre console for the screen demisting, the column stalks for their usual functions, and a rotary dial gear selector.

The driver can access all of this without having to stretch or lean, and the seating position is good. You can move the chair using electric adjustment and the steering wheel can also be altered for height and depth. You get good all-round vision and sit higher than in some SUVs in the sector, though taller drivers might find the seat base doesn’t move as far back as they’d like.

There’s a lot of storage dotted around the front cabin, including a cubby between the front seats and a tray underneath the centre console. Door pockets are not huge but at least they are there, which is the same as can be said for the glovebox. You also get three USB ports and a three-pin socket in the rear cabin.

Those in the back seat get more than ample room for heads, shoulders and elbows, and the BE11 should be able to carry three kids without it resulting in world war. Adults might find the floor is set a little higher than is ideal, but it’s not a great issue. ISOFIX mounts are there in the outer pair of seats and the doors open to a wide enough angle to make fitting them easy.

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Does the Skywell BE11 have a big boot?

Open the boot, either with the tailgate button or by wafting your foot under the bumper, and it opens to give a decent aperture. There is a step from the load sill to the boot floor, which will be more of a hindrance when taking heavier items out. At 467-litres with the rear seats in place, the BE11’s boot is perfectly adequate for most family SUV needs, but it’s not as generous as the majority of its rivals. A BYD Atto 3 that is smaller on the outside still offers 555-litres of cargo capacity.

A 60:40 split and fold rear seat opens up more space for cargo in the Skywell. Again, it’s not as big as key competitors’ but you won’t quibble about the space on offer. You might be a bit more irked at having to lift the rear seat base in order to tip the seat back down, however.

One other point to note is there’s no storage under the bonnet for the charging cables. There is a tray under the boot floor for this, but that can be a nuisance when you have a boot chock full of shopping, suitcases or the family dog.

Is the Skywell BE11 a good tow car?

In a word, no. The Skywell BE11 isn’t rated for towing in the UK at the time of writing and no towing equipment is offered as an option.

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Skywell is a new name on the motoring scene, so it’s yet to appear in our Driver Power satisfaction survey. The electric powertrain should be trouble-free, though we have questions over the build quality of the car’s cabin.

How safe is the Skywell BE11?

The Skywell BE11 is yet to be put through its safety paces by Euro NCAP. However, it does come with all of the expected safety kit demanded for this, so you get adaptive cruise control, blind spot alert, lane keep assistance, speed limit recognition, and a 360-degree surround view parking camera.

What are the Skywell BE11 service intervals?

Skywell quotes a 15,000-mile or 12-month interval between routine service stops for the BE11, based on which of these markers comes round soonest.

What is the warranty on the Skywell BE11?

Skywell supplies the BE11 with a seven-year, 100,000-mile warranty from new, and this can be transferred to subsequent owners within those periods. The BE11 also comes with a separate battery warranty that lasts for eight years and 155,000 miles, which is a longer mileage than most other EVs provide.

Should you buy a Skywell BE11?

It is always difficult for a new brand to make a name for itself, particularly when the Skywell BE11 arrives at a time when so many others are joining the EV market. To stand out, you need to offer something others don’t and, in the case of the BE11, that is almost limousine-like amounts of rear seat space and a very generous amount of standard equipment. Add in a lengthy warranty and the BE11 should be a value for money champ.

The trouble with the Skywell BE11 is it just isn’t cheap enough for us, or potential buyers, to ignore its flaws. With a starting price of £37,000, it falls into the clutches of some of the most talented and tempting electric SUVs – cars like the Skoda Enyaq, Volkswagen ID.5, and Hyundai Kona Electric. These cars offer more for the same sort of cash, or you could save a substantial sum and opt for the equally good Kia EV3, Skoda Elroq, or BYD Atto 3.

All of these cars are much better to drive than the Skywell, which feels a generation behind in the way it deals with poor roads and corners. We also think the sluggishness of the BE11’s responses will put off many drivers.

It’s a similar story when it comes to charging and battery range. The Long Range version of the BE11 has a decent driving range, but it’s not stand-out remarkable. You will also have to wait for longer to recharge your Skywell than any of the cars mentioned above, which is a chore none of us wants to endure.

Buyers who simply want a large electric SUV for a decent price and who mostly charge at home should consider the Skywell BE11, but we think there are many better options available.

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What is the best Skywell BE11 for low running costs?

If you spend the vast majority of your driving time in and around town and don’t notch up a high daily mileage, we’d recommend the Skywell BE11 Standard Range model. It’s £3,000 cheaper than the identically equipped Long Range model, so you might as well leave that in your savings account.

What  is the best Skywell BE11 for families?

The Skywell BE11 comes in a single body shape – a generously proportioned mid-size SUV. It provides excellent space in the back seats for kids and adults alike, so it’s sound bet for anyone with teenagers who are stretching every day. The boot isn’t the biggest by class standards, but it’s sizeable enough for most family needs.

What is the Carbuyer pick of the Skywell BE11 range?

Given the Skywell BE11 comes in a single trim specification, the only choice is down to how far you want to travel between charging halts. For that reason, we’d spend the extra on the BE11 Long Range that claims an official range of 304 miles compared to the Standard model’s 248 miles. 

Skywell BE11 alternatives

If we were to list every car considered a rival to the Skywell BE11, you would need to take a very deep breath to read the list. Rather than that, the key contenders to lure you away from a BE11 are the Skoda Enyaq and Volkswagen ID.5. They are a little more expensive, but they deliver so much more in the way they drive, their quality, and overall appeal. We’d also look at the Hyundai Kona Electric, Kia Niro EV, and Renault Scenic for similar reasons.

You shouldn’t rule out the very keenly priced BYD Atto 3 as an alternative, while the Skoda Elroq and Kia EV3 might be a little smaller than the Skywell yet they are still roomy inside. For keener drivers, the Smart #3 and Cupra Born are also in the mix.

• BYD Atto 3
• Hyundai Kona Electric
• Skoda Enyaq
• Volkswagen ID.5
• Renault Scenic