Skywell ET5

Cabin

The ET5 has a plain, familiar shape for a modern, tech-heavy cabin. The design takes a horizontal approach; the dashboard stretches wide, with the two large screens sitting prominently but not dominating. The ambient lighting is continuous along the top of the door frames. This actually creates a sense of space that contradicts the SUV's modest price.

For a mid-size electric SUV priced under AED 200,000, the feature list is not bad at all. A 12.3-inch digital instrument screen faces the driver through a three-spoke multifunction steering wheel. A large 12.8-inch touchscreen handles infotainment, while faux wood lifts the dual-tone black and light grey leather upholstery on the dashboard and doors. Satin chrome and silver trim run across the dash from door to door.

The material choices, leather, simulated wood, and soft-touch plastics on the upper dashboard appear to be more than just showy. Overall, the effect avoids the common trap of looking plasticky despite the affordable price point. The ambient lighting, keyless entry, and electronic handbrake round out the cabin. The UAE listings also confirm the large digital displays, leather seats, wireless charging, and automatic climate control.

Front Seat and Rear Seat

• Powered front seats with ventilation, which matters more than most features in the UAE.
• Leather upholstery in a dual-tone black and light grey finish, with a textured grain that resists fingerprints and hides minor wear better than glossy alternatives
• Rear seats with adjustable headrests, a 60:40 split fold, and their own AC vents, plus individual reading lights above each rear passenger
• A centre console armrest for the front row, padded and sliding forward and backward for different driving positions
• Seating for five with generous rear legroom, making it suitable for adults on longer journeys

Climate Control

The dual-zone automatic climate control is fitted, with rear AC vents, so back-seat passengers are not left waiting for cool air to reach them. Each zone can be set independently, making it easier for the front occupants to maintain their preferred temperature.

The ventilated front seats cool the driver and front passenger directly. Also, the panoramic sunroof adds light to the cabin, though it also adds heat on a summer afternoon. Moreover, the sunroof has a motorised sunshade that can be deployed to block some of the heat while still allowing light in.

Storage

• Cup holders are located in the front of the centre console. They are deep enough to keep drinks secure during sharp corners
• A centre armrest with space beneath it for small items
• A USB charger and a wireless phone charger to keep devices topped up
• Door pockets front and rear that accept everyday bottles and small items
• A glove box for keeping paperwork and other small items

Charging

Charging on the road is reasonably quick for the price, and this segment.

• The 72 kWh battery supports DC fast charging, although the exact UAE charging time can vary depending on the charger and charging conditions
• Home charging via a 7 kW AC wallbox is practical for overnight charging
• The battery is listed with a claimed range of up to 520 km in current UAE listings. Real-world summer driving with the AC running will reduce that figure, as it does with any EV.
• The charging port is positioned on the rear passenger side, a practical location that keeps cables away from the driver

So what is clear is that charging requires more planning than filling a petrol car, but an overnight home charge can make daily commuting straightforward.

Boot Space

The boot offers 467 litres of space in the ET5, a generous figure for a mid-size electric SUV. The boot floor is nearly flat with a low loading lip, making it easier to slide heavy items in compared with the rivals, where the sill sits higher. The shape is roughly square, good for stacking boxes or luggage, but less efficient for oddly shaped cargo.

The 60:40 split-folding rear seat extends the load area when the family needs to carry something longer than a suitcase.

The 4,698 mm body leaves enough room behind the rear seats for a weekly shopping run, a stroller, and a few bags. The 467-litre boot capacity is confirmed in current UAE listings.

The ET5 comes with a useful driver-assistance package, with several features usually reserved for pricier cars. Current UAE listings include a 360-degree camera, adaptive cruise control, blind spot warning, lane departure warning, parking sensors, and other electronic safety systems.

However, I would not describe the ET5 as having a confirmed five-star safety rating. Current UAE listings do not show a Euro NCAP or NHTSA safety rating for the model.

The ET5 also uses a high-strength structure designed to protect occupants in a crash.

• Adaptive cruise control and automatic emergency braking
• Lane departure warning, lane keep assist, and blind spot warning
• A 360-degree camera, rear camera, and parking sensors
• ABS with electronic brake-force distribution, traction control, and hill-hold assist
• Tyre-pressure monitoring and ISOFIX child-seat anchors

Front

Most of us would agree that the front end is calm and closed. With no engine to cool, the grille in the middle is shut, and slim, angular LED headlamps with daytime running lights frame it. The headlamp design is restrained rather than aggressive, with no sweeping lines or sharp creases. Just simple and clean geometry that signals this is a practical family car, not a performance statement.

The fog lamps are set in large pentagonal housings at the bumper corners, with a trapezoidal air intake between them. The silver skid plate along the bottom provides a mild, rugged touch.

Side Profile

Skywell kept the ET5's side view close to a classic SUV, with rounded fenders, a curved C-pillar, and a smooth bonnet line. You can fully understand the size with the dimensions: 4,698 mm long, 1,908 mm wide, and 1,696 mm tall, on a 2,800 mm wheelbase.

In terms of design, the window line slopes gently downward from front to rear, a typical SUV proportion that avoids anything too trendy or divisive. Ground clearance is at a practical level, quite enough to clear speed bumps without looking lifted or trying to make a statement. Black plastic cladding runs over the wheel arches and lower doors, a chrome strip crosses the cladding, and slim silver roof rails finish the look.

Alloy Wheels

Alloy wheels on tubeless radial tyres fill the black-clad wheel arches. Again, you certainly agree that the wheel design is simple, and the cladding around it is what gives the ET5 its slightly tougher look. It also helps hide stone chips on the lower body, which is a practical point on UAE roads with building-site gravel.

As far as the wheel sizes are concerned, the UAE ET5 is listed with 19-inch alloy wheels. The larger wheels add visual presence while still keeping the design suited to a family SUV.

Rear

Now move to the back, and you know this is where the car looks a lot different from what you see in other areas. This is due to the thick LED bar joining the two curved LED tail lamps across the tailgate, and the Skywell name glows in the middle when the lights are on. The glowing nameplate is a signature touch that sets the Skywell apart in a parking lot. Clearly subtle during the day, but unmissable at night.

The tailgate itself is simple and flat, with good overhang angles for loading cargo without the rear bumper dragging. Large triangular LED fog lamps fill the corners of the bumper. The bumper design matches the understated goals, being functional and protective without fussy details or aggressive diffuser-style mouldings. This is really smart from a design perspective.

Colors

• Black
• Blue
• Grey
• White

Four exterior colours are listed for the ET5, including Black, Blue, Grey, and White.

City Performance

The ET5 is a 4,698 mm SUV, so city driving is mostly about easy parking and calm, quiet manners in traffic.

• The 360-degree camera and parking sensors help in a tight, crowded car park at Dubai Festival City, where a mid-size SUV has little room to swing.
• Electric steering keeps low-speed turns light on a narrow Mirdif street, so a U-turn does not take a full lock of effort.
• A single front motor sends its 201 hp through the front wheels with no gear changes, so a stop-start crawl along Sharjah's Al Majaz waterfront should feel smooth.
• The ventilated front seats and rear AC vents help a family stuck in school traffic in Khalifa City.
• A claimed range of up to 520 km gives plenty of room for regular commuting on paper, although summer heat and air-conditioning use will reduce the real-world figure.

Highway Performance

Over a long drive, the ET5's key numbers are its 520 km claimed range and 160 km/h top speed.

• At 160 km/h, the top speed is higher than any legal limit in the UAE, so the car has enough headroom for normal highway driving.
• On a two-lane stretch of the Dubai to Al Ain road, 201 hp should be enough for a clean pass around a slow truck. The cruise control and lane departure warning can also ease the strain on a long, straight run.
• Dubai to Al Ain and back is about 280 km, which fits inside the claimed range on paper, though a hot afternoon with the air conditioning running should leave less in reserve.
• A stop at a DC charger can add useful range during a long journey, although charging time depends on the charger and battery conditions.
• The blind spot warning and adaptive cruise control reduce the workload in the heavy, fast-changing traffic of a Friday evening on the E311.

Ride and Handling

Skywell has tuned the ET5 for comfort first, and that shows in the way the suspension is set up.

• Off-road dampers suggest the ride is meant to soak up broken surfaces such as the diversions around roadworks in Al Khawaneej.
• A soft suspension makes speed bumps in a Mirdif villa community easy to take, at the price of some of the sharper body control a driver who enjoys corners might want.
• Light electric steering makes the car easy to place, though it offers little weight or feedback at higher speeds.
• Hill hold assists in stopping the car from rolling back on a steep multi-storey car park ramp.
• A battery mounted low in the floor should help keep a 1,696 mm-tall body steady, though the car is not built for fast driving.

Since the ET5 is available only in a single variant, there is no confusion about which one to choose.

The 72 kWh Luxury is the only variant. It comes with the 201 hp front-wheel-drive powertrain and a 72 kWh battery. The features include leather seats, a panoramic sunroof, powered and ventilated front seats, dual-zone climate control, wireless charging, a 360-degree camera and the driver-assistance package described above. Current UAE listings confirm this as the single ET5 variant at AED 180,000.

The ET5 is an easy car to understand, a five-seat electric SUV with a big boot, a long feature list and contemporary tech at a price that is in the middle of a crowded field. It does not try to be quick or clever.

The standout figures of 201 hp of power and up to 520 km of claimed range are enough for UAE commutes. The cabin is quite well loaded, the space is not bad, and that makes it a practical place to be. The harder question is the brand, since Skywell is still establishing its name in the UAE and has a limited long-term track record.

Compared to the EX30, VF8, and EV3, the ET5 prioritises space and equipment over brand confidence. Ideally, for a family that wants an electric SUV and is willing to back a newer name, it is a practical, no-fuss choice; at least you can definitely explore it to check whether it really has what you need.

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