Written by Matilde Alves | Edited by Cláudio Afonso
State-owned automaker GAC is preparing to launch a new fully electric compact SUV in China later this month as European expansion nears. The model will arrive in several international by the year’s end.
The Guangzhou-based firm will enter the old continent with the Aion V SUV, as management confirmed during the Paris Auto Show held last October. The first markets in Europe include Portugal, Poland and Norway.
GAC Aion UT + Competitors
The model features a 44.12 kWh battery with a CLTC range of 260 miles and a top speed of about 90 mph. GAC’s Aion UT is set to launch at the end of February in China.
Pre-sales for the company’s model opened last month, with prices ranging from 89,800 yuan ($12,320) to 109,800 yuan ($15,064).
GAC’s battery electric vehicle (BEV) will rival BMW’s Mini, the newly launched Renault 5 (priced at around $27,000), and Firefly’s debut model. Firefly was unveiled in December becoming the latest sub-brand from the Shanghai-based EV brand Nio.
Firefly’s vehicle deliveries in China are expected to start in late April, with European markets following a few months later. Pre-sales opened immediately after the launch event, at a price of 148,800 yuan ($20,420).
Battery swap partnership with Nio
Last month, GAC Group told EV that the company is negotiating with Nio and waiting for internal approval on the development of their first battery swap-compatible GAC model. The Chinese carmaker signed the agreement with Nio in May 2024.
Over the last few years, Nio has announced several partnerships under its battery swap alliance, in which the EV maker allows other brands to use its battery swap stations across China.
At Nio’s fourth-generation stations, drivers can replace their vehicle’s battery with one that is approximately 90-95% charged in just three minutes. GAC noted that their car models only need “small modifications” to reach the compatibility required.
In Europe, GAC will use lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries and has started testing on a small batch of vehicles shipped from Guangzhou, including charging trials.
In 2024, the Guangzhou based company sold about 2 million units, with 374,884 being from the Aion brand. The number includes units from the joint ventures with Honda and Toyota.
At Nio’s fourth-generation stations, drivers can replace their vehicle’s battery with one that is approximately 90-95% charged in just three minutes. Currently, Nio has over 3,000 stations across China and about 60 in Europe.
Written by Matilde Alves | Edited by Cláudio Afonso
