New Models Aion UT—with a Penchant for Italy

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The Chinese automaker GAC is bringing its electric brand Aion to Europe. The debut models will be an SUV and a compact car, the latter of which owes its appearance to a design studio in Milan.

With the slogan "Milan Fashion," the E-car brand Aion advertises the Aion UT on its Chinese website. For three years now, the parent company GAC from southern Guangzhou has run a design studio in the Italian metropolis. The compact city car, UT stands for Urban Traffic, was designed by the European design team.

However, the state-owned automaker is a bit cautious with its European launch. "We need to establish a sales organization first," says Thomas Schemera. The car manager previously worked for Hyundai and BMW. Today, as Global COO, he is responsible for GAC's expansion plans. So far, only the company headquarters in Amsterdam and the design studio in Milan exist.

For those interested in getting their own impression of the Aion UT in Europe, they will have to wait until 2026. Initially, the larger SUV Aion V will make the debut. The manufacturer has chosen Poland, Portugal, and Israel as the starting countries for the electric car this year. Schemera describes the Aion UT as the Chinese version of the Mini. In the first two months of the year, GAC sold 10,000 units of the compact vehicle in its home market. During Milan Design Week, GAC offered a chance to sit in the Aion UT.

Decent range, unclear charging performance

In the full equipment package, there are electrically adjustable front seats that are both ventilated and heated. The central screen (14.6 inches) allows for navigation and music playback, as well as smartphone connectivity via Apple CarPlay. The center console offers a storage compartment, a smartphone charging pad, and two cup holders. Vehicle and infotainment settings are controlled by the driver using two rotary knobs on the steering wheel.

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Above the rearview mirror, there is another fold-out mirror to keep an eye on children or animals in the back seat. The split rear seat can be folded down. The tailgate opens and closes electrically. The trunk offers 440 liters of storage space. The manufacturer has not yet specified a value with the rear seat folded down.

In the front, an electric motor with 150 kW of power operates. The 60 kWh battery is expected to provide a range of 430 km (WLTP). GAC does not specify the exact charging power for Europe. The electric car charges from 30 to 80 percent capacity in 24 minutes. The Aion UT comes equipped with level 2 driver assistance systems, including adaptive cruise control and lane keeping. The Euro NCAP test result is still pending, but according to Schemera, the manufacturer aims for a full five-star rating.

No Prices Known yet

With a length of 4.27 meters (approx. 14 ft), a width of 1.85 meters (approx. 6.07 ft), and a height of 1.58 meters (approx. 5,2 ft),  the Aion UT is approximately the size of a VW ID 3. The comparable VW ID 3 Pro with a 59 kWh battery starts at 36,500 euros (approx. 41,427.50 USD). The yet unfamiliar brand Aion will initially need to position itself more affordably than its competitors, Schemera openly admits in conversation. However, he does not want to specify an exact price just yet. In the Chinese home market, the Aion UT is offered in five variants. The version comparable to the European counterpart costs approximately 11,000 euros (89,800 Yuan or 12,485 USD). With the costs for EU approval (homologation), export, and punitive tariffs, the price in this country will likely be just under or possibly slightly over the 30,000 euro mark (approx. 34,050 USD).

GAC is a state-owned automaker based in southern China. The acronym stands for Guangzhou Automobile Company. According to the China Passenger Car Association, GAC sold 670,000 combustion engine cars and 436,000 electric cars last year. The vehicles are sold under the brands GAC, Hyptec, and Aion.

GAC Joint Venture with Toyota

With Toyota and Honda, GAC has been producing models for the Chinese market for several years. The car managers already utilized European automotive technology in 2010. "Our first sedan uses a platform from the Alfa Romeo 166," says Fan Zhang, GAC's design chief. With the help of Italian automotive technology, GAC launched its Trumpchi model.

Zhang is responsible not only for the design studios in Milan, Los Angeles, and Shanghai but also for a global design competition. "This allows us to find the best young talents around the world," says Zhang. The car manager does not shy away from competition in the compact segment. More space, a better interior, and especially a better offering of digital services are cited by Zhang as reasons why the Aion UT could become fashionable here as well.

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