Top China car brand GAC springs surprise with release of first EV in Australian market

GAC, one of the more prominent EV manufacturers in China, has announced its arrival in the Australian market with its Aion EV brand.

At an electric mobility expo in Melbourne this week, the brand unveiled its first electric model, the Aion V, for the local market which it says it wants to bring to Australia in mid 2025.

GAC is an acronym for Guangzhou Automobile Group Co, and it is one of the largest automakers in China. It also has a global presence in various markets, including right-hand-drive markets like Thailand.

In 2023, the company produced over 2.5 million vehicles, making it a top-5 car maker in its home market of China. The Aion V is GAC’s global electric model and was announced in July this year with a starting price equivalent to less than $A28,000.

Two Aion V electric SUVs were on showcase, allowing attendees to see the cars for the first time in Australia. And, despite the relatively low price, the interior of the electric SUVs features premium materials and has features such as the ability for the front seats to lay completely flat.

There is also a large landscape display s screen for entertainment and a smaller screen behind the steering wheel to display key driver information.

This SUV is based on the company’s AEP EV platform and comes in 4.6 metres in length, making it bigger than the BYD Atto 3 yet a bit shorter than the Tesla Model Y.

With clever interior design, it feels very spacious on the inside and could offer a point of difference amongst SUVs in the same segment.

On the drivetrain front, the Aion V is available globally with two motor options, featuring 150 and 165 kW of power, respectively.

There are also several battery options ranging from 62-90 kWh, delivering ranges from 520-750 km on the CLTC cycle, but likely less on the WTLP cycle used in Australia.

Full specifications and pricing of the GAC Aion V will be announced closer to the launch.

The announcement  surprised many in the industry. Based on what we saw in Melbourne this week with the unveiling of the Aion V, the company is treating Australia as one of its key markets in 2025 as it continues its international expansion plans.

Having previously covered the brand’s expansion into markets like Thailand and Hong Kong, where it has seen high adoption rates of its EVs, it’s only a positive sign to see it expand further into the Asia Pacific region.

We look forward to learning more about the brand and to seeing its future line up, and of course, test drive the Aion V and see how it will perform on our local roads.