GAC, a Chinese automotive giant, surprised many last year by announcing its entry into the Australian market, starting with its first global electric model, the Aion V.
This mid-sized electric SUV model has now been approved for sale in the Australian market, with the news being shared on the Electric Vehicles for Australia Facebook group by EV enthusiast Will K.
GAC is an acronym for Guangzhou Automobile Group Co., and it is one of the top five automakers in China and produced more than 2 million vehicles in 2025. It also has a global presence in various markets, including the key right-hand-drive market of Thailand.
Last year, GAC also opened a factory in Thailand, its first outside of China.
The GAC Aion V is expected to start at a price of under $45,000. Detailed specs and pricing of GAC’s first local model will be announced closer to the SUV’s launch in the coming months.
According to the approval documentation, the Aion V will enter Australia under a single variant. It is 4.6 metres long and has a tare weight of 1,880 kg, making it one of the lighter electric SUVs on the market.
Powering the Aion V is a 150 kW motor, which is fed by a 75 kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery pack. It can deliver up to 602 km of NEDC, which is likely closer to 480 km on the WLTP cycle.
This battery can be fast charged at speeds of up to 180 kW. With this speed, the Aion V can be fast-charged from 30-80% in 16 minutes, according to specs found in other markets.
The powertrain can also help the car get from 0-100 km/h in 7.9 seconds, thanks to 240 Nm of torque.
On colours, 6 different options will be available in Thailand, including the Orange, which appears to be the hero colour seen in most of the cars’ marketing in various parts of the world.
When it comes to towing, no weight limit is shown on the documentation, so we will have to wait until the official specifications are released to know more. When it comes to wheels, the Aion V will come with 19-inch alloy wheels.
Riz is the founder of carloop based in Melbourne, specialising in Australian EV data, insight reports and trends. He is a mechanical engineer who spent the first 7 years of his career building transport infrastructure before starting carloop. He has a passion for cars, particularly EVs and wants to help reduce transport emissions in Australia. He currently drives a red Tesla Model 3.