GAC, a Chinese automotive giant, has officially announced its arrival in Australia, with the arrival of the Aion V electric SUV and two other vehicles, the M8 PHEV people mover and emzoom ICE SUV.
GAC, an acronym for Guangzhou Automobile Group Co, it is one of the largest automakers in China and has multiple EV models in its line up in other global markets, some of which could follow the Aion V into the Australian market.
The company also has multiple R&D facilities and design centres in Guangzhou, Milan, Los Angeles and Shanghai, and last year opened a factory in Thailand, its first outside of China. In 2024, it produced over 2 million vehicles.
We expect the local pricing of the GAC Aion V to start under $45,000, although full details will not be announced until November.
“Launching GAC in Australia is an exceptional milestone for our brand,” said Cheney Liang, the deputy general manager of GAC Australia.
“I have no doubt that Australian customers will welcome our range of high-quality, innovative models with keen interest, and become accustomed to the elevated ownership experience we are set to offer”.
According to the approval documentation, the Aion V will enter Australia with some key high level specs. 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. This setup can deliver up to 602 km of NEDC, which is likely closer to 480 km on the WLTP cycle.
The relatively large 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 are available in Thailand, including orange and gold.
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.