China EV startup Aiways will launch SUV in Europe

The car accelerates to 100kph (62mph) in 2.5 seconds, according to the company.

Chinese electric-vehicle start-up Aiways says it will start European sales of the U5 midsize SUV later this year.

Aiways said the car has a range of 460 km (286 miles) that can be extended to 560 km if the customer chooses to lease additional battery packs that fit into the floor of the car.

The U5 is already in production at Aiway’s factory in Shangrao City in China’s south-eastern Jiangxi province.

The SUV is built on a modular platform using a blend of aluminum and high-strength steel, with the battery pack sandwiched in the floor, the company said.

Technology includes a triple panel of screens in front of the driver, as well as a high-definition touchscreen in the center of the dashboard. The car is available with adaptive cruise control and autonomous low-speed parking.

The U5 is 4680mm long, about the same length as an Audi Q5. It is also 1880mm wide and 1680mm tall, Aiways said on its website.

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TURBOII030

Very impressive what Aiways shows with the U5 here, the brand only started in 2017. The U5 is a very large and luxurious car with a NEDC action radius of more than 500 kilometers, and also an expected very competitive price. And there are also many new models coming. It would certainly not surprise me if this brand would also do particularly well in Europe.

AIWAYS COMES TO EUROPE APRIL 2020

Prices are not yet known, but the value of the car is estimated at € 35,000. A 191 hp electric motor draws its energy from a 65 kWh large battery pack. Together this is good for a (NEDC) action radius of just over 500 km. Subtract about 100 km for the WLTP, although those figures are not yet officially known. The U5 weighing 1,730 kilograms is just under five meters long and therefore a big car. The unveiling of two more cars is on the agenda within 18 months. The larger U7 and a more compact crossover that may be called U6. The latter will be taken to the Geneva Stock Exchange next March.

Aiways is currently taking a monster tour. About two months ago, two pre-production models of their showpiece, the U5, started a gigantic test drive of more than 13,000 km. After 12,320 km the Chinese visit our own capital, after which the ride will be continued early next week to Paris and Zurich, among others, and to end up during the IAA in Frankfurt “where big news follows”. The “Mobility and Technology company” talks about the longest test drive for an EV prototype.

Shanghai, China — The rush is on. Just as the auto industry in the U.K. adopted the slogan “export or die” after World War II, Chinese automakers are gearing up for an offensive to make unfamiliar companies like Aiways, Nio and Wey into household names in the U.S. It’s going to be quite an operation.

The startup, Aiways, for instance, plans to export its midsized U5 electric SUV to Europe (for leasing) early next year, and the U.S. after that. Like many Chinese automakers, it has recruited experienced European executives, in this case the Germany-born Dr. Alexander Klose (pictured below), whose title is Senior Vice President of Overseas Business Operations.

Aiways is targeting “most of Europe” with the U5 but will not rely on a dealer network it said, without giving more details. No pricing or market information for European models were given ahead of the Geneva unveil. The car will not be available in right-hand drive for the UK market.

If sales go ahead in Europe by the end of the year as planned, Aiways would be ahead of Chinese rivals to bring an electric car to market. Lynk & CO, owned by Geely, plans an electric car but will not launch the brand in Europe until 2020.

Aiways was founded in 2016 by the former chief financial officer of Chinese automotive giant SAIC Group, Gu Feng. The company’s chief product officer is Roland Gumpert, the founder of sports car company Apollo Automobile and a former head of Audi Sport.

Aiways has unveiled a low-volume halo electric sports car called Nathalie last year. The car accelerates to 100kph (62mph) in 2.5 seconds, according to the company. It was built using a tubular steel chassis and was fitted with a roll cage to enhance stiffness and make it safer for high-speed track driving.