The Chinese automobile company says it will be ready to ship its mid-size battery SUV to European countries in the second half of 2020.
The popularity of hybrid and all-electric vehicles in China has been in sharp decline lately. The sales drop in September 2019 compared to the same month a year before amounted to 33%, and October showed an even more disastrous result of 45.6%. This urged Chinese EV manufacturers to seek new markets in a hurry – and was likely why Aiways quickly obtained the necessary European certificates for the U5.
The SUV measures 4,680 mm (15.35 ft.) long with 2,800 mm (9.19 ft.) between the axles. At just 0.29, its aerodynamic drag ratio is super-low. It comes powered by a single electric motor mounted on the front axle, rated at 190 hp (142 kW). A 63-kWh battery grants it up to 460 kilometers (285 miles) of NEDC-rated range, and you may opt for an additional 18-kWh trunk battery to extend it to 560 km (348 mi).
The most basic implementation will cost €25,000. To put things into perspective, the Volkswagen ID.3 hatchback starts from €30,000 despite the inferior 45-kWh battery.
The Aiways U5 will first become available in the countries where EV buyers are entitled to subsidies – Germany, Norway, and Netherlands. The ‘eco discount’ in Germany will amount to a massive €6,000.
Sales in China launch on November 29.