The Vietnamese market has just welcomed a new car company from China.
Chinese car company GAC AION is about to launch the Vietnamese market in the second quarter of this year with its first electric car model, AION Y Plus. Currently, the first showrooms of GAC AION are also completed and ready to welcome customers. GAC AION is the most valuable electric vehicle startup in China when it successfully raised up to 2.5 billion USD for its series A capital round in 2022.
GAC AION will introduce to the Vietnamese market with a C-sized electric SUV with the same size as the VF7. That is the AION Y Plus. The car is a C-size pure electric SUV model that is very popular in the Chinese market, contributing to helping GAC AION rise to become a car company with Top 5 sales in the billion-people market in 2023.
GAC AION Y Plus is equipped with a permanent magnet synchronous motor with a capacity of 150 to 201 horsepower and maximum torque of 225Nm. The vehicle supports one-pedal driving mode or i-Pedal, helping to increase driving range. driveway up to 23%. AION Y Plus can accelerate from 0-100km/h in 8.5 seconds.
The car is equipped with a 63.2 kWh lithium iron phosphate battery (LFP battery) researched and developed by GAC AION, allowing it to travel up to 490km on a full charge according to CLTC standards. The 550 Ultra version uses a 68.3kWh battery, helping to increase the charging distance up to 550km, meaning it can travel from Bangkok - Pattaya without having to charge along the way.
GAC AION also possesses exclusive magazine battery technology with the ability to minimize explosive reactions upon impact, even when subjected to strong impacts that penetrate the layers of battery membranes such as collisions with warhead.
In Thailand, two versions of AION Y Plus are sold including 490 Elite and 550 Ultra, priced at 1,069,900 baht equivalent to 710 million VND and 1,299,900 baht equivalent to more than 860 million VND. In terms of selling price, AION Y Plus is expected to be a direct competitor to Vinfast VF7.
GAC AION is one of the Top 5 electric vehicle manufacturers in the world with market share. This car company is also considered one of the "unicorn" brands of the Chinese automobile industry.