GAC Group's electric vehicle (EV) subsidiary, GAC Aion, launched the Aion UT Super compact hatchback on November 9, aiming to boost sales by leveraging resources from CATL (HKG: 3750) and Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com.
Built with CATL's Choco-SEB (swapping electric block) battery swap technology, the Aion UT Super starts at RMB 89,900 ($12,630) including the battery pack, or RMB 49,900 under a battery rental plan.
GAC Aion is offering limited-time incentives, effectively lowering the starting price to RMB 85,900, including the battery pack, or RMB 45,400 under the battery rental plan.
GAC Aion said the model is a joint creation between JD.com, GAC Group, and CATL, with JD.com providing resources in user insights, vehicle sales, and maintenance.
The Aion UT Super is a five-seat model measuring 4,270 mm in length, 1,850 mm in width, and 1,575 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2,750 mm.
It comes standard with a 54-kWh battery pack -- CATL's #25 pack -- delivering a range of 500 kilometers.
CATL announced the launch of standardized Choco-SEB battery packs in December 2024, naming them #20 and #25 -- similar to how gasoline grades in China are labeled #92, #95, and #98.
For the #20 pack, the LFP-based variant has a 42-kWh capacity delivering about 400 kilometers of range. The ternary nickel-cobalt-lithium (NCM) version offers 52-kWh capacity for 500 kilometers of range.
For the #25 battery pack, the LFP-based variant has a 56-kWh capacity delivering 500 km range. The ternary-based version offers 70-kWh capacity for 600 km range.
The Aion UT Super is the first CATL battery swap technology-equipped model targeting the general passenger vehicle market, following previous deployments in the taxi sector.
The model can complete a battery swap in 99 seconds, according to GAC Aion.
CATL's battery swap stations in China reached 800 locations on November 8, with a target of 1,000 stations by the end of this year.
The Chinese battery giant plans to expand its network to over 2,500 stations across more than 120 Chinese cities by 2026.
The Aion UT Super represents GAC Aion's latest effort to reverse declining sales. The brand sold 28,199 units in October, marking a 26.09 percent year-on-year decline, according to data released earlier this month by GAC Group.
From January to October, GAC Aion's cumulative sales came in at 209,615 units, down 20.87 percent year-on-year.
($1 = RMB 7.1191)
