GAC’s newest falcon-door electric SUV sets launch price from $30,052

GAC Aion, a subsidiary of Chinese automaker Guangzhou Automobile Group, on Thursday began taking orders for its Hyper HT at a competitive starting price of RMB 220,000 ($30,052), the first SUV model under its premium Hyper marque features an attention-grabbing falcon-wing back door design. The five-seater subcompact SUV will compete against Tesla’s popular Model Y with similar dimensions of 4,935/1,920/1,700mm (length/width/height) and a wheelbase of 2,935mm, along with a driving range of up to 770 kilometers (479 miles), higher than the Model Y’s 688 km. It will also be able to travel up to 450 km on 15 minutes of charge, empowered by an 800-volt fast charging electrical system. By comparison, Xpeng claimed an additional range of 300km could be achieved in under 10 minutes of fast charge with its G6 crossover, priced at RMB 209,900. In July, GAC began delivering the Hyper GT, a mainstream luxury sedan priced from RMB 219,900, and on Oct. 9 started handing over its Hyper SSR supercar, the first Hyper-branded EV with a price tag of RMB 1.28 million. [GAC announcement, in Chinese]