GAC is ready to begin full-scale manufacturing of an electrified SUV with a stated driving range that allows it to go 622 miles without stopping.
In China, a new medium-sized SUV is set to go into production, with the ability to provide customers with 1000 kilometers of range on a single charge.
If confirmed, the GAC Aion LX will have the highest all-electric range of any production vehicle on the market in 2022, surpassing the current leader, the Tesla Model S Long Range.
The Tesla claims a range of 652 kilometers, which means the Aion LX has a 53 percent longer range than the Model S. To put it differently, it’s a combination of a Tesla Model S Long Range and a Nissan Leaf hatchback.
GAC Motor reported that the Aion LX reached a top range of 904 kilometers during hot-weather testing, in which the car was driven in 36 degrees Fahrenheit and 90% humidity, implying that a 1000-kilometer range might be obtained in more perfect conditions.
The firm claims that their innovative spongy silicon cathode technology allows for more power density with much less mass, with the Aion LX battery being 14% lighter and 20% smaller than prior packs, resulting in a 150kWh battery pack in the car. In comparison, the Tesla Model S‘s largest battery is 100kWh.
The Chinese auto sector has been pursuing the elusive 1000km mark in the hopes of luring consumers away from conventional gasoline and diesel vehicles.
It’s like traveling from Shanghai to Wuhan, London to Zurich, or Sydney to Melbourne – but with more range.
GAC isn’t the only company making bold promises. Nio, a Chinese automaker, claims that its forthcoming ET7 sedan would employ cutting-edge solid-state batteries to reach a range of 1000 kilometers, with production set to begin in 2022.
