GAC-Nio launch the first BEV in the Hycan brand
Chinese manufacturers GAC and Nio have launched their first electric model on the Chinese market under the joint brand Hycan. The all-electric mid-sized SUV Hycan 007 is offered with two battery options of 73 and 93 kWh capacity.
Under the new Hycan brand, the two Chinese partners are exclusively launching electric cars and plug-in hybrids (known in China as New Energy Vehicles, NEVs).
Hycan 007 – first launched in December 2019 as a production version – will be launched as a debut electric vehicle in three versions: Base, Plus and Top. Prices for the mid-size SUV range from 262,600 to 303,000 yuan, taking into account the government subsidy. That is the equivalent of around 34,000 to 39,200 euros. Besides, GAC and Nio joint venture Hycan wants to offer two more customisable versions of Hycan 007 – for 340,000 and 400,000 Yuan respectively after subsidies (about 44,000 and 51,800 euros).
So what’s in it for the money? The base version has a 73-kWh battery pack on board, is expected to travel 523 kilometres according to NEDC and sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in 8.2 seconds. Hycan states the DC charging time is 33 minutes (30 to 80 per cent). The two more expensive model versions – Plus and Top – share a large part of their performance features. Both have a 93 kWh battery pack and an NEDC range of up to 643 kilometres. They each accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.9 seconds, and their battery can be recharged from 30 to 80 per cent within 35 minutes with quick charging. All variants will also have a V2V and V2L charging function onboard, meaning that they will be able to charge other cars or supply equipment with power (220V).
With dimensions of 4,879 mm length, 1,937 mm width, 1,680 mm height and a wheelbase of 2,919 mm, the 007 plays in the league of medium-sized SUVs. In the design, the Chinese company is focussing on simple elegance. The most striking features include a solid black sunroof and daytime running lights, which are designed in the shape of a “7 Series” pair. The manufacturer has taken up the motif of the number “7” several times, which also explains the name of the SUV. Hycan 007 is based on what they have called unibody design so that the body and frame of the vehicle are made of a closed metal structure.
Inside, the manufacturer has arranged three screens next to the steering wheel at different angles in such a way that they virtually surround the driver. They serve both as a display and as operating instruments. The 007 is also equipped with a level 2 driver assistance system and an intelligent voice assistant.
The SUV is the debut of the GAC-Nio New Energy Automobile Technology joint venture, which was founded in April 2019. Plans for the joint production of NEV vehicles date back to early 2018, and the Hycan brand was launched shortly after the joint venture was established in May 2019. The current vehicles bearing the Hycan logo will be manufactured in GAC’s new industrial park in Guangzhou, where GAC’s electric limousine Aion S, among others, will roll off the assembly line. Notwithstanding the COVID 19 pandemic, the market launch of 007 and first deliveries to internal employees are scheduled for this month. Deliveries to external customers are planned from May onwards.
>> With reporting by Cora Werwitzke
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