GAC AION UT: electric family car designed in Milan and built in Austria

Chinese manufacturer GAC is entering a new stage in its European expansion with an electric car designed in Italy and built in Austria. It is the brand’s second model to arrive in Europe, following the Aion V, a five-seat family SUV.

According to GAC, the AION UT is its most global model. It was styled in Milan at GAC’s Via Tortona design centre and will be manufactured by Magna Steyr at its Graz plant in Austria. The company produces vehicles for marques including BMW, Jaguar and Mercedes-Benz. Indeed, every Mercedes-Benz G-Class currently built is produced at this Graz factory.

The indicative price for the European market is €27,990. Final prices for Portugal will be announced shortly on the brand’s Portuguese website, with the range split into two equipment grades.

What is the GAC AION UT?

The GAC AION UT is a fully electric compact family car. It was developed to combine dimensions that are easy to manage in urban areas with the space, range and equipment expected from a vehicle with family ambitions.

In this video, we show the Aion UT’s key features:

Small families, drivers who regularly travel in towns and surrounding areas, and buyers seeking a compact electric car without compromising on equipment or practicality may find that the UT is a car that “goes beyond the essentials”, according to the brand. It measures 4.27 m long, offers a 440-litre boot and has an interior with 24 storage spaces designed for everyday use.

Designed in Milan, built in Austria

Its connection with Milan forms part of the car’s identity. The design was created at GAC’s Via Tortona design centre, in one of the Italian city’s areas most closely associated with design, helping to frame the model’s European debut. It was in Milan, after all, that the GAC Aion UT was presented to the European market.

Manufacturing in Graz by Magna Steyr further underlines GAC’s commitment to Europe. It is a historic industrial name with significant standing, while its links with established manufacturers help lend scale to this launch.

Space, interior and equipment

The range is divided into Premium and Luxury versions. Even the entry-level model includes wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, online navigation, over-the-air updates, heated seats, second-row air vents and a heat pump. Exterior highlights include 17-inch alloy wheels and flush door handles.

The front seats have electric adjustment, while the rear seats fold in a 40/60 split. According to GAC’s engineers, the cabin has been designed to make daily use easier, with 24 storage compartments distributed throughout the interior. The front centre console also features a 60 W USB-C port alongside a 10 W USB-A port.

Choosing the Luxury version adds a panoramic roof with an electric blind, an electric tailgate, electrically folding mirrors, heated windscreen, ventilation for the driver’s seat, an electrochromic rear-view mirror, an additional rear USB port and a cooled wireless charger rated at up to 50 W.

Battery, range and charging

The Aion UT uses a lithium-ion LFP battery with 60 kWh of usable capacity, delivering a claimed combined WLTP range of 430 kilometres. In urban driving, this figure rises to 620 kilometres.

For charging, the AION UT supports 11 kW AC charging and up to 87 kW DC charging. A charge from 10% to 80% takes 32 minutes. There is also a Vehicle to Load (V2L) function of up to 3.3 kW, allowing external equipment to be powered directly by the battery.

Safety and technology

For safety, the AION UT will enter the Portuguese market with seven airbags, including a centre airbag, plus a Level 2 ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) package featuring more than 20 driving-assistance systems. These include adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assistance, blind-spot detection, cross-traffic alert and a 360-degree camera.

On the connectivity side, in addition to the wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto already mentioned, it includes HERE Maps navigation, an app offering remote climate-control and charging-management functions, a Wi-Fi hotspot, DAB+ and over-the-air updates.

The first Aion UT units will arrive in Portugal this summer. The indicative European-market price starts at €27,990.