GAC AION V

The GAC AION V is a compact all-electric SUV introduced by AION, the premium smart electric vehicle arm of GAC Group. First launched on 16 June 2020, it is the brand's third production model built on the dedicated GEP EV platform, marking a key milestone in AION's push into the mainstream family SUV segment.Following the introduction of the AION V Plus facelift and the second-generation model, the current line-up as of June 2026 mainly comprises the 2025/2026 AION V Tyrannosaurus Family Edition and LiDAR Edition. Official indicative prices range from RM109,800 to RM189,800, starting from as low as RM94,800 after trade-in subsidies.As a core offering aimed at private retail buyers, the AION V spearheads the brand’s strategic shift away from ride-hailing fleet dependence towards the mainstream consumer market.

Design Language

The AION V has undergone several design evolutions. The earlier AION V Plus embraced a "Star Bullet" styling philosophy, featuring a closed-off front grille, split headlamps, a curvaceous profile, a floating roof design, and flush pop-out door handles for a futuristic aesthetic.The second-generation AION V (Tyrannosaurus), unveiled in July 2024, debuted a fresh "Blade Shadow Potential" design language inspired by the muscular stance of T-Rex fossils. Its front fascia is highlighted by H-shaped matrix LED headlamp clusters dubbed "Dragon Claws", imparting a bold, mecha-inspired character.Down the sides, it features a squared-off, rugged silhouette with pronounced front and rear wheel arches for a muscular wide-body stance, paired with a dual-tone exterior, roof rails, and flush door handles. Body dimensions measure 4,580/4,605 mm in length, 1,854/1,876 mm in width, and 1,639/1,686 mm in height, riding on a 2,775 mm wheelbase.At the rear, vertical four-point light signatures sit alongside full-width LED taillight arrangements, flanking a central AION script logo with gloss black bumper garnishes adding visual depth. Inside, the latest model champions a minimalist "subtractive design" approach, combining dark leather upholstery, matte chrome accents, and concealed air-con vents with a dual-screen setup comprising an 8.88-inch digital instrument cluster and a 14.6-inch floating infotainment touchscreen, significantly paring back physical switchgear for a sleek, tech-centric look.

Powertrain and Performance

The AION V range is powered exclusively by a front-mounted permanent magnet synchronous electric motor, available in two states of tune: 150 kW (204 PS) and 165 kW (224 PS), with the higher-output variant delivering 240 Nm of torque.The motor incorporates an advanced silicon carbide (SiC) power module, boosting electronic control efficiency to 99.85% and power density to 10.5 kW/kg.It completes the 0-100 km/h sprint in 7.9 seconds on to a top speed of 160 km/h.In terms of driving range, the 520 variant is fitted with a 62.2 to 62.7 kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery pack, delivering a CLTC-rated range of 520 km; the 650 variant gets a 74.98 to 75.26 kWh LFP pack for 650 km; while the flagship 750 variant packs a circa-90.2 kWh battery for 750 km of CLTC range.The battery utilises GAC’s proprietary Magazine Battery technology with IP68 dust and water resistance, and supports 400V/3C DC fast charging that can juice the pack from 30% to 80% in 22 to 30 minutes, or add roughly 370 km of range in just 15 minutes.A 3.3 kW Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) reverse power supply feature comes standard across the board, catering to outdoor and camping electrical needs.

Chassis and Handling

Built on a front-wheel-drive layout, the AION V has seen continuous chassis and suspension revisions. Early iterations featured front MacPherson struts and a rear multi-link independent setup; following the introduction of the Tyrannosaurus Family Edition in August 2025, the entire range was upgraded to front MacPherson struts paired with a five-link rear independent suspension, improving bump absorption by 30% and cornering roll resistance by 25%.The chassis tuning leans distinctly towards ride comfort, soaking up road humps and vertical jolts smoothly via progressive two-stage damping, though body roll support feels slightly soft during rapid, successive lane changes.Steering duties are handled by an Electric Power Steering (EPS) system, while stopping power comes from ventilated front discs and solid rear discs, paired with an Electronic Parking Brake (EPB). Drivers can toggle between Normal, Eco, and Sport driving modes. The SUV records a drag coefficient of 0.27 Cd and an average energy consumption of around 12.8 kWh/100 km.

Cabin and Equipment

The AION V runs on the ADiGO 5.0 intelligent cockpit system, featuring a standard 14.6-inch floating central touchscreen and an 8.88-inch full digital instrument cluster. The infotainment setup adopts a modern tablet-style UI and supports Apple CarPlay, CarLife, and HiCar smartphone integration.User interaction is enhanced by the ADiGO SENSE AI large language model, featuring four-zone voice command recognition and highly natural conversational interaction.In terms of creature comforts, higher-tier variants feature ventilated, heated, and massaging front seats with memory functions, one-touch fully flat folding front seats, 137-degree reclining rear seatbacks with heating, rear fold-out seatback tray tables, and a 15W wireless smartphone charger.Select variants further step up the luxury with a 6.6-litre dedicated compressor-based on-board refrigerator (-15°C to 50°C), a 9-speaker Belgian Premium sound system, and a 2.15-square-metre panoramic glass roof with an electric sunblind.Practicality is well-catered for with 31 storage compartments across the cabin and a boot capacity of 427 litres, expandable to 987 litres with the rear seats folded down.

Safety and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems

Higher-grade AION V variants are equipped with the ADiGO PILOT suite of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), supported by a robust hardware array consisting of five millimetre-wave radars, 11 HD cameras, and a roof-mounted next-gen solid-state variable-focus LiDAR unit driven by the high-compute NVIDIA Orin-X chipset.This allows for mapless Navigation Driving Assist (NDA), enabling the vehicle to navigate both urban and highway scenarios relying on real-time sensor perception without high-definition maps, covering automated traffic light stop-and-go, traffic jam lane weaving, and on/off-ramp navigation.Standard across the range is Level 2 semi-autonomous driving capabilities, including Full-Speed Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Lane Centring Assist (LCA), Active Lane Change Assist, a 540-degree surround-view monitor with transparent underfloor view, Automated Parking Assist (APA), and Memory Parking.On the passive safety front, the body structure is engineered to meet China-Euro dual five-star crash standards, comprising 72% high-strength steel alongside an industry-first 4.5-metre U-shaped curtain airbag. The Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) system also supports real-time cornering detection for vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists.

Market Performance and Reception

Sales performance for the AION V has seen noticeable fluctuations since its launch. In 2025, annual sales stood at 39,466 units, placing it in the mid-pack of the pure electric SUV segment; cumulative sales in Q1 2026 registered 2,648 units, with monthly deliveries slipping from 899 units in January to 393 units in February, before rebounding to 1,356 units in March.Market analysts note that the AION V faces several headwinds: core volume drivers like the AION S and AION Y have seen sales plateau due to saturation in the ride-hailing sector, while the retail-focused AION V has struggled to fully plug the volume gap; furthermore, it faces stiff competition in the competitive RM100,000 to RM200,000 price bracket against formidable rivals such as the BYD Song PLUS EV, Volkswagen ID.4, and Deepal S05.Nevertheless, the EV has earned dual five-star safety ratings from Euro NCAP and ANCAP, and has commenced its rollout into overseas markets including Thailand and Southeast Asia.The second-gen AION V has drawn positive media feedback for its mapless smart driving tech, generous real-world range, and versatile packaging, although brand prestige and market awareness still have ground to make up against legacy carmakers. As a critical spearhead in GAC AION's transition from fleet-dependent sales to retail family consumers, the AION V's technological advancement and global expansion underscore the intense competitive landscape of Chinese NEVs in the mid-size electric SUV space.