Chinese manufacturer GAC has finalised its European distribution plan for the AION UT, adding Denmark and Norway to the list of markets where the electric hatchback will be sold, through distributor Electric Way. The move is part of a wider push that has already seen GAC establish a genuinely European footprint, with a design centre in Milan, assembly in Austria and commercial offices in the Netherlands.
This article is written in collaboration with Andrea Cittadini from Kerb Group.
A Chinese brand built around a European base
GAC, short for Guangzhou Automobile Group, has positioned itself as one of the more European facing Chinese manufacturers entering the continent. The AION UT was designed at the company’s European Advanced Design Center in Milan, opened in 2022, and is assembled in Graz, Austria, by contract manufacturer Magna, which builds vehicles on behalf of numerous car makers worldwide. European production began in March, while cars destined for markets further east are built in China and Thailand.
GAC’s roots go back to 1954, with a history that includes early collaboration with Peugeot, though the company in its current form has operated since 1997. It also holds long standing partnerships with Toyota and Honda, building models in China for export to Japan, relationships that have shaped much of its engineering approach. The group lists quality, engineering development and sustainability among its core values, and operates under three brands aimed at different audiences: GAC itself, focused mainly on the domestic and Eastern markets; AION, with a more international focus; and HYPTEC, positioned around sportier, higher performance models.
GAC is the fifth largest Chinese car manufacturer, present in 85 countries across five continents, having built more than 2 million cars, with over 354,000 sold in Europe to date.
Expanding market by market across Europe
According to Niels de Gruijter, GAC’s Deputy General Manager and Marketing and Sales VP for Europe, the brand’s European entry dates back to the 2024 Paris Motor Show. At the 2025 IAA in Munich, GAC unveiled the AION V SUV, its first model built to continental specifications, initially launching in Portugal, Greece, Poland and Finland through distributor Inchcape.
The AION UT extends that rollout further, with GAC now entering Spain, Switzerland and the UK, alongside Germany and France, where the brand’s West Europe offices are based in Paris. Eastern Europe operations run through the Graz facility, while GAC’s European headquarters sits in the Netherlands, split between Amsterdam and Rotterdam, covering commercial operations, spare parts and logistics. GAC is also set to begin sales in Italy from September, through distributor ATFlow.
The Milan design centre remains one of GAC’s key European assets. Opened in 2022 on Via Tortona, in the former studio of fashion photographer Giovanni Gastel, the centre is led by French designer Stéphane Janin and tasked with developing ideas rooted in automotive design that can be turned into feasible solutions for global mass production.
A compact electric hatchback built for daily use
The AION UT is a fully electric C-segment hatchback, measuring 4.27 metres in length, 1.85 metres in width with mirrors folded, and 1.58 metres in height. Despite its compact footprint, it rides on a relatively long 2.75 metre wheelbase, aimed at maximising interior comfort for five occupants, including adequate legroom for taller passengers. The boot offers 440 litres with the rear seats up, expandable by folding the split rear backrest flat.
Styling is compact and understated, with a lowered central grille giving the front a bolder look, a side profile marked by a recess highlighting black side skirts, and a clean rear featuring a spoiler above the tailgate glass. Large glazed surfaces running along the beltline give the cabin a notably bright feel. The Luxury trim adds a panoramic glass roof as standard, along with wireless phone charging, electric mirrors, an electric tailgate and ventilated seats, with the roof shade operable by voice command.
Battery, range and charging
The AION UT uses a 60 kWh LFP battery, with claimed fast charging times of 10 to 80 percent in 32 minutes and 30 to 80 percent in 24 minutes. The charging port sits on the passenger side, ahead of the front door. The single motor produces 150 kW (204 hp) and 210 Nm of torque, driving the front wheels through an automatic transmission. Combined cycle consumption is rated at 16.4 kWh/100 km, dropping to 11.5 kWh/100 km in city driving, giving a range of 430 km combined and up to 620 km in urban use. The 0 to 100 km/h sprint takes 7.3 seconds, with a top speed of 160 km/h.
A tech focused interior, with a few rough edges
Inside, the AION UT goes for a minimal, rational cabin built with good quality materials, and comfortable seats offering solid lateral support. The dashboard centres on a 14.6 inch touchscreen alongside an 8.8 inch driver display, with driving information scrollable via wheels on the steering wheel spokes. Physical buttons are limited to the four window controls, with everything else, including mirror adjustment, managed through the touchscreen, an approach that can feel less practical than simple door mounted switches for some functions.
The touchscreen menu is logically laid out, though it takes some familiarisation on first use. A clearer visual separation between navigation, climate and driver assistance functions, GAC’s ADAS suite offers Level 2 assisted driving, would likely make the interface easier to navigate at a glance. Storage is generous throughout the cabin, though the USB ports positioned under the front of the centre console are not immediately visible, and indicator stalk behaviour could use refinement, with turn signals not always cancelling promptly.
Three drive modes are available: Normal, Sport and Power Save, with a noticeable difference in power delivery between them. Sport mode’s suspension tuning leans soft for the setting, with more roll and pitch than expected, while Power Save mode visibly optimises battery consumption, particularly useful in city driving, aided throughout by regenerative braking.
Separately, GAC is already testing 90 second battery swapping technology in China on the AION RT sedan, decoupling battery rental cost from the price of the car itself, an approach that could conceivably extend to the European range over time.
Pricing and positioning
The AION UT’s declared base price is 27,990 euros, across two trim levels, Premium and Luxury, with six exterior colours available (pearl white, black, beige, metallic silver, green and red) and two leather interior options, in black or beige. The car comes with an 8 year warranty covering the battery, with maintenance intervals set at every 30,000 km.
In its segment, the AION UT lines up against electric rivals including the Volkswagen ID.3, BYD Dolphin, Kia EV3 and Renault Megane E-Tech. With its European design and assembly base, GAC appears to be positioning the AION UT as a genuinely credible option for European buyers, particularly younger, tech oriented customers drawn to design and features rather than badge history. Looking ahead, GAC has also indicated plans to bring a plug-in hybrid range to market alongside its electric lineup.
