None of Chery’s current sedans including those from the Arrizo range match the look of the mystery sedan. After some trial, error and debate, we think that this is the Aion S Plus. Established in 2017, China’s Aion EV brand is owned by GAC Aion New Energy Automobile, which is a subsidiary of the GAC Group. Guangzhou Automobile Group’s Malaysian partner is WTC Automotif, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tan Chong’s Warisan TC Holdings.
The S Plus is Aion’s flagship electric
sedan that was launched in China in June 2021. There, the Aion S Plus can be
had in NEDC ranges of 410 km, 510 km and 602 km, with prices starting from
139,600 yuan after government subsidies. A 204 hp/350 Nm electric
motor pushes the sedan from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.8 seconds, but what’s unique is
the claimed best-in-the-world aerodynamics of 0.211 Cd. Despite that, it
doesn’t ‘look very aero’, unlike the Hyundai Ioniq 6.
The Aion S Plus is 4,810 mm long and 1,880
mm wide, which puts it around the size of a Toyota Camry, which is 75 mm longer
but 40 mm narrower than the Aion. The EV’s 2,750 mm wheelbase is around that of
a Civic FE. The taped-up car we see here has conventional door handles though,
not the flush ones seen in Aion’s official images, and the wheels aren’t of the
fancy aero variety.
What about the ‘Chery trade plates’ then?
According to our source, this P temporary plate belongs to a third party and
not the carmaker. Turns out that the plate has also been seen on a Peugeot and
a smart, so it could be owned by someone like a parts supplier.
