Aoxin
Ibis Electric
The
car you see here is called the Aoxin Ibis, and it appeared at the recent New
Energy Auto Show in Shanghai with Tesla-baiting upscale pretensions, according
to Car News China.
The
Aoxin badge features a similar "T" shape to Tesla's with some
differences, including a wreath surround that appears copied from
Mercedes-Benz. Also known as the Aoxin Heying or Aoxin E45, the Ibis has
chunky, generic styling and--interestingly for an all-electric car--a prominent
chrome grille that would make Hannibal Lector blush.
One
design similarity with Tesla Model S is aluminum bodywork, and there are some
carbon-fiber pieces as well. So despite being slightly longer than the Tesla,
the Ibis actually weighs about 600 pounds less. Not that the Ibis is by any
means sporty. It features three electric motors--one in the rear axle and an
additional one for each rear hub--yet only manages to muster 181 horsepower and
250 pound-feet of torque. Range from the lithium-polymer battery pack is
estimated at a genuinely Tesla-rivaling 285 miles, while the top speed is less
impressive at 94 mph.
The
Aoxin Ibis is made by Aoxin New Energy, a company based in Yancheng City in
China's Jiangsu Province. The company did not disclose pricing or an on-sale
date for the Ibis, but the car appeared just as demand for electric cars is
picking up in China.
