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Aiways U5 Comes From China With European Ambitions at 2020 Geneva Motor Show

An electric utility vehicle with seating for five adults and a cavernous trunk? That doesn’t sound exactly trailblazing, but Chinese company Aiways has high hopes for the U5 in Europe. Scheduled to premiere alongside the U6ion in March 2020, the U5 is “production ready” according to the manufacturer.
2021 Aiways U5 15 photos
Photo: Aiways
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“The Geneva Motor Show is an important milestone for Aiways as we will announce some very exciting news about our plans for Europe,” said Alexander Klose. “We are set to compete with the best by creating a revolutionary new user experience thanks to unprecedented collaboration with partners,” concluded the executive vice prez for overseas ops.

What’s more intriguing about this unknown Chinese company is that visitors will be offered the opportunity to drive the U5 electric crossover for 10 minutes on an indoor circuit after registering interest at the Aiways stand. Standing at 4.7 meters long, the U5 features a 140-kW electric motor driving the front axle and a base price of approximately 35,000 euros.

Range, however, isn’t up there. 503 kilometers or 313 miles on the New European Driving Cycle from a 65-kWh battery translates to a second-rate performance under the Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicle Test Procedure, more so if you compare the Chinese interloper to the likes of the rear-driven Tesla Model Y and Hyundai Kona Electric with the large battery.

On the upside for Aiways, the automaker has received EU-wide approval from TUV Rheinland and WVTA certification. In other words, the U5 can be sold throughout the European Union. The e-motor’s output isn’t too shabby either at 188 ponies and 232 pound-feet of torque.

The biggest unknown, however, is reliability. Aiways doesn’t have a dealership network in place either in the Old Continent, and heaven only knows how the lithium-ion battery will degrade with the passing of time. If the company goes forward with a lease-only scheme, then Aiways has a sliver of hope going forward with the U5 compact electric crossover.
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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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