Aspirational rival to BYD, GWM, Omoda/Jaecoo and MG would also be the first state-owned Chinese make here.

THE next big Chinese electric brand here might be a make that delivers everything from budget fare to a model on par with the Rimac Nevera, designed to humble Lamborghini and Ferrari.

Aion having confirmed it will launch in Australia next year was a big news outcome of Auto China, the vast global interest motor show that’s on in Beijing.

The make’s entrance to this part of the world will be spearheaded by a compact battery-pure medium sports utility that was an Auto China star, the Aion V (top).

Aion’s representation is expected to go to Ateco, which has a history of importing Chinese brands in Australasia.

Comment today from Auckland-based Ateco Automotive New Zealand has not outright denied the potential.

“Ateco is renowned for establishing new car brands into both Australia and New Zealand,” said press and events manager Rebecca Anderson.

“As you are aware, there are many ‘new to New Zealand’ brands looking to enter the market.

“Ateco has no official statement to make around new ventures or partnerships at this point in time.”

As said, Ateco has plenty of experience with the Chinese. It is the current NZ import rights’ holder to BYD and has previously involved in Australasia with Chery, now back as Omoda and, from June, Jaecoo. It has also had ties with Foton, Great Wall Motors and LDV.

Aion is owned by Guangzhou Automobile Group Motor (GAC). If arrival also occurs here it would be the first car from a brand that is directly backed by the Chinese state.

While Aion’s route to setting up shop is expected to start with inexpensive family-oriented fare, has made a name for itself with exotica as well.

None are more flamboyant than the GAC Aion Hyper SSR electric hypercar (immediately above) which having broken cover on its home turf late last year has now made an international debut, having shown two weeks ago in Milan, Italy.

Already on sale in its home market for the equivalent of $300,000, the SSR - for ‘Super Sport Race’ – packs some eye-watering performance figures.

It has three motors creating a combined 901kW and 1200Nm of torque.

GAC says it will hit 0-100kmh in 1.9 seconds - on par with the Rimac Nevera. Top speed is pinned to 250kmh.

Range from the 75kWh battery is cited at 515km, presumably if the driver treads lightly.

The car has carbon fibre bodywork, wheels and brakes and comes with a McLaren-style active spoiler and frameless gullwing doors.

The design of the Hyper SSR was created as part of a joint venture between GAC’s headquarters in Guangzhou and base in Los Angeles. GAC has voiced intent to destabilise Europe’s supercar elite and, to that end, stated it believes SSR on its own signals the Lamborghini and Ferrari’s hypercar monopoly has been “broken by China.”

The GAC isn’t all about savage performance. It also displays a softer side, claiming to be environmentally sustainable, using materials such as yarn and vegan leather in its production.

Whether it’ll ever sit in a local showroom seems a tall order, but certainly the Aion V will have some company, with GAC indicating to Australian media in Beijing that more models are expected to follow. One might be the Hyper HT, a larger SUV which also has an unusual cantilevered door.

The Aion V was in the spotlight at Auto China as the version on show was the all-new second generation model, which comes out just four years after the first.

The latest features “23 groundbreaking technologies” compared with its predecessor, says Aion.

These include range of up to 750km, claims GAC, while AI technology will feature in its cabin and operating system, it has told the website for Wheels magazine.

The new V is not to be confused with the Aion V Plus which has previously been speculated to be the pioneering model for Aion’s regional export plan.

GAC Group president Feng Xingya has recently highlighted the company’s plans to expand its international presence through more operations and collaborations around the world.

As much as GAC will be new and unknown here, if NZ is included in the expansion it would be the 41st country the operator will involve with.

Another brand under longer-term scrutiny is Xiaomi, a major maker of smartphones and trendy, affordable smart appliances - basically, China’s domestic equivalent of Apple.

One difference. Whereas the American corporate has abandoned plans to build the Apple car, Xiaomi has already joined the automotive scene. It released its first product, the SU7, four weeks ago and announced at Auto China that that it has received more than 75,000 orders since.

Why is a phone company making a car? Analysts say connectivity. Consumer technology companies want to connect the lives of their customers across all their devices—phones, laptops, televisions and now cars.

This and other action reminds why China's largest auto show deserves to be tput on a Kiwi watchlist.

Despite electric vehicle interest here having slowed in 2024, Auto China this year reminded that the technology is central to motoring’s future and continues driving the world's largest car market. Already in an all-electric state of mind, China isn't looking back.

Brands unveiled 117 new models versus 93 at last year's show in Shanghai, while overall 278 new energy vehicles - the local descriptive for anything with battery involved motivation - were on display, seven more than last year.