This new Chinese car looks like a Tesla but costs NIS 60,000 less

As someone who has been covering the automotive market for more than 25 years, I am surprised every time by the pace of the Chinese. In 2020, GAC from China landed in Israel for the first time with the GE3, a rather clunky crossover, with an official range of 309 km, no active safety systems, and no fast charging according to European standards. In a comparative test we conducted at the time against another Chinese electric crossover, the MG ZS, it lost—not by points, but it felt outdated straight out of the packaging.

Five years later, I sit in the HT. “Tesla-compatible” is the first impression that comes to mind, but there are many areas where it outperforms the world’s best-selling electric vehicle, which has recently started arriving from its Chinese factory instead of Germany. Price is only one of them. But it also has one significant drawback.

Unlike some other Chinese cars that arrived here in recent years, GAC is not a start-up. It is a Chinese state-owned manufacturer that began operations in 1954, is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, and is now relaunching in Europe under the Aion brand. It arrives here with three models, with the HT priced at NIS 183,000, alongside the Aion V, a large family crossover with a long range (510 km, from NIS 167,000), and the Aion Y, a smaller crossover with a unique design (from NIS 143,000). Next year, the UT, an even more affordable electric compact, will join the lineup.

Still, not everything is perfect: The climate control is operated via the screen, with a fixed lower strip of touch buttons, although you can still adjust the air conditioning intensity without entering the internal climate control screen. This is better than some other electric vehicles, but there is no convenient and safe substitute for physical switches.

The format of the multimedia system closely resembles Tesla and XPeng, but it is somewhat confusing and, as usual, contains too many functions. The sunroof can only be opened and closed via the screen, at least from the main shortcut screen. The same goes for the charging port door. Want to choose between the three charging modes? Comfort, Sport, or Custom? Look for the controls in the vehicle’s energy management screen, where you can also increase regenerative braking strength for single-pedal driving in maximum saving mode.

There is plenty of space in the front, and the electric seat adjustments help. The rear offers even more space, with a flat floor, air conditioning vent, and USB charging ports. Headroom, legroom, and seat width are the best in the group.

The trunk is also huge: 670 liters, plus a 70-liter front trunk. It is a pity there is no spare wheel underneath.

The battery has a capacity of 72.7 kWh, fast charging at 163 kW, and slow charging at 11 kW.

The launch price is NIS 183,000, NIS 20,000 less than a base XPeng G6 and over NIS 60,000 less than a Tesla Model Y. It also comes with a longer-than-usual warranty: 8 years or 160,000 km for the car, 8 years or 200,000 km for the battery.

This is excellent value for money, given the space, equipment, and overall performance. The only obvious drawback is that the vehicle is still not fully compliant with European standards and arrives under a special regulation allowing up to 400 units per year. The importer does not guarantee that this will change next year.

If GAC/Aion manages full certification and the price remains roughly the same after the launch period, this could be a potential hit and a competitive alternative to the XPeng G6, which became the best-selling electric vehicle in Israel this year.