2026 Aion UT Electric Hatchback Debuts in Europe With 201 HP and 60-kWh LFP Battery
Chinese electric vehicles are expanding rapidly across global markets, and GAC Group's Aion brand has introduced its subcompact electric hatchback, the 2026 Aion UT, to European roads following the launch of the Aion V compact SUV. While the Aion badge originated in 2018, its parent firm GAC was founded in 1997 and produced over 1.7 million vehicles last year. Having assembled more than 30 million vehicles over 29 years—including 11 million for Honda since 1998 and 10 million for Toyota since 2006—GAC applies established joint-venture manufacturing standards to its own products. European specification Aion UT models are assembled by Magna International in Austria on the same production line that produced the Toyota GR Supra.
Designed at GAC’s studio in Milan, the Aion UT features tight panel gaps and lustrous paint. The front-wheel-drive hatchback is powered by a permanent magnet synchronous electric motor producing 201 hp (spec sheet notes 210 hp) and 155 lb-ft of torque, accelerating from 0 to 60 mph in roughly 7.1 seconds. Suspension consists of a front multilink setup and a rear torsion beam, riding on 17-inch wheels with Chaoyang tires. Brakes use 12.6-inch ventilated front discs and 12.1-inch solid rear rotors.
The car is built on GAC’s in-house dedicated 400-volt EV platform. Energy is stored in a 60-kWh lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery developed with CATL, utilizing GAC’s proprietary Magazine Battery 2.0 construction designed to prevent thermal runaway. Range is rated at 268 miles on the WLTP cycle (estimated at 235 miles on EPA testing). An efficient four-stage heat pump functions down to -22 degrees Fahrenheit. Despite the heavier LFP chemistry, curb weight remains between 3,681 and 3,747 pounds.
The cabin runs on GAC’s ADiGO OS with a Qualcomm Snapdragon SA8155P chip, featuring an 8.8-inch driver display and a 14.6-inch infotainment touchscreen. Measuring 168.1 inches long, 72.8 inches wide, and 62.0 inches tall on a 108.3-inch wheelbase, the packaging provides generous passenger room, 15.5 cubic feet of cargo volume behind the rear seats, and 56.5 cubic feet with seats folded flat.
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