Currently reading: New 2023 Aion Hyper GT claims aero record

Electric liftback is said to boast a Mercedes-Benz EQS beating drag coefficient of 0.19

Chinese car maker Aion has revealed its new Hyper GT at the 2022 Guangzhou motor show, claiming a production car record 0.19 drag coefficient for the liftback-style saloon.

Set for sale in China by the end of 2023, the electric-powered four-door is set to become the second model in Aion’s newly announced Hyper electric car sub-brand, after the Hyper SSR sportscar unveiled in September.

Pricing is yet to be announced, although Aion officials hint the Hyper GT is set to compete against the likes of the Xpeng P7 and Hozon S with a subsidised price starting at around RMB300,000 (£36,100) in China.

The styling of the new saloon is based around what Aion describes as its “wind and water” design lineage first aired on the Hyper SSR. Smooth surfacing is combined with round forms, heavy tapering and flush door handles to create an aerodynamic exterior.

Further elements include active air ducts within the lower section of the front bumper and an active rear spoiler measuring 1465mm in width.

Aion says the scissor action front doors, which open at an angle of up to 43 degrees and provide a 573mm-wide aperture, will be retained for the definitive Hyper GT production model, which is claimed to possess a drag co-efficient of 0.19.

If verified, this would make it more aerodynamically efficient than the Mercedes-Benz EQS, which boasts an official drag co-efficient of 0.20. It would also better the 0.208 drag co-efficient claimed for the Tesla Model S.

Aion hyper gt rear quarter static render

No official dimensions for the new saloon have been announced.

Power for the Hyper GT, which is based on Aion’s new AEP 3.0 electric car platform, comes from a rear-mounted electric motor developing 335bhp and 317lb ft of torque.

Aion claims a 0-62mph time of 4.0sec, but it is holding back on details of the battery and range until closer to the Hyper GT’s Chinese market introduction during the second half of 2023.

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Further variants of the new four-door liftback are planned, including a dual-motor four-wheel drive performance model.

A total of 39 different sensors are claimed to provide the Hyper GT with advanced autonoumous driving functionality. Included are stereo cameras, millimeter-wave radars and ultrasonic radars as well as three LiDAR units.

Established in 2018, Aion is operated by Guangzhou Automobile Corporation (GAC).

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russ13b 31 December 2022

Imagine what the drag would be if they'd copied 1970s Citroen and shielded the rear wheels.

Andrew1 30 December 2022
I really doubt it's true, but if it is, it would be quite something. First of all, how soon they achieved this on a vehicle with that price? Designing a car with such good aerodynamics is very expensive. Secondly, it looks better than EQS and we know the design of that car was driven by aerodynamics.
LP in Brighton 30 December 2022

Who cares? All wind tunnels produce slightly different results and in any event it's the CdA (total drag) that's important. And more than that, the car's weight probably has more influence on overall efficiency. Still, I suppose it creates a headline. But it's not the most important factor to consider.