GAC Aion V price and specs announced: Will aggressive pricing and a long warranty be enough for the latest Chinese Tesla Model Y rival to make a mark?

November 21, 2025November 20, 2025 John Mahoney 163 Views 0 Comments Aion V, GAC, GAC Aion V, GAC M8, M8

Chinese car-maker GAC has announced pricing for the mid-size Aion V electric SUV that will spearhead the brand’s arrival Down Under.

The other electrified model in the launch range is the striking large M8 plug-in hybrid minivan designed to beat the Kia Carnival.

Announcing its launch range of three models will be sold via a 12-dealer strong network, GAC says each will come with aggressive pricing and near-class-best warranties. Order books are open now.

In Australia the Aion V is available in Premium ($42,590 plus on-roads) and Luxury specifications ($44,590).

Predicted to be the brand’s fastest seller, the new GAC targets the global best-selling Tesla Model Y ($58,990 plus ORCs) and the Leapmotor C10 ($45,888).

Arriving with just one powertrain, the Aion V comes with a single e-motor that produces 150kW and 210Nm of torque and drives the front wheels.

Combined with a 75.26kWh battery, GAC claims the Aion V can cover up to 510km on the European WLTP test cycle.

Plug the new budget Model Y rival in and a 10-80 per cent top up takes 24 minutes at a DC rate of up to 180kW, while an AC charge from 0-100 per cent takes over eight hours.

Both grades come with a 14.6-inch touchscreen that works with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a nine-speaker sound system, sat-nav, a 9.8-inch digital instrument cluster, dual-zone climate control, a heat pump and ambient lighting.

There’s also a heated steering wheel and heated front and rear seats, with ventilation on the electric-adjust driver and passenger seat.

Other standard kit includes a sound-insulating windscreen and front door glass, a hands-free tailgate, LED head- and tail lamps, plus 19-inch alloy wheels.

Another handy feature is a pair of front seats that fold flat to create a queen-size bed.

Pay $2000 more for the Aion V Luxury and there’s faux leather seats, second-row tray tables, massage front seats, cabin air filtration, a built-in fridge that also heats up to 50C and chills down to -15C.

As far as safety goes, the Aion V gets seven airbags, autonomous emergency braking (AEB), rear collision warning, adaptive cruise control, blind spot assist, exit warning, rear-cross traffic alert, lane-keep assist and lane departure warning.

The Aion V also comes with vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability that allows it to power external domestic appliances.

When it comes to luggage space, behind the second row is a 427-litre boot that expands to 978 litres with the rear seats dropped.

Beneath the skin, the new Aion V sits on the car-maker’s Architecture Electric Platform 3.0 chassis which is also used to underpin the Toyota bZ3X as part of a joint venture between the two firms.

Meanwhile, the 2026 GAC M8 is priced from $76,590 before on-road costs, matching the price of the Kia Carnival Hybrid that is priced from $76,630 (plus ORCs) and commands the majority of the segment’s sales.

Combining a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder plug-in hybrid powertrain with a 25.57kWh battery and a two-speed transmission, GAC claims the M8 produces 274kW and 630Nm of torque and can cover up to 106km of EV power alone.

Drive further and Australia’s only plug-in hybrid people mover is capable of averaging 6.05L/100km which allows for a total claimed range of up to 1032km with both recorded on the WTLP test cycle.

Plug in the M8 and the battery can be DC fast-charged at up to 35kW, with a 0 to 80 per cent refill said to take 30 minutes, while a 6.6kW AC charge takes 3.5 hours.

Measuring in at 5212mm long, the GAC M8 is 57mm longer than a Carnival but has a 20mm shorter wheelbase (3070mm) that translates to a much smaller 280-litre boot space, a fraction of the 627 litres the Carnival offers with all three rows of seating in place.

Like the small Aion V, the M8 comes both in the Premium and Luxury trims.

The base GAC people mover bags dual-sliding doors, a hands-free tailgate, 18-inch alloy wheels, keyless go, 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a 10.1-inch infotainment, 8-speaker sound system and leather seats in the first and second row.

Pay $7000 more for the M8 Luxury and you gain auto-parking, ambient lighting, a heated steering wheel, ventilated, massage heated second-row seats and softer semi-aniline leather seats in the first and second row and real leather third row seats.

The Aion V and M8 PHEV are covered by a close-to-class-leading eight-year, unlimited warranty, with a further 200,000km protection for the high-voltage battery.

All GAC models will also come with five years of roadside assistance.

Buyers who snap up either the new Aion V or M8 before the end of this year score a 22kW EV wallbox and a $1000 cashback offer, as well as a $500 fuel card or charging voucher.