For an electric car that starts at under $25,000, the new GAC Aion Y Plus Executive has a lot to offer. Two new versions join the Aion Y portfolio - the more expensive Aion Y Plus 70 Executive Edition and Aion Y Plus 80 Executive Edition at a sticker price of $28,000 (at current exchange rates).
At 4.5 meters long and a wheelbase of 2.75 meters, the Aion Y Plus is an SUV that is a bit on the outside but inside the compact car offers some smart options. The Executive Edition, while sounding promising, adds things like a non-full-size spare wheel, an electric tailgate, and an electrically adjustable passenger seat. It adds a new brake-by-wire system and autonomous parking to make the car feel more “executive.”
The Aion Y Plus is 12.5 cm longer than the standard Aion Y, but interestingly, the wheelbase remains unchanged. The length is added mainly behind the rear wheels with a stretch of 10 cm. Unusual but adds more space to the cargo area and since all the seats fold flat, the car quickly transforms into a rather comfortable campervan for two.
The interior is clean and comfortable, there are two main screens with the main 14.3-inch display responsible for infotainment, wireless charging is standard and the company is happy to show off the two cup holders on the center console - is this still a phone elsewhere? market? Well, Aion Y Plus has two cup holders with the right size.
With a 150 kW electric motor producing 225 Nm of torque to drive the front wheels, this car is more focused on range than performance, although it will feel a bit of fun. The 70 Executive version comes with a 63.98 kWh LFP battery and a range of 510 km. The more expensive 80 Executive upgrades the battery to a 76.8 kWh NMC package with a claimed range of 610 km.