Understanding gAC Aion unveils Ray 7, first model with new logo, powered by Huawei drive unit
- The Ray 7 is the first model in GAC Aion’s new Ray series and is tasked with helping rejuvenate the brand’s appeal to younger consumers.
- The sedan features a Huawei-supplied motor with peak power of 180 kW (241 hp) and has a range of 700 kilometers.
GAC (HKEX: 2238) subsidiary GAC Aion unveiled the Ray 7 on Wednesday, the first model in the brand’s new Ray series.
The Ray 7 is also GAC Aion’s first model to feature its refreshed brand logo and is tasked with helping the brand appeal to younger consumers.
The 5-seat pure electric sedan measures 4,960 mm in length, 1,900 mm in width and 1,455 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2,920 mm.
It features a low-slung, wide-body stance and a fastback profile, with a full-width light bar at the front and an illuminated logo.
The new model is available in yellow and purple, while 14 aerodynamic optimizations help reduce its drag coefficient to 0.22.
The Ray 7 is built on a battery electric rear-wheel-drive platform and uses a Huawei-supplied motor with peak power of 180 kW (241 hp), along with Huawei’s DriveONE integrated electric drive system.
Combined with GAC Aion’s next-generation thermal management system and 28-in-1 thermal management module, the model has CLTC energy consumption as low as 9.7 kWh per 100 kilometers and a CLTC range of 700 kilometers, according to GAC Aion.
Its battery is supplied by CATL (HKEX: 3750) and incorporates GAC Aion’s Magazine Battery 2.0 safety technology.
Previous regulatory filings showed that another variant uses battery cells from GAC Aion’s Yinpai Battery.
On the chassis side, GAC Aion said the Ray 7 is the first model to feature its chip-level integrated drive-and-control architecture, as well as Huawei’s EMB (Electromechanical Braking) fully brake-by-wire system.
The sedan has a braking distance of 33 meters from 100 kilometers per hour and can stop safely even in the event of failures at all 4 wheels, according to GAC Aion.
Its driver-assistance system uses 27 automotive-grade sensors, including a Huawei 192-channel LiDAR and 3 4D millimeter-wave radars.
The system’s algorithms share the same technological foundation as WeRide’s (Nasdaq: WRD) Level 4 robotaxis and support features including parking-space-to-parking-space driving, nearby parking-space search and automated passage through parking gates.
GAC Aion and Huawei held a signing ceremony at the launch event, saying they will further deepen their technology collaboration.
GAC Aion has yet to announce pricing or a launch date for the Ray 7. The model is expected to be positioned in the 200,000 yuan ($29,500) to 250,000 yuan range, competing with the Xiaomi (HKEX: 1810) SU7, Zeekr 007 and Shangjie Z7.
The Ray 7 will be displayed to the public at the 2026 Chengdu Auto Show from August 21 to August 30, China’s first A-class auto show in the second half of the year.
The new series arrives as GAC Aion’s sales are recovering. The brand sold 28,807 vehicles in July, up 36.37% year-on-year, according to data compiled by CnEVPost.
From January to July, GAC Aion sold 210,386 vehicles, up 62.08% year-on-year.
That marks a reversal from its weakness in 2025, when the brand sold 290,081 vehicles for the full year, down 22.62% year-on-year.
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($1 = 6.7808 yuan)
