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GAC Aion LX Plus Gets 1,008 Km (626 Mi) of Range With 144.4-kWh Battery Pack

The Lucid Air has an official EPA range of 520 miles (834 kilometers). It was the longest range of any pure electric car until GAC disclosed the Aion LX Plus, which gets a 1,008 km (626 mi) NEDC range. Now we are in doubt about the champion, but GAC only reached that number thanks to a 144.4 kWh battery pack.
GAC Aion LX Plus 6 photos
Photo: GAC
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To give you an idea of what that represents, the Tesla Model 3 used to have a 75 kWh battery pack. The Lucid Air relies on a 112.5 kWh unit, making the Aion LX battery pack 28% bigger than that on the electric sedan.

We are not sure which of these two EVs present the most range because it is very complicated to compare NEDC numbers with those certified by the EPA. Despite the peculiarities presented by the American standard – such as accepting two different processes to deliver the results – it is considered as more severe and close to actual numbers than the NEDC or even WLTP cycles.

In other words, it is not unlikely that the 1,008-km NEDC range for the GAC Aion LX Plus turns out to be less than the 834 km the Air offers under EPA tests. We’ll only be able to compare them when Lucid starts selling the Air in the Chinese market or if GAC decides to take the Aion LX Plus to American shores.

Peter Rawlinson already said that making a larger battery pack to deliver more range is a dumb strategy. That seems to be precisely the case with the Aion LX Plus. Instead of the 4.79 meters (188.6 inches) of length in the regular Aion LX, the Plus is 5 cm (1.97 in) longer, at 4.84 m (190.6 in). However, the small length gain does not show how much bigger the battery pack got: the weight does.

Compared to the 2,180 kilograms (4,806 pounds) the heaviest Aion LX presents, the Aion LX Plus weighs 2,720 kg (5,997 lb). That’s 540 kg (1,191 lb), or more than half a ton over what was already a fairly heavy machine. Perhaps GAC should ask Lucid for some tips in achieving energy efficiency.

According to CNEVPost, the Aion LX Plus will debut at the Guangzhou Auto Show on November 19. We’re still waiting for GAC to reveal the silicon anode technology that will improve energy density in its lithium-ion batteries to 280 Wh/kg. The ones on the Aion LX Plus present 205 Wh/kg.
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About the author: Gustavo Henrique Ruffo
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Motoring writer since 1998, Gustavo wants to write relevant stories about cars and their shift to a sustainable future.
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