The Aion Hyper SSR Is a Newly-Revealed All-Electric Chinese Supercar Boasting 1,225 HP

GAC Aion was founded in July 2017 and is a brand focused on EVs and new energy products and services. This year, it began selling the LX Plus SUV with 600+ miles of range, and it launched its first battery-swap station in April.

The company recently organized a brand day in Guangzhou, revealing a game-changing automobile, the Aion Hyper SSR, and announcing its brand logo redesign. It's the brand's first-ever supercar which they previewed using a concept car about two years ago. The all-electric vehicle boasts insanely powerful specs – Aion claims the two-door bullet can do 0-60 mph (96 kph) in just 1.9 seconds, making it comparable to the Tesla Model S Plaid or the Rimac Nevera. But since it's just a claim, I'm curious to see if the car lives up to the expectations. Its makers also say the maximum wheel torque is 12,000 Nm.

The car will be available in two configurations – a rear-wheel drive with 1,225 hp/1,241 ps (913 kW) and a four-wheel drive named the Hyper SSR Ultimate, which will be a model that can achieve the 0-60 sprint in 1.9 seconds. We don't yet know about the number of motors or drive forms.

The Hyper SSR has a relatively standard sports car body design, with a streamlined roof line and wide front and rear fenders. So, nothing too sophisticated, as the main audience for this vehicle consists of everyday buyers. Its body is 100% carbon fiber, which will help the car achieve the best performance while maintaining safety and reducing weight. The gull-wing doors are also a nice feature.

The exterior is equipped with an electric rear wing and a diffuser that add more layers to its body and work together to generate downforce. The car's side profile is smooth and straightforward, with full-wheel arches. In terms of lights, the front LED running lights are composed of slender lines and dots. Toward the rear, the Hyper SSR features a distinctive high-mounted brake light design that also integrates a rear camera.

The interior features an 8.8-inch (22.3-centimeter) display and a 14.6-inch (37-centimeter) infotainment system, similar to what you would see on a Tesla or other cars. To be fair, lots of car manufacturers are opting for a huge display instead of more interactive solutions such as buttons or levers, even though it's been proven that a button interface is easier to use. Moreover, GAC Aion says that the vehicle will boast a "lever-type electronic shift mechanism". I am not quite sure what they mean by that, so we must wait until the company takes it out on the road.

We are kind of getting used to seeing powerful vehicles with stylish, aerodynamic designs, especially when it comes to EVs. What's truly impressive about the Hyper SSR is its price tag. GAC Aion says the car will cost 1.28M yuan ($182,300) for the basic rear-wheel drive version and just 1.68M yuan (about $240,000) for the Ultimate.

If you're interested in this supercar, I'm sorry to inform you that it will only be homologated in China, but maybe you'd be happy importing it and using it as a track machine.

GAC Aion has now entered a highly competitive sports car market, making use of its designs and technical knowledge to stand out. The Hyper SSR capabilities look good on paper, but I'm looking forward to seeing it in a live demonstration and telling you folks more about this brand-new EV.