The entry-level electric car segment gained another competitor, the GAC Aion UT, but it did not displace the Geely as the best in the category
The new GAC Aion UT was launched last Tuesday (2) with the promise of being a strong competitor in the entry-level electric car segment. The Premium model is priced at R$ 139.990, competing against Geely EX2 Max, BYD Dolphin GS and Chevrolet Spark EUV, all with prices up to R$ 150 thousand.
This segment is attracting many buyers of hatches and compact combustion SUVs. For those who drive only in the city and can install a charger at home, the electric car represents a significant reduction in expenses.
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Of the cars we are comparing here, the sales leader is the Geely EX2, which has a waiting list because import operations cannot handle the demand. This even caused a change in plans, it will be nationalized before the bigger brother EX5 EM-i.
This segment previously belonged to the BYD Dolphin GS, which was displaced at home by the Dolphin Mini. It is already at the end of its career, the successor is the SE model that is already on the market and brings good improvements.
Chevrolet, on the other hand, bets on a different proposal with the Spark EUV, it is an SUV. Its origin is Chinese like that of rivals, but General Motors has made a fine tuning of the model and it is assembled in SKD regime at the PACE factory in Ceará. Let’s see how the new GAC Aion UT faces this group.
The Geely EX2 starts in front because it is the cheapest here, starting at R$ 136.990 in the top-of-the-line Max version. The GAC Aion UT is in second place by a difference of R$ 3.000.
The most expensive is the BYD Dolphin GS, which is priced at R$ 149.990. But as he is at the end of his career, the brand is offering discounts at dealerships.
The BYD Dolphin GS compensates for the more expensive price by bringing the longest range in the segment: 291 km. But the difference to the second place, the Geely EX2, is only 3 km.
And here we notice a curious detail of the EX2. It has the smallest battery and still achieves great autonomy. The secret lies in the more efficient engine and the low weight of the model. As with combustion cars, there are more or less efficient electric motors, and the weight of the battery pack can also affect the autonomy.
The rookie GAC Aion UT fared worse, even with the second largest heat he was in the bottom of the table. The 204 hp engine explains this. The Spark EUV also had a low range, but 5 km above the newcomer.
| Car | Battery | Autonomy |
|---|---|---|
| BYD Dolphin GS | 44.9 kWh | 291 km |
| Geely EX2 Max | 39.4 kWh | 289 km |
| Chevrolet Spark EUV | 42 kWh | 258 km |
| GAC Aion UT Premium | 44.1 kWh | 253 km |
On a trip, recharging power is essential for stops to be brief. Fast chargers are direct current, which can give a good dose of autonomy in about 40 minutes.
Among the cars we are comparing, the one with the best fast charging capacity is the Geely EX2 with a power of 70 kW. Aion UT was in second place, with 64 kW.
The Chevrolet Spark EUV, once again, is at the bottom with only 50 kW. Slow charging, in alternating current, is 6.6 kW in all models compared.
| Car | Alternating | Direct current |
|---|---|---|
| Geely EX2 Max | 6.6 Kw | 70 kW |
| GAC Aion UT Premium | 6.6 kW | 64 kW |
| BYD Dolphin GS | 6.6 kW | 60 kW |
| Chevrolet Spark EUV | 6.6 kW | 50 kW |
The big highlight of the GAC Aion UT is that it comes with a powerful 204 hp engine in this price range. It is by far the most powerful car in the segment and has an advantage of 88 hp over the Geely EX2.
The Premium version still underperforms the Elite model because of the battery, but its advantage is big here. In second position is the Geely EX2, which is the only one with rear-wheel drive and faces steep climbs more easily.
The bottom of the group is the Chevrolet Spark EUV, which was behind the BYD Dolphin GS even though it was stronger.
| Car | Power | Torque | Zero to 100 km/h |
|---|---|---|---|
| GAC Aion UT Premium | 204 hp | 21.4 kgfm | 8.6 s |
| Geely EX2 Max | 116 hp | 15.3 kgfm | 10.2 s |
| Chevrolet Spark EUV | 101 hp | 18.4 kgfm | 11.2 s |
| BYD Dolphin GS | 95 hp | 18.3 kgfm | 10.9 s |
Here the fight goes a lot to the consumer’s preference. Let’s show below some highlights of each car and then point out where each one has an advantage.
GAC Aion UT Premium:
Geely EX2 Max
Chevrolet Spark EUV:
BYD Dolphin GS:
As it is an entry-level model, the GAC Aion UT lacks some equipment such as the one-touch system on the rear window, electric adjustment on the driver’s seat and the ADAS package. The Geely EX2 is the only one in this fight without the wiper on the rear window, while the BYD Dolphin GS owes the ADAS package.
Overall, the Geely EX2’s equipment offer is the most complete, along with the Chevrolet Spark EUV. Those who are not keen on ADAS systems can consider the BYD Dolphin.
Chinese cars prioritize space in the rear seat a lot, All those compared here have the same length, 4.27 m, but the wheelbase measurements are different.
The GAC Aion UT has the largest, 2.75 m, followed by the 2.70 m of the BYD Dolphin, 2.65 m of the Geely EX2 and the Chevrolet Spark EUV is at the bottom with 2.56 m of wheelbase. The SUV with the tie also loses by having only four seats, against five of its rivals.
When it comes to carrying luggage, the Geely EX2 was the best, its trunk holds 375 liters and it is the only one with a front compartment, which takes 70 liters. In second position is the Chevrolet Spark EUV, with 355 liters, followed by the GAC Aion UT, with 340 liters, and in last position is the BYD Dolphin with 250 liters.
Chinese brands are expanding in Brazil, so this item should be outdated in a short time. As BYD arrived earlier, it is the one with the largest network among the new brands.
Chevrolet has the largest network, with more than 600 points, but not all of them serve electric cars. Even so, there are about 480 dealerships that can sell and perform Spark EUV after-sales services.
BYD with 200 dealerships already has a large capillarity, but it does not reach some cities in the interior such as Chevrolet. Geely has the smallest network here, but some Renault dealerships service the brand and the French brand also shares the distribution infrastructure with the Chinese one.
This is an item widely used as an argument by fans of Chinese brands, these brands use the guarantee as an argument for quality. In electric and hybrid vehicles, the battery has greater coverage, the standard is 8 years and the mileage may vary.
| Car | Vehicle | Battery warranty |
|---|---|---|
| GAC Aion UT Premium | 8 years or 160 thousand km | 8 years or 200 thousand km |
| Geely EX2 Max | 6 years or 150 thousand km | 8 years or 150 thousand km |
| Chevrolet Spark EUV | 3 years or 100 thousand km | 8 years or 160 thousand km |
| BYD Dolphin GS | 6 years or 200 thousand km | 8 years or 200 thousand km |
The GAC Aion UT has the highest time coverage, good for those who make particular use of the vehicle. BYD’s higher mileage favors those who drive more, but for commercial use the brand cuts the limit to 100 km.
The one who lost badly here was Chevrolet, with the lowest coverage for the car and the second lowest for the battery. The Geely EX2 is average, and stands out for not penalizing those who make commercial use of the vehicle, the coverage is the same.
The Geely EX2 justified the success it is making by winning in four items: price, charging power, equipment and interior space. The GAC Aion UT won in two, performance and warranty. BYD Dolphin GS and Chevrolet Spark EUV won by one point each.
The Geely EX2 was also close to gaining autonomy, a decisive item for electric car owners. His most critical point continues to be the bottleneck in distribution.
The BYD Dolphin GS can be a good option if zero km is found on sale, as this version will be discontinued soon. The Chevrolet Spark EUV is an electric car option for those who live in a region that is not served by Chinese brands and have a Chevrolet dealership.
The GAC Aion UT in the Premium version is a somewhat lost option in the segment, its powerful engine is left over in an urban model, but the interior space is good at least.
