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Electric
2026 GAC Aion UT: price, specs and release date in Australia
Terry Martin
March 29, 2026
The GAC Aion UT is now on sale in Australia, a cheap and cheerful EV hatch with lots of features, 430km range (WLTP) and a roomy cabin to rival the BYD Dolphin, BYD Atto 2, GWM Ora, MG4 and more. Here’s everything you need to know.
The 2026 GAC Aion UT electric hatchback has arrived in Australia at a time when fuel prices are prompting more people than ever to consider switching to EVs.
Priced from less than $32,000 before on-road costs, or $30,990 drive-away as part of a launch promotion, the Aion UT isn’t the cheapest EV on sale but it’s surprisingly roomy for a small hatch and highly competitive against the BYD Dolphin, GWM Ora, MG4 and others when you consider what’s on offer.
Here’s the full rundown on the new GAC Aion UT, from pricing and equipment to design, layout, space, tech, safety, power, range, charging and recommended service costs – plus, RACV has the inside line on the GAC brand, including its plans for Australia, models on sale and what’s coming next.
The GAC Aion UT cabin has plenty of tech, more room than you’d expect and lots of colour and texture.
When does the 2026 GAC Aion UT go on sale in Australia?
The 2026 GAC Aion UT is now available to order through the fledgling Chinese brand’s small dealer network that comprises 19 outlets as at March 2026 but is set to expand to 30 dealerships “in the next couple of months, definitely by the end of Q2, 2026”, according to GAC Australia executives.
First customer deliveries are expected during the second quarter of 2026, starting in April.
How much does the GAC Aion UT cost?
The 2026 GAC Aion UT hatchback is one of the most affordable EVs on sale in Australia, priced from $31,990 plus on-road costs for the Aion UT Premium and from $35,990 plus ORCs for the Aion UT Luxury. Both variants have the same single-motor/front-wheel drive layout and battery, leaving equipment levels to make up the $4000 difference (see our section on equipment and features below).
As a launch special, GAC Australia is offering a discounted price for the first 600 customer orders, reducing the Aion UT Premium to $30,990 drive-away and also removing on-road costs for the Luxury. As a further incentive, for these first 600 orders the company will also throw in a 10A portable charger and a 22kW AC wall charger for dedicated EV home charging.
The retail pricing is closely matched to the BYD Dolphin, which starts at $29,990 plus on-road costs for the Essential grade but moves to $36,990 plus ORCs for the Premium variant that’s a closer match to the Aion UT. The smaller BYD Atto 1 four-seater hatch is more affordable (from $31,990 Essential, or $27,990 for the Premium, both plus ORCs), while the BYD Atto 2 small SUV is also in the mix from $31,990 plus ORCs.
BYD Atto 2 is one of several battery-electric small SUVs also priced below $40,000, such as the Jaecoo J5 EV, Chery E5 and Leapmotor B10. Among hatchbacks, other contenders include the forthcoming new MG4 EV Urban priced from a GAC-matching $31,990 drive-away, while the GWM Ora is available from $33,990 drive-away. The Geely EX2 is coming soon, too.
The Toyota Corolla Hybrid is priced from $32,110 plus ORCs ($36,471 drive-away for Victorian private buyers), which shows just how competitive the new breed of high-spec, full-electric small cars and SUVs have become from the fast-growing Chinese brands.
The GAC Aion UT is covered by an appealing eight-year/unlimited-kilometre new vehicle warranty, while separate warranty conditions for the high-voltage battery apply for the same period but under a 200,000km limit. A five-year roadside assistance scheme is subject to the Aion UT being serviced at a GAC dealership.
The EV has service intervals of 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first. GAC Australia has not yet developed a capped price servicing scheme for its vehicles, leaving costs to individual dealers. However, RACV can reveal the recommended retail prices for Aion UT scheduled services over the warranty period that GAC has provided its dealer network:
The GAC Aion UT’s long wheelbase and dedicated EV platform help provide excellent rear seat room.
2026 GAC Aion UT standard equipment & features
The 2026 GAC Aion UT is highly competitive on price, combining a 150kW electric motor and 60kWh high-voltage battery (430km claimed WLTP range) with a broad range of equipment.
GAC Aion UT Premium features:
8.9-inch digital driver’s display
14.6-inch infotainment touchscreen
Voice control
Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity
Remote control functions via GAC App
DAB+ digital radio and FM band (not AM)
6-speaker stereo
6-way power-adjustable driver’s seat
4-way power-adjustable front passenger seat
Front seat heating and steering wheel heating
Climate control air-conditioning with heat pump and rear air vents
Engine immobiliser and alarm
Automatic LED headlights
LED daytime running lights, tail-lights and rear fog light
Eyebrow design for the headlights are easily recognised on the GAC Aion UT.
Emerald green paint on GAC Aion UT can be combined with a white roof for an extra $1000.
Unique lighting graphics are also found at the rear of the GAC Aion UT.
Rococo white paint is a no-cost option on the GAC Aion UT electric hatch.
GAC Aion UT has some European flair to its exterior (and interior) design.
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GAC Aion UT exterior styling & dimensions
The 2026 GAC Aion UT is a battery-electric five-seat small hatchback with a youthful vibe, described by the carmaker as a “Milan-inspired fastback” and clearly not taking itself too seriously with its eyebrow-style LED headlights – said to be a world-first design referencing an owl’s look – and pixel graphics on the lower front daytime running lights-cum-indicators.
Other creative elements on the exterior of the curvy Aion UT include a porthole design in the rear pillar, which is part of a trim insert that gives the hatch a floating roof effect when a contrasting white roof is specified. The sloping roofline is also meant to resemble an aircraft tailfin.
The Aion UT measures 4270mm long, 1850mm wide and 1575mm high, with a 2750mm wheelbase. That makes it 20mm shorter than the BYD Dolphin, but 50mm longer in the wheelbase, as well as 80mm wider and 5mm taller.
The top-tier UT Luxury model grade has a large panoramic sunroof (860x790mm) and a power-operated tailgate.
The Aion UT is available in seven exterior colours, plus two separate two-tone/white-roof options. Single-tone white and beige are standard, while green, lavender, silver, crimson and black cost an extra $600. Crimson and green are the two colours which can be ordered with a white roof, with the combination costing an additional $1000.
The hatch is fitted standard with 17-inch alloy wheels with metallic and black tones, wrapped in 215/55R17 Chaoyang tyres. As with most EVs, there is no spare tyre if you get a flat, just a puncture repair kit. A tyre pressure monitoring system is fitted standard.
The suspension is a common configuration for budget small cars, employing MacPherson struts up front and a non-independent torsion beam axle at the rear. It uses disc brakes front and rear, an electronic park brake and electric power steering.
Two-tone cream and charcoal trim on display in the GAC Aion UT Luxury.
14.6-inch centre touchscreen on GAC Aion UT handles most of the major controls.
Stylish elements on the GAC Aion UT are not always the most practical.
Rear seat area in GAC Aion UT has a flat floor, generous legroom and air vents.
The GAC Aion UT cargo area holds 321 litres with the 60/40-split rear seats upright.
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GAC Aion UT interior design, space & technology
GAC’s styling studio in Milan is said to have taken the lead on the 2026 GAC Aion UT hatchback’s interior design, which is quite spacious in both the front and rear seat areas and appealing with its two-tone trim options, soft-touch materials and up-to-date tech.
The centrepiece of the dash is a 14.6-inch touchscreen that handles all major controls, including climate control and exterior mirror adjustment. It’s a minimalist affair but voice control is provided, and the driver has a separate 8.88-inch instrument panel that shows critical information.
The Aion UT has an inbuilt modem with Wi-Fi hotspot for smartphone app remote functions, over-the-air (OTA) software updates and online navigation. The nav is included as a three-year free subscription once activated, while GAC Australia provides 2GB of in-vehicle data per month free for the first two years. Arrangements with a local supplier for higher data requirements are still to be put in place.
The GAC App is said to have 40 individual functions, including current battery state of charge and driving range, remote door lock/unlock, window open/close, cabin temperature pre-set and vehicle location. The key fob also allows for automatic door lock/unlock when in proximity of the vehicle.
The car has wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, Bluetooth, DAB+ digital radio and various charging points, including USB-A, USB-C and 12V outlets up front. Wireless phone charging and a rear USB-A socket are only included on the Aion UT Luxury.
There is no front trunk under the bonnet, but GAC points to 24 separate storage areas inside the Aion UT. These include an upright lidded cubby at the base of the dash stack in which there’s enough space and some netting to hold miscellaneous items, while the floating centre console includes a deep storage box (with split lid), a couple of cupholders and, on the Luxury grade, a wireless smartphone charging pad. The console hovers above an open tray at floor level that can hold larger items.
Interior trim colour options extend to cream, black or lavender (dusky pink). The seats are upholstered in PVC, with power adjustment included for both front positions (6-way driver, 4-way passenger). The front seats also fully recline.
The rear seats are claimed to be roomy enough to fit “three adults with ease”, thanks to the relatively long 2750mm wheelbase. GAC points to other key dimensions such as 1385mm across the rear bench seat and up to 905mm of rear legroom.
Rear seat amenities include air vents, LED reading lights and a fold-down centre armrest with integrated cupholders. All four electric door windows in the vehicle have one-touch up/down and anti-pinch functions.
The boot holds 321 litres with the rear seats upright, extending to 689L when the 60/40 split-fold backrests are lowered.
The Aion UT has Vehicle to Load (V2L) capability that enables the battery to be used for charging and running small electrical appliances, up to a 3.3kW discharge. That said, GAC Australia is still working on a suitable V2L adapter for our market, so it’s not available at launch.
GAC claims the Aion UT can travel up to 430km (WLTP) before needing to recharge.
What is the power & EV range of the GAC Aion UT?
The 2026 GAC Aion UT uses a front-mounted single electric motor that produces 150kW of power and 210Nm of torque. Driving the front wheels, the UT – which weighs 1670kg in base Premium trim and 1700kg in Luxury guise – can accelerate from 0-100km/h in a claimed 7.3 seconds.
The e-motor draws energy from a 60kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery that can provide a maximum 430km range on the WLTP test cycle, according to GAC. Energy consumption is a claimed 16.4kWh/100km (WLTP). Drivers can choose between Comfort, Sport and Eco driving modes.
The so-called Magazine Battery 2.0 can be charged using AC current up to 11kW and DC fast-charging up to 87kW. GAC claims the Aion UT’s LFP power pack can be recharged from 30-80% in 24 minutes at the maximum rate. A 10-80% DC charge will take about 30-40 minutes, according to the carmaker.
Where the Aion UT has the same powertrain specs across the range, rival electric cars often have different battery sizes, charging capacities and e-motor output depending on the model grade, so when researching and comparing EVs it will be useful to note the powertrain specs.
For example, the BYD Dolphin Essential has a 44.9kWh battery (340km WLTP range, 60kW DC) and a 70kW/180Nm electric motor, while the Dolphin Premium is closer in spec to the Aion UT with a 60.48kWh battery (427km WLTP range, 80kW DC) and 150kW/310Nm e-motor.
Front seat occupants in the GAC Aion UT are protected by seven airbags and should gain access to an emergency call system later in 2026.
How safe is the GAC Aion UT?
The 2026 GAC Aion UT has not yet been crash-tested by ANCAP or its affiliate Euro NCAP but GAC Australia president Kevin Shu said he was confident the car would meet the requirements for a maximum five-star safety rating under new testing protocols introduced this year.
Automatic collision notification and an emergency call (eCall) system are part of the package, designed to notify emergency services if the car is involved in a serious collision. The system is pre-wired into the car, with buttons on the overhead console, but will not come online until later this year. Exact timing is still to be announced.
Elsewhere on the safety front, GAC points to features such as wide V-shaped curtain airbags that have a lower extension between the front and rear seats. Overall, there are seven airbags; in addition to the 2.1m-long front/rear curtains, the other airbags are all focused on the front compartment (dual front, side and centre).
For child restraints, ISOFIX points are found in the rear outboard seating positions and top tether strap anchorage points are provided behind all three rear seats. Single-stage seatbelt pretensioners and force limiters are also built into the outboard rear seatbelt mechanisms.
Autonomous emergency braking (AEB) in forward and reverse
Forward collision warning
Lane departure warning, lane keep assist
Traffic sign recognition
Intelligent speed limit control
Rear collision warning
Front/rear cross traffic alert and braking
Door open warning
Driver and occupant monitoring (incl. child presence detection)
There is a surround-view camera system onboard the Aion UT to assist with parking manoeuvres, supported by front and rear parking sensors.
GAC says the high-voltage battery uses cell-to-pack technology that includes an outer shell with fireproof insulation. It also has fast ion conducting (FIC) insulation coatings and internal cooling fluid without flammable additives “to ensure the battery will not catch fire or explode even when punctured or heated up to 180 degrees Celsius”, the carmaker claims.
GAC Group, or Guangzhou Automobile Group Company Ltd, is a Chinese state-owned carmaker headquartered in Guangzhou, Guangdong province. Ranking as one of the top 10 brands in the Chinese market, GAC exports to more than 85 markets worldwide and has 50/50 joint venture partnerships in place with Honda and Toyota for Chinese-market cars.
Arriving in Australia at the end of 2025, GAC currently offers four models here:
GAC Aion UT hatch – EV (from $31,990 plus on-road costs)
GAC Emzoom small SUV – petrol engine (from $25,590 plus ORCs)
GAC Aion V medium SUV – EV (from $42,590 plus ORCs)
In 2027, GAC will add three new models, as confirmed to RACV:
A GAC dual-cab ute (pick-up) to rival the BYD Shark 6, Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux – confirmed as a plug-in hybrid with a separate ladder-frame chassis.
A new GAC electric medium SUV to rival the Tesla Model Y and others.
A large GAC plug-in hybrid large 5-seat family SUV to rival the (7-seat) BYD Sealion 8 and others.
In an interview with RACV, GAC Australia president Kevin Shu detailed GAC’s ambitious plan to join BYD, GWM, MG (and potentially Chery) as one of the top 10 brands in Australia by 2030 – or as early as 2028. To get there, the strategy in this timeframe includes:
Launching more than 10 model lines to cover all key market segments.
Offering a mix of EV, PHEV and ICE (internal combustion engine) powertrains.
Expanding the dealer network to more than 100 outlets (currently 19), including regional areas.
Developing its local parts distribution operations to ensure spare parts availability.
Sticking with a ‘One GAC’ brand in Australia but drawing from several brands in the global portfolio (GAC, Aion, Hyptec and others).
“GAC is not the cheapest brand in this market. We want to keep a reasonable and stable price to receive trust [from consumers] in the long term,” said Shu. “We want to be a high-value brand providing high-value service for this market.”
The information provided is general advice only. Before making any decisions please consider your own circumstances and the Product Disclosure Statement and Target Market Determinations. For copies, visit racv.com.au. As distributor, RACV Insurance Services Pty Ltd AFS Licence No. 230039 receives commission for each policy sold or renewed. Product(s) issued by Insurance Manufacturers of Australia Pty Ltd ABN 93 004 208 084 AFS Licence No. 227678.
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