The HiPhi Z coupe has a starting price of RMB 610,000, with the first production cars rolling off the production line on December 20.

(Image credit: HiPhi)

The HiPhi Z, the second model of the HiPhi brand from Chinese premium electric vehicle (EV) maker Human Horizons, began mass production after the model was officially launched in late August.

The first production vehicles of the HiPhi Z rolled off the line on December 20 and departed for various cities in China, according to a press release from the EV brand yesterday.

The HiPhi Z is HiPhi's second flagship model after the HiPhi X, positioned as a large luxury all-electric four-door coupe, the company said, adding that the two models offer more high-end personalization options for users with different needs.

The EV industry has experienced multiple challenges this year, but HiPhi has achieved timely mass production of the HiPhi Z, marking a new phase of development for HiPhi, said Ding Lei, the brand's founder, chairman and CEO.

HiPhi Z cars for test drives will begin arriving at HiPhi Hub, HiPhi's showrooms in various Chinese cities, at the end of this month, it said in a press release yesterday.

Volume deliveries of HiPhi Z will begin in January 2023, it said, adding that the timing of test drives and deliveries will vary by region depending on shipping availability and order configuration.

Human Horizons launched the HiPhi brand on July 31, 2019, which is the highest-priced local Chinese brand for vehicles to date.

The brand launched the HiPhi X SUV in October 2020 with a starting price of RMB 570,000 ($81,800) for the six-seat version and up to RMB 800,000 for the four-seat version. Deliveries of the model begin on May 8, 2021.

On August 26, 2022, HiPhi launched the HiPhi Z on the first day of the Chengdu auto show, offering five-seat and four-seat versions with starting prices of RMB 610,000 and 630,000, respectively.

The coupe measures 5,036 mm in length, 2,018 mm in width and 1,439 mm in height, and has a wheelbase of 3,150 mm.

The model offers a 120-kWh capacity battery pack and a CLTC range of up to 705 km.

The HiPhi Z is equipped with dual electric motors, with a peak power of 247 kW both front and rear. Their combined maximum power of 494 kW and maximum torque of 820 Nm allows the vehicle to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.8 seconds.

The model is equipped with a suspended rear wing that opens automatically when the vehicle reaches 80 km/h, or the user can turn it on and off manually when needed.

HiPhi is currently targeting a segment that other local Chinese brands have not yet begun to expand into, but rumors surfaced last week that Nio may have plans to enter the market.

Nio is going to build its own "Mercedes-Maybach" model, local auto media outlet Auto Home said in a December 14 report, citing an insider at the electric vehicle company close to the project.

The project is already in the design phase and will be a luxury sedan priced at 1 million yuan level, the source said.

More than 60 percent of consumers who order the HiPhi X are Nio owners, a HiPhi salesperson was quoted as saying in an Auto Home report today.

Since that market exists, Nio could do the job of building an ultra-luxury model itself, the report said.