Shanghai (ZXZC)- GAC AION, GAC Group's wholly-owned subsidiary dedicated to NEV business, will unveil the AION LX Plus all-electric model that boasts an ultra-long NEDC range of 1,008km at the Auto Guangzhou 2021, the automaker announced on Tuesday.

Photo credit: GAC AION

According to a statement GAC AION released in early Nov., the to-be-exhibited model had been included in a MIIT's catalogue for the NEV models exempted from the vehicle and vessel purchase taxes. The governmental document shows that the AION LX Plus is powered by a 144.4kWh ternary-lithium battery pack that features an energy density of 205Wh/kg. Its electricity consumption under NEDC test cycle is 15.8 kWh per 100 kilometers.

GAC AION said the new vehicle model adopts the “silicon sponge technology”, namely, the silicon-containing anode is supposed to be as soft as a sponge. This technology is said to make batteries lighter and smaller, and help improve batteries’ energy density, power and performance at low temperatures. Using the technology, the size and weight of the battery unit can be decreased by 20% and 14% respectively, the automaker noted.

In July, GAC AION announced it had completed the hot-weather testing in Sanya for the super-long-range AION LX PLUS, and the model was about to go into volume production. With the air conditioner running, the AION LX achieved a range of 904km, indicating the 1,000-km range is achievable in a milder environment, the company revealed then.