Prices of the budget-priced small SUV, BYD-rivalling electric SUV, and plug-in hybrid Kia Carnival competitor set to lead GAC's Australian launch are now official.
Electric Cars
GAC has become the latest Chinese car maker to enter Australia with cut-priced electric cars, small SUVs, and even a people mover to chase the success enjoyed by compatriots MG, GWM, Chery and BYD.
Prices announced today by GAC will see its three debut models – the Emzoom small SUV, Aion V mid-size electric SUV, and M8 plug-in hybrid people mover – target Chinese and Korean rivals.
The manufacturer is aiming for 1000 sales in 2025 – as it ramps up its brand – but is hoping for 33,000 sales by 2028, backed by a larger range of vehicles, including a dual-cab ute.
"We're not going to achieve that [with] just the three model lines we are launching ... That's why we will be expanding these over the coming year[s]," GAC deputy managing director Cheney Liang told Drive earlier this month.
GAC will field a network of conventional franchise dealerships, eschewing the online-focused, fixed-price sales popularised by Tesla, or the showroom-oriented but still non-negotiable model adopted by Honda and Mercedes-Benz.
The new marque will back its petrol and hybrid models with a seven-year warranty, rising to eight years for electric cars, all without a distance limit.
The brand's smallest and cheapest model, the Emzoom small SUV, arrive from $25,590 plus on-road costs, or an estimated $28,000 drive-away, in a single model grade.
It does not undercut the cheapest Chery Tiggo 4 ($23,990 drive-away), but it is broadly in line with a GWM Haval Jolion ($26,990 drive-away before discounts), MG ZS (from $27,990 drive-away) or Kia Stonic (from $28,180 plus on-roads).
Standard features in the sole Emzoom grade include a 14.6-inch touchscreen, leather-look seats, a panoramic sunroof and a power tailgate, but no rear cross-traffic alert or blind-spot monitor warnings.
The Aion V will be GAC's first electric car, a small-to-mid-size SUV priced from $42,590 plus on-road costs in entry-level Premium form, and $44,590 plus on-roads for the higher-grade Luxury.
It is a competitor to the Geely EX5 ($40,990 plus on-road costs), but is rated with a longer driving range (510km vs 430km WLTP) with a slightly faster charging time (16 minutes vs 17 minutes from 30 to 80 per cent).
It pairs a 150kW/210Nm electric motor with a 75.3kWh battery pack as standard, and offers features such as 19-inch wheels, LED headlights, power-adjustable heated and ventilated front seats, a sunroof, and a 14.6-inch touchscreen in the base grade.
Opting for the Luxury adds part-leather upholstery (rather than all-synthetic trim), massaging front seats, an in-car fridge, and a fold-down tray table in the rear-seat area, among other items.
GAC's most expensive vehicle at launch will be the M8 PHEV, a large, seven-seat, plug-in hybrid people mover aimed at the top-selling Kia Carnival.
It is no bargain-basement special, however, priced from $76,590 plus on-road costs in entry-level Premium form, rising to $83,590 plus on-roads for the higher-grade Luxury.
Kia does not sell its people mover as a plug-in hybrid – nor, in fact, does any other brand in Australia – but it offers a plug-less hybrid Carnival GT-Line for $76,630 plus on-roads, with a full list of equipment.
The M8 PHEV is larger than a Carnival, and draws power from a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine combined with an electric motor and 25.6kWh battery pack.
GAC claims system outputs of 274kW and 630Nm – for zero to 100km/h in a quoted 8.8 seconds – as well as driving ranges of 106km in electric mode, or 1032km overall as a hybrid.
Fuel consumption with a depleted battery is claimed at 6.05 litres per 100 kilometres – compared to 5.8L/100km in a Carnival Hybrid – while the battery can be recharged from empty to 80 per cent full in a claimed 30 minutes, at up to 39kW DC.
Standard features in the Premium grade include dual electric sliding doors, power front and manual-sliding second-row seat adjustment, a 10.1-inch touchscreen, leather first- and second-row seat trim, and tri-zone climate control.
Luxury trim features include rear-door sunshades, electric second-row seats with massaging and memory, 'premium leather' first and second-row upholstery, automatic parking, rear tray tables, a heated steering wheel, and an in-car fragrance.
Buyers who order an Aion V or M8 PHEV before the end of 2025 will receive a free 22kW home charging wallbox and a $1000 cashback, in addition to a $500 "fuel or charge card" offered to all GAC customers who place a deposit by December 31, irrespective of model.
GAC vehicles are now available to order in Australia.
2026 GAC car prices in Australia
Note: All prices above exclude on-road costs.
Electric Cars Guide
Alex Misoyannis has been writing about cars since 2017, when he started his own website, Redline. He contributed for Drive in 2018, before joining CarAdvice in 2019, becoming a regular contributing journalist within the news team in 2020. Cars have played a central role throughout Alex’s life, from flicking through car magazines at a young age, to growing up around performance vehicles in a car-loving family. Highly Commended - Young Writer of the Year 2024 (Under 30) Rising Star Journalist, 2024 Winner Scoop of The Year - 2024 Winner
