HiPhi has announced that it is entering the European car market with its fast-moving HiPhi X premium electric vehicle (EV) after the model passed test by TÜV SÜD – a German firm in record time.
Meanwhile, the move is set to be HiPhi’s first car on sale on the continent, the X is billed as a coupé crossover with a focus on comfort and technology. It will be followed in Europe by the HiPhi Z, a luxury electric grand tourer, and a third model, the HiPhi Y, which will be unveiled at the Shanghai motor show.
The X will be sold in Europe with a 97kWh battery, offering a claimed range of up to 403 miles, calculated using the China light-duty vehicle test cycle (CLTC). It uses a dual-motor set-up with a total output of 528bhp. HiPhi says it can complete 0-62mph in 3.9sec.
In China, the X can be selected with a 120kWh battery with 438 miles of range, but HiPhi has not confirmed if this variant will be offered in Europe. Both four and six-seat configurations will go on sale in Europe.
HiPhi has emphasized the high level of X’s technology. Inside, it’s equipped with a 17-speaker audio system, a 19.9 inch passenger-oriented touchscreen infotainment system, and a customizable fragrance system. Also included as standard is a series of 8.0in touchscreens around the car and “airline-style seats”.
Another standout feature, the firm says, is the inclusion of the “first robotic arm in the industry”, which adjusts the angle of the infotainment screen.
No prices have been revealed for the European market yet, but the X entered production just under two years ago in China, becoming the country’s best-selling premium EV (£60,000-plus) in its first half year on sale.
HiPhi Primed To Unveil Its Third Production Car
With the Z to follow the X, HiPhi is now primed to unveil its third production car at the Shanghai motor show. The HiPhi Y, as it’s expected to be called, will open new doors for the four-year-old Shanghai-based company, targeting a lower price point and higher sales volumes – as well as serving as the flag bearer for a global expansion strategy.
HiPhi chief technology officer Mark Stanton (previously head of Jaguar Land Rover’s Special Vehicles division) hinted that the third car, based on the same architecture as its range-mates, will be revealed at the Shanghai motor show later this month and will be cheaper than the £75,000 X and Z.
“Our first two products are both high-end, top-of-the-range cars,” said Stanton, adding that they have “anchored our brand at that premium level” to the point where most of HiPhi’s conquest customers are coming over from Mercedes-Benz.
The HiPhi Z, a rakish, high-riding saloon, arrived on sale at the end of 2022 and looks to steal some of the indomitable Porsche Taycan’s thunder in the German firm’s biggest market.
But in line with a prevailing focus on younger buyers, who are less “sensitive about brand” than older customers of established premium marques, HiPhi will look to diversify its product line with a more volume-friendly EV that brings comparable levels of technology and functionality at a lower price.
