The X (left) and the Z.
BERLIN: Chinese manufacturer HiPhi is bringing two luxury electric cars to the European market, a Gran Turismo called Z and an SUV named X. Both are scheduled to arrive before the end of the year for a price of more than €100,000 (RM502,000).
The Shanghai-based brand is entering a crowded field but it has two factors that make it stand out. Firstly, back home in China, HiPhi has left Tesla behind in the luxury class and has sold more electric cars than Audi, Mercedes, BMW and Porsche combined.
The other is that the two models offer some technical features that the German premium manufacturers have so far only proposed in concept cars.
Both the 5.20-metre-long X and the 5.04-metre-long Z, which is styled like a Nissan GT-R with four doors, have matrix headlights that can even be used to project movies onto a wall.
There are also pixel displays on the cars’ front and rear, with pictograms designed to set the mood for other road users. The Z even has LED strips in the doors that can be populated with individual texts.
And as if that wasn't enough, both vehicles have doors that swing in opposite directions. The X also has two roof elements that can be raised at the touch of a button so that backseat passengers can climb in with their heads held high.
The designers have also thought of small, practical everyday solutions. For example, the rims are fitted with rubber pads that can easily be replaced if they get rubbed against a kerb.
The X interior.
High-tech in the front, classic luxury in the back
The Chinese have also created high-tech experiences inside. In the front of the X there’s a passenger display as big as some living room TVs that makes Mercedes' Hyperscreen look small. The Z has an almost free-standing screen in front of the centre console that automatically aligns itself with the occupant.
To make sure that the backseat passengers don't feel left behind, HiPhi has built them a luxury lounge, the likes of which are usually only found in top of the range manufacturers such as Maybach. The X is also available as a six-seater with four comparatively ordinary armchairs in the rear.
But if you want more you can order the X as a four-seater with huge captain's chairs that turn into recliners at the touch of a button. They’re also air-conditioned and massage your back while you're driving. And without a third row there’s room between the seats for a refrigerated compartment.
The Z interior.
Electric performance only average
As spectacular as the design of the two newcomers is, their drive systems are nothing out of the ordinary. The X is powered by a 97 kWh battery, which is enough for the two 440 kW/598 hp motors to cover up to 460km. It accelerates from a standstill to 100kph in 3.9 seconds and reaches a maximum speed of 200kph.
In the Z, the Chinese have fitted a 120 kWh battery. The car achieves a standard range of 555km, which is helped by the vehicle’s flatter design compared to the X. The two motors have an 494 kW/672 hp output, enabling the car to reach 100kph in 3.8 seconds. Here, too, the top speed is 200kph.
What applies to driving also applies to charging: just 11 kW at the wall-box and 100 kW at best for the X while the Z can charge at 150 kW. Both cars have active suspension and all-wheel steering and are thus theoretically on a par with the competition. Thanks to its Lidar system the Z has enough hardware on board for autonomous driving.
Yet the newcomers lack the finishing touches needed for really smooth driving. The steering seems nervous and doesn’t have the necessary sensitivity for so much power.
The chassis is not very harmonious, sometimes rumbling heavily and at the same time being a bit spongy. This is where the tuning experience of the more established manufacturers in this segment pays off.
Cheap but unknown
Certainly, these two new Chinese models are spectacular and, compared to their Western rivals, pretty cheap.
In Europe, the X costs €109,000 as a six-seater and €123,000 in the luxury version with only four seats. The Z starts at €105,000.
But even if they cost barely more than half as much as a Porsche Taycan or a Mercedes EQS SUV, it’s still a lot of money to pay for a brand largely unknown outside China.
