SYDNEY: The all-electric GAC Aion UT has been awarded the maximum five-star safety rating by Australasian New Car Assessment Programme (ANCAP).
Applicable to both Premium and Luxury variants, the Aion UT recorded strong results across the board with notable performances in Crash Protection (90%) and Post Crash (88%).
The model also passed ANCAP’s battery ‘pierce test’ with flying colours, which examines whether physical damage to a battery cell can trigger a chain reaction leading to a fire.
The result follows GAC’s medium-sized SUV (sport utility vehicle) , Aion V, which also delivered a five-star ANCAP rating following its launch last year.
Despite the Aion UT’s diminutive exterior footprint, the model is equipped with a raft of safety features that contributed to this exceptional performance.
The strong scoring in crash testing is owed to GAC’s comprehensive ‘720-degree’ approach to protection – 360-degree vertically and 360-degree horizontally.
With a chassis created from 39% high-strength and 28% hot-formed steel, the Aion UT boasts 110,000 newton lateral impact forces through its front frontal crash structure and a roof structure capable of withstanding 7-tonnes of pressure.
Seven airbags are positioned throughout the cabin, including an expansive 2.1-metre side curtain airbag extending from the car’s A to C pillar and characterised by a specific V-shape in the second row delivering superior occupant head protection.
In addition, the Aion UT’s Auto Unlock and Power Off Upon Collision System stops the powertrain and immediately unlocks all doors for passengers to make a safe exit if required.
Impeccable safety standards continue through to the innovative Magazine Battery 2.0, offered as a 60kWh LFP setup for Australian Aion UT specifications.
Structured efficiently with Cell-To-Pack technology, the unit features an outer shell with fireproof insulation to enhance thermal resistance, Fast Ion Conducting (FIC) insultation coatings and internal cooling fluid without flammable additives to ensure the battery will not catch fire or explode even when punctured or heated up to 180°c.
Powering over one million vehicles worldwide across GAC’s broader product portfolio, the Magazine Battery 2.0 remains incident free to this day.
Level 2 ADAS is standard across both variants.
Speed Control incorporates adaptive cruise control reacting to other vehicles and cornering speed, while Distance Control actively monitors for large oncoming vehicles and automatically adjusts the lateral clearance when safe to do so.
Meanwhile, Stop-and-go-tracking and Lane Position Keeping remain helpful when navigating busy multi-lane city highways.
In a segment first, Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) is available not just frontwards, but also when reversing.
Alongside larger vehicles, the vehicle’s system also recognises pedestrians and motorcyclists moving in the same and perpendicular directions, safeguarding those most vulnerable on Australia’s roads.
The Aion UT also comes with Blind Spot Monitoring and Rear Cross Traffic Alerts.
