Shanghai-based AIWAYS has announced that buyers in Europe can start going online in order to reserve their all-electric U5 SUV at the end of this month.
What you’ll need in order to get started on your purchase is a small deposit, although pre-sale markets and precise deposit amounts will only be announced in the coming weeks.
The U5 will be offered exclusively through a direct-to-consumer sales model, and not retailed or leased through traditional dealerships.
Read Also: Chinese EV Startups Are Targeting Europe, But Will You Be A Customer?
“Online pre-sales represents the next important phase of AIWAYS’ entry into the European market. It’s our promise to customers that for only a small deposit they can be among the first to receive the U5 and start enjoying the benefits of a long range, high-tech and well equipped electric SUV,” said AIWAYS executive VP of overseas operation, Alexander Klose.
The Chinese EV-maker recently started production of the U5 at its plant in Shangrao, following the interruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Production of the European U5 will start in July, with first deliveries pushed back to August 2020.
Powering the U5 is a 140 kW (197 HP) electric drivetrain, promising a range of more than 248 miles (400 km). Initially, sales will commence in Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and Switzerland, with other markets to follow.
In terms of after-sales support and servicing, AIWAYS will work with independent workshops in each of those countries. The U5 SUV will have need to undergo scheduled maintenance every 100,000 km (62,000 miles).
