It was a big Shanghai auto show for China’s HiPhi, which announced a new model, the Y, and laid out the start of its international expansion strategy, which will see it sell EVs in Europe and the Middle East in the near future.
Before it’s ready to start selling the Y at the end of the 2023, HiPhi plans to start selling its other vehicles, the X and the Z, in Europe. Part of the brand’s push to expand beyond its domestic market’s borders, the automaker’s first international showrooms will be modeled after its Chinese locations and built in Oslo, Norway, and Munich, Germany.
The locations were selected strategically by the premium electric vehicle manufacturer. Whereas 80 percent of all vehicles sold in Norway in 2022 were electric, Germany is the biggest market for EVs by volume in Europe, making the two countries the ideal places to put down roots. After Europe, it plans to start tackling the Middle East.
Read: New HiPhi Y EV Breaks Cover With The Weirdest Split Rear Doors You’ve Ever Seen
“In the past, we worked hard to introduce global brands to China. Today, we want to bring Chinese brands to the world,” said Ding Lei, the CEO of Gaohe Automobiles, which operates HiPhi. “A global high-end brand from China, so while we are deeply cultivating the Chinese market, we also look at the world. In 2023, we will start a global brand strategy and expand overseas markets, and the European and Middle East markets will be our first wave.”
HiPhi says that it has already received approval from the European Union to sell the X and Z. Meanwhile, the Y is being designed specifically with international markets in mind. The new model slots into the lineup between the X and Z, as a long-distance, tech-forward SUV.
It features “intelligent wing doors” that open upwards and outwards, and promises “ample interior space.” The SUV measures in at 194.4-inches (4,938 mm) in length, which makes it just 4.6-inches (119 mm) shorter than the Tesla Model X.
That makes the Y the largest vehicle in the HiPhi lineup. Moreover, unlike the X and the Z, which get around 373 miles (600 km) of range, it will get 497 miles (800 km) of range on China’s CLTC test cycle.
