The Chinese brand Aiways is still alive. or alive again. Can the Aiways U6 Coupé beat the Polestar 2 in its range, price, delivery times, and shipping speed?
What is remarkable about Aiways U6 Coupé?
Aiways, we kind of forgot about that brand. At the end of 2020, the Chinese carefully dipped their toe into Dutch waters with the Aiways U5, but this model was not a unanimous hit with only one copy sold throughout 2022.
But Aiways, which was only founded in 2017, is not giving up. The U6 Coupé is the second model and should make life difficult for cars like the Tesla Model Y, Volkswagen ID.4 and (especially) the Polestar 2. The U6 Coupé appears to have been drawn by the same designers, especially in profile, it is evident that Aiways emphatically flirts with his Sino-Swedish rival. Bumper strips are reminiscent of Citroen.
How does Aiways still intend to conquer the Netherlands with its electric cars? The Chinese operates a network of dealers, so you won’t have to rely on the internet to get one delivered to your door. We know other enticing tactics from other Chinese brands: short delivery times, richly equipped cars with no option menu (but with a free heat pump), and opting for a futures subscription, where you pay a fixed monthly amount.
What’s good about the electric Aiways U6 Coupé?
Although it doesn’t say “Greetings from Polestar” on the back of the car, we think the design works. It’s not a hatchback, but it’s not an SUV either. The sloping roofline looks good on him and makes him fear the worst for space, but that fear is unfounded. The Aiways U6 Coupe is wonderfully roomy, especially in the back. It is therefore 20 cm longer than the Polestar 2 and has a wheelbase that is 6 cm longer.
The dashboard is also a huge improvement over the U5. This had a rather strange set of instruments in the form of a triptych, with the U6 Coupé you can look at a narrow screen with all the important information. The Aiways have no physical buttons, as all functions are grouped into a large touchscreen display on the center console.
The dashboard’s interior is elegant, and the cheerful colors of the seats—a mixture of white, red, and blue—are not bad either.
In the financial field, the Aiways U6 Coupé holds a trump card for 2025. Then the road tax exemption for electric vehicles will end. Since the U6 Coupé is relatively light (it weighs 1,790 kg, the Polestar 2 is 150 kg heavier), this can save you a lot of money every month. But this feature will appear only in 1.5 years.
We can be brief about driving, we know the comfort, silence and immediate power available to an electric motor than any other electric vehicle.
What could be better about the Aiways U6 Coupé?
From the U5 we still remember the warning wafted through the car like a mantra if you took your eyes off the road for a moment: “Focus on the road and don’t smoke”. The computer voice also says the latter if you’ve never touched a cigarette before.
Now the Chinese have realized that such busyness primarily irritates European drivers, but instead of beeping in every possible way. If you exceed the speed limit, if you are getting too close to road signs (a crime on narrow country roads), or if the cameras and sensors think you did not see the car in your blind spot. The latter is not surprising in itself, because the view to the rear and sides is poor due to the massive C-pillars and the small rear window. But beeps at different pitches and overly emphatic steering corrections drive madness.
You might expect Chinese cameras to accurately and sharply record every minute detail on the road, but oddly enough, their intelligence is very limited. They read a poor review of the reference. If you are driving at 130 km / h after 19 hours, you can therefore be treated quite unfairly with a punitive whistle.
With its range and speed to load, the Aiways U6 Coupé doesn’t break any pot. The 63 kWh battery squeezes 400 electric kilometers from a single battery charge. Fast charging is possible at a maximum of 90 kW, which is a moderate value. The Tesla Model Y and Polestar 2 go one step further and charge faster.
When will the Aiways U6 Coupé come to the Netherlands and what is its price?
The Aiways U6 is only available in the Prime version, with a heat pump and 3-phase charger. With its price of 48,975 euros, this version exudes aplomb. It is not eligible for SEPP subsidy for electric vehicles. Tesla Model Y is cheaper (47,993 euros), Polestar 2 is slightly more expensive (51,200 euros).
Aiways is working on a cheaper version, under €45,000, especially for the Netherlands. The battery pack remains the same, but the equipment is less comprehensive. For the Chinese, hopefully, the subsidy pool will not end by then.
The first copies could arrive in the Netherlands at any time.
What else will Aiways do in the coming years? Will it be a success or a failure?
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What do I think of the Aiways U6 Coupé?
The look pleasantly surprised me, especially in the beautiful green metallic you could order the U6 Coupe in. Tall people like me (1.90m) get off the back seat with most brands, but Aiways thinks of us. regards!
But the U6 Coupé doesn’t distinguish itself from the competition in other areas: not with its range, not with its price, not with its range, not with its charging speed.
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