Aiways U6ion – eSUV coupe concept from Shanghai

Aiways Auto, a personal mobility provider start-up from Shanghai, has taken the veils off its new U6ion electric crossover coupe concept. The unveiling arrives just ahead of the brand’s European launch, and the new electric SUV will go on sale in selected European markets later in August.

Now, the U6ion takes after its U5 SUV sibling, which means it shares the same More Adaptable Structure (MAS) platform. Aiways says the platform can be scaled to create products that cater to a variety of lifestyles, functions and configurations. According to the company, the U6ion will be powered by a lightweight electric motor that’s hooked up to a big battery pack which improves range, but no numbers have been revealed yet.

In terms of design, let’s just say the crossover coupe looks somewhat familiar. Sporty and muscular are the adjectives chosen by the automaker to describe the U6ion. Up front, it gets a sleek pair of LED headlights with LED DRLs, below which are the intakes for cooling the brakes.

Styling appears to be heavily influenced by aerodynamic functionalities, resulting in the use of splitters, diffusers, and a slick fastback-styled roofline with a domed glass surface. All in, the SUV has a claimed drag coefficient of 0.27. Additional aero parts include shark fins, lipped edges, and a two-tone curved rear spoiler. The concept is shod with massive 21-inch low-drag wheels.

For the interior, the driver is greeted with a squared multifunction steering wheel, behind which rests a seven-inch floating instrument cluster. In the middle rests a huge 14.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system with voice recognition function, and below that is a panel of capacitive touch glass panel for HVAC controls.

What’s really unique with the U6ion is the gear shifter. Aiways calls it the ‘grip shift’, a design inspired by the throttle levers in power yachts. Elsewhere, there’s race-style door tabs, four integrated sports seats, grip handles for the rear passengers, and capsule umbrellas stored integrally within the doors.

Aiways also incorporated a storage area for a drone and remote control, both of which are designed to fit between the rear passengers. There’s also a hidden compartment made specifically for the deployment of an electric scooter.

For safety, it gets the automaker’s latest suite of driver assistance systems, including Auto Emergency Brake (AEB), Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA), Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Intelligent High Beam Control (IHBC), Lane Keeping System (LKS), driver fatigue detection, and more.

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