Here we have an Aion Y Younger, seen in the Chinese capital Beijing in the summer of 2024. It is painted in a light blue color called “Forever Young” (永远年青), which is a very cool name that matches the car’s moniker.
Aion is an EV brand under GAC, founded in 2020. The Aion Y was launched in 2021. Design-wise, it mixes elements of SUVs and MPVs. The Y is aimed at young families with kids, hence the name. It doesn’t have much power but it has loads of practicality and space inside. I tried one out at an Aion dealer. If I had a young family in China now, I would definitely buy this car for my wife.
The Aion Y Younger arrived in 2023, a budget variant of the Y with a smaller motor and battery and a basic ADAS. But it looks better than the more expensive regular car, with added orange trim in the bumpers and wheel arches, and the roof rails are orange as well.
The orange theme continues inside. The interior is minimalist in a good way, with wide comfortable seats and a center tunnel with a wireless charger. The drive selector is mounted on the steering wheel column. There is storage space everywhere. It has a 10.25-inch driver’s display and a 14.6-inch touchscreen.
The license plates are of Tianjin Municipality.
The Aion Y Younger is a single-motor front-wheel drive car. The output is 100 kW and 176 Nm, good for a 130 km/h top speed. Electricity is stored in a 49.75 kWh LFP battery, energy consumption is 12.9 kWh/100 km, and range is 430 kilometers. Size: 4535/1870/1650, with a 2750 wheelbase and a 1590 kg curb weight, which is decent for an EV of this size.
Badge: 广汽埃安 (Guǎngqì Aiān), GAC Aion.
A simple badge for a simple car. Simple is not a bad word in this context. On the contrary. I believe there is a large market for basic practicality-first electric family cars without a zillion horsepower. It sure works for Aion, it is the fifteenth best-selling brand in China (May 2024) with 35.705 cars sold. The Aion Y was the best-selling model, taking up 17.190 units or 48.14% of Aion’s sales!
I really like the orange bits in the bumper. The Aion Y Younger is an affordable car. The price range is 89.800 to 96.800 yuan, and that translates to $12.4 – 12.3K.
Behind the Y Younger was a residential area with this interesting statue on a small square. I didn’t see any sign around, but I assumed the statue depicted two crane birds making out. Sweet, isn’t it?