BAIC’s electric supercar packs technology gleaned from the world of Formula E

By Ronan Glon Published December 18, 2019

BAIC Electric Coupe — Autocar

China-based Beijing Automotive Industry Corporation (BAIC) has published the first official images of an experimental supercar powered by an all-electric drivetrain. The yet-unnamed model will be shown to the public for the first time later this month during the biennial Beijing Auto Show.

On paper, the basic specs are downright impressive. The coupe was designed jointly with NextEV, a Chinese team that competes in Formula E, and it uses a battery-powered drivetrain that offers a maximum driving range of over 180 miles. It’s allegedly capable of hitting 62 mph from a stop in less than three seconds before going on to a top speed of 161 mph, though full technical specifications haven’t been published yet.

BAIC Electric Coupee — Autocar

Autocar

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Citing Chinese media outlets, British magazine Autocar reports the coupe features three driving modes that each change its ride height. The car sits 4.7 inches off the ground in economy mode, 3.9 inches off the ground in comfort mode, and just 3.1 inches when sport mode is engaged. Clearly, the model was designed with performance in mind.

BAIC’s newest model looks as fast as it goes thanks to a muscular design with a low front end, pronounced wheel arches, a sleek roof line, and a thin spoiler out back. The cabin is accessed via Lamborghini-style scissor doors.

BAIC’s coupe is still a prototype, but the company aims to bring it to the market in the not-too-distant future. NextEV CEO Padmasree Warrior told Autocar that the model will initially be sold exclusively on the Chinese market, meaning we’re unlikely to see it touch down in the United States. However, BAIC recently teamed up with a California-based EV startup named Atieva to build premium electric cars for global markets, so the technology packed into the muscular-looking coupe might trickle down to a U.S.-spec model sooner or later. Assuming it ever becomes a reality, of course.

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Ronan Glon is an American automotive and tech journalist based in southern France. As a long-time contributor to Digital…

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