Header image source: GAC Aion.
Chinese electric vehicle makers are making an aggressive push for premium models in Southeast Asia, with a unit of Chinese state-owned automaker GAC Aion debuting luxury cars in Singapore on January 24—hot on the heels of rival BYD.
GAC’s Hyptec brand launched its HT model at a price of about SGD 250,000 (USD 185,000), including a levy for the right to own and operate a car required in the city-state—a higher-end EV compared to its other mainstream models and equipped with grander features, about three months after competitor BYD debuted its premium Denza brand in the financial hub at a listed price of around SGD 300,000.
Within the ten-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the luxury Hyptec brand entered Thailand and Indonesia in 2024, with Singapore being the latest ASEAN market added. It competes with a rush of other Chinese EV rivals like Xpeng Motors, Ora, and Neta, apart from BYD—all making sales pitches within the region.
“It’s definitely challenging—a lot of new brands coming in,” Ernest Tan, director at Vincar, Hyptec’s Singapore distributor, told Nikkei Asia. “We don’t really see it as a total threat … for us, we are very focused on improving our branding and our brand offerings.”
Hyptec showed off its HT sports utility vehicle in Singapore with “gullwing doors” that open vertically, a feature also on US EV rival Tesla’s Model X. The Chinese brand also offers a cheaper, variant model with normal doors that open sideways.
It is touting other luxury features in the car such as storage space for two large golf bags, reclining and massage seats, as well as premium sound speakers. The HT has a listed range of 520 kilometers with a claim to charge from 10% to 70% battery capacity in 15 minutes.
To sweeten the deal, Vincar’s Tan promised a SGD 12,000 “launch discount,” with Hyptec throwing in a lifetime warranty. The car distribution executive said at launch, he has already received deposits from around 50 customers to buy the HT, which is made in GAC’s Guangzhou base in China before being exported to ASEAN.
Tan said the luxury model is geared toward high net-worth individuals and executives who enjoy golfing, although Vincar already sells GAC’s other mainstream makes in Singapore.
Numbers show it still has plenty of catching up to do with Chinese rival BYD, which is the EV leader in the city-state. Statistics from the country’s Land Transport Authority show there were 310 GAC cars in the financial hub at the end of 2024.
BYD, on the other hand, had some 8,500 EVs on Singapore roads, topping Tesla’s about 5,100, the figures show. It was also the bestselling car model in the city-state in 2024, not just among EVs but all other makes, based on official figures of new rides being registered.
The Chinese automotive giant, which has already overtaken billionaire Elon Musk’s Tesla in EV output, is not letting up. At a motor show in Singapore earlier in January, BYD premiered a new model for the city-state, the Sealion 7.
The EV maker is eyeing the even higher-end supercar segment in Singapore, dominated by European makes such as Ferrari and Lamborghini. BYD showcased for the first time its exotic Yangwang U9 at the motorshow, billed as the fastest Chinese production car made.
“We are also very keen to push for luxury segments in Singapore,” James Ng, BYD’s managing director for Singapore and the Philippines, told Nikkei. “We believe that there’s still a good market … we are able to give a luxury product with a good price point.”
This article first appeared on Nikkei Asia. It has been republished here as part of 36Kr’s ongoing partnership with Nikkei.
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