The incessant trickle of Chinese brands joining the national automotive scene does not stop. The latest to arrive is the Arcfox firm, belonging to the giant BAIC Motor, also known as Beijing Automotive Industry Holding Co. Founded in 1958 and based in Beijing, this company is one of the largest automobile manufacturers in China and now arrives in our country. with one of its premium brands.
A few days ago it began its activity in Spain through the port of Ferrol (A Coruña), the access point chosen for the development of its vehicle export activity in Europe through a specific logistics platform.
With a covered area of ??9,600 m² and the capacity to grow based on future operational needs, these facilities – which have involved an investment of 5 million euros – will function as a storage space and warehouse for vehicles for export. In addition, the launch of its activity is expected to generate the creation of 50 to 60 direct jobs.
The forecast of those responsible for the Asian group BAIC, which has partnered with the companies Altium and Magna for its landing in Europe, is to move between 5,000 and 8,000 units a year starting in 2025, with initial deliveries of 3,000 units in the first exercise. At the moment, around 200 vehicle operations have already been processed from the new Galician platform.
The takeoff of commercial operations from Spain is part of the growth strategy in the European electric car market and will be complemented by the creation of 25 dealerships in our country to distribute its cars, although it has not yet been agreed by the brand. its geographical distribution or other details in this regard.
Arcfox has announced that its initial European catalog will consist of four models, two of which have already been approved and are available for testing and for their next online marketing in our country. These are the Alpha T and Alpha S electric cars, initially; and Kaola and S5, later, whose prices will range between 30,000 and 60,000 euros.
The first of them, the Alpha T, is an SUV with 660 km of autonomy and 268 HP of power whose acceleration from a standstill is in 4.6 seconds to 100 km/h. For its part, the Alpha S is an electric sedan with up to 668 km of autonomy and 235 HP of power that provides acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.6 seconds. They were launched in China in 2020 and 2021, respectively, and have technological development and intelligent solutions carried out in close collaboration with Huawei.
Later, the brand could also offer the Kaola, a compact car with 161 HP and about 500 km of autonomy, as well as the Alpha S5, its flagship model; a 533 HP sedan with more than 700 km of use range and 0-100 km/h in just 3.7 seconds. All of them would have a warranty of 5 years or 120,000 km while the batteries would have a coverage of 10 years or 200,000 km.
Behind the stylized image of these products, much more European in taste than in other brands and manufacturers of Asian origin, is the creative genius Walter de Silva, a world-renowned automotive designer with a long professional career that began with Fiat and Alfa Romeo but developed mainly in the Volkswagen Group for brands such as Seat, Volkswagen, Audi or Lamborghini.
This influential Italian designer, considered one of the best and most prolific in recent years, is directly responsible – or has been involved – in the projects of models as emblematic and significant as the TT, A5, A6, Q7, Scirocco, or Macan , among many others.