Chinese carmaker Human Horizons has started expanding its premium electric car brand HiPhi to Europe. The electric SUV HiPhi X and the electric coupe HiPhi Z are now available in Germany and Norway. Both models come with a six-figure price tag.
In Germany, the six-seater version of the electric SUV HiPhi X starts at 109,000 euros, while the four-seater variant is available for 123,000 euros. The second model, the HiPhi Z, will go on sale in Germany starting at 105,000 euros as a five-seater and 107,000 euros as a four-seater. Both models will soon be on display in Europe’s first HiPhi showroom at Munich Airport. Deliveries of the HiPhi X and HiPhi Z are scheduled to begin in the third quarter of 2023. A third model, the HiPhi Y electric SUV, was presented in April and will also be available in Europe before the end of the year.
The pricing structure in Norway is similar. The six-seater HiPhi X starts at 1,164,000 Norwegian Krone (99,897 euros) and the four-seater at 1,326,000 Kr (113,770 euros). The HiPhi Z with five seats is available from 1,110,000 Kr (95,225 euros) and 1,143,000 Kr (98,056 euros) with six seats. Human Horizons plans to announce other European markets this year. The Shanghai-based company specialises in building luxury EVs. In its home market, the company presented the HiPhi X in 2020.
The HiPhi X features two electric motors with 220 kW each – in the front and rear-, a 97 kWh battery pack, and it has a WTLP range of 460 kilometres (previously, there was always talk of 650 kilometres according to the Chinese CLTC cycle). The car accelerates from zero to 100 kph in 3.9 seconds. The model’s luxury equipment includes no-touch automatic wing-opening doors. The carmaker does not disclose any further details. In China, the HiPhi X also boasts a 17-speaker Meridian audio system, a 19.9-inch passenger entertainment screen and a customisable smart fragrance system. Whether these features will also be offered in Europe remains to be seen.
What is clear is that the electric SUV will be available with four or six seats, and Human Horizons emphasises that the six-seat version has enough room to accommodate adults in the third row.
And the HiPhi Z electric coupé? According to the manufacturer, it is an “electric luxury GT” that went into production in China in 2022. It comes in a two-motor version with a maximum output of 494 kW and a 120 kWh battery with cell-to-pack technology. Acceleration from 0 to 100 kph takes 3.8 seconds, and Human Horizons claims a WLTP range of 555 kilometres. European customers can choose between a four- and five-seat configuration.
“The HiPhi X established itself as the best-selling luxury EV in China, and the HiPhi Z has also been extremely well received. Now comes the first opportunity for European customers to find out why the cars have made such a phenomenal impact,” says HiPhi CTO Mark Stanton. “Their unique combination of luxury and advanced technologies brings buyers in Germany and Norway an entirely new driving experience. And this two-market start forms a perfect launchpad for us to extend our operations across the continent, with the aim of covering main European countries by 2027.”
The smaller HiPhi Y, expected to follow the duo to Europe later this year, will be offered at a lower price in China than the first two models. According to the regulatory filing in China, the new electric SUV will cost between 400,000 and 500,000 yuan (the equivalent of around 53,000 to 66,000 euros) in China. Human Horizons will likely transfer this pricing strategy to Europe. The Shanghai company says the HiPhi Y was “fully designed and engineered for European markets”. It will be offered as a single-engine version with 247 kW of power and a four-wheel-drive version with an additional 124 kW front engine.
Keyword: Human Horizons: HiPhi X and Z now available in Germany and Norway