China has a very interesting portfolio of cars that puts you up for a joyride as there are both praise-worthy and cringe-worthy creations. Many Chinese automakers have faced a lot of criticism for blatantly copying European and American cars. But at the same time, we also witnessed some pretty cool and wickedly fast Chinese cars. The recently unveiled GAC Aion Hyper SSR is an all-electric supercar that is praise-worthy.
It packs 1,000+ horses, has an Italian-esque design language, and has a sporty yet tech-heavy interior layout. But the astonishing part about this 'supercar' (and not 'hypercar' because nowadays 1,000 hp cars have become far too common, especially among EVs) is its pricing. In its performance appeal, the Hyper SSR has the muscle to face the Rimac Nevera which is the gold standard among all-electric supercars/ hypercars.
But the Nevera starts from over $2 million! But this new supercar from China starts at an equivalent of about $240,000! That's about 8 times cheaper than the 1,914 Rimac. That's not the end of it because there will be a cheaper RWD version of the Aion Hyper SSR that supposedly starts at an equivalent of just under $180,000! That's insane value for money because the Hyper SSR supposedly packs 1,225 hp.
Yes, the Rimac has almost 700 hp more and the Hyper SSR might clearly not be able to match the drama levels of the Rimac, but the price difference between these two supercars is what has got our eyes popping out! This also gives us an idea of how accessible EV technology has become today.
The 1,255 Hp GAC Aion Hyper SSR electric 'supercar' from China is surprisingly cheap and an unexpected rival to the mighty Rimac Nevera.
Aion Hyper SSR Promises 0-62 Mph in Under 2 Seconds
The performance figures of the Hyper SSR are quite impressive. The most powerful iteration of this Chinese supercar churns out 1,225 hp by using two electric motors, one for each axle. Called the Ultimate, it packs a staggering 8,850 lb-ft of combined torque. The measurement of torque for EVs is tricky, and the above-mentioned figure is clearly not the output at the wheels! The Hyper SSR Ultimate can do 0-62 mph in just 1.9 seconds!
There is a more sober base variant of this supercar that has a single motor and is RWD. There are no insights on the performance figures of the base model, but the company claims that it can do 0-62 mph in 2.3 seconds.
Hyper SSR's Sporty Design Reminds Us Of Ferrari 458 Italia
As soon as we saw the front fascia of the Hyper SSR, it instantly took us to Italy. There seems to be a strong Ferrari 458 Italia design inspiration, especially with the headlight design. But thankfully, it's inspired and copied! Every exterior aspect of this Chinese supercar is exotic and fits in well with its fierce performance figures. The Hyper SSR is basically the road-going version of the GAC Enpluse all-electric roadster that was showcased back at the 2020 Beijing Auto Show.
All body panels are made of carbon fiber and there are a lot of sharp and angular design elements across the supercar. The rear is highlighted by two elongated LED taillamps that almost span the whole width. The rear diffuser is huge and fanged towards the corners with two F1-styled rear brake lights on the bumper. The butterfly doors add more drama to the sporty design.
The Hyper SSR Interior Is Minimal, Sporty, And Tech-Savvy
The Hyper SSR supercar has a very minimal yet sporty interior layout. The bucket seats are layered with distinctively patterned cushioning. The dashboard is clean and has a driver-focused design. A huge 14.6-inch touchscreen display seems to be the window to all in-car and external controls.
The chunky steering wheel has a unique design with a flat bottom and top. The whole cabin is wrapped in an interesting shade of purple which looks quite vibrant. It is promising to see electric supercars have an interior that still embodies the visual aura of a mean driving machine.
GAC Aion Hyper SSR Can Stand Up To The Rimac Nevera
The most intriguing part about the Aion Hyper SSR supercar is that it looks to have the brawn to stand up to the mighty Rimac Nevera. The Croatian hypercar is currently the pinnacle of performance machines and stands as the fastest electric car in the world. It churns out a staggering 1,914 hp and 1,741 lb-ft of torque to all four wheels. The outcome? 0-60 mph in 1.85 seconds and a top speed of 258 mph.
Pitting the Hyper SSR against the Nevera would have been a slaughter, if not for the pricing! The SSR can do 0-62 mph in 1.9 seconds which is why we are very much interested to see a drag race between these two radically opposing machines. For 1/8th the price, there is a high possibility to make the Nevera sweat! But that's about it. The visual drama, interior features, and overall quality of elements of the Nevera are leaps ahead compared to the Hyper SSR.
Will The GAC Aion Hyper SSR Come To America
The intriguing GAC Aion Hyper SSR currently seems to be reserved for China only. And this Chinese supercar is actually up for pre-orders right now. GAC Aion promises deliveries to be in October 2023. As for the pricing, the base Hyper SSR is priced at 1.286 million Yuan (~$178,000) whereas the 1,225-hp SSR Ultimate trim comes in at 1.688 million Yuan (~$235,600).
Sources: GAC Aion, Aion Weibo, Rimac