Aion has confirmed that UK pricing for its all-electric UT supermini will start from £28,950 when orders begin next month.

Before going on sale, the Chinese newcomer will make its official UK debut at the 2026 British Motor Show in Farnborough, which runs from Friday, August 21 – Sunday, August 23.

Upon arrival, the UT will be Aion’s second UK model alongside its V SUV. While Aion insists its five-door supermini is a B-segment hatch, it sits somewhere between the B-segment Renault 5 and the B/C-segment MG4 Urban in terms of size.

At 4.3 metres long with a 440-litre boot, Aion promises that the UT “will reset what UK motorists can expect from a B-segment supermini in terms of class-leading space, quality, refinement, and premium-level features.”

However, the Aion is significantly more expensive than the R5, which is priced from around £24,000 upwards and comes with a proven track record.

Designed at parent firm GAC’s Milan studio, the UT adopts an ‘in Europe, for Europe’ philosophy, and its springs, dampers, bump-stops, and calibration have been tuned to European drivers’ tastes. A revised anti-roll bar is also part of the package.

The Aion UT will be available in five colours, and twitchers will be pleased to know that its smoothed-off, “playful, distinctive face [is] brought to life by owl-inspired headlights”. The front end’s setup is completed by a 2×2 ‘ice cube’ indicator and DRL cluster.

Inside, Aion promises that the UT will be finished in “high-quality materials and a raft of standard features usually reserved for higher segments”. Heated front seats, a 360-degree surround-view camera, and a 14.6-inch infotainment screen positioned in the middle of the dash are standard.

Aion has kept things simple when it comes to trim levels. There is just one available, but it can be built upon with an optional Premium Package, which includes a panoramic glass roof, an electronically powered tailgate, a ventilated driver’s seat, and wireless phone charging.

Under the skin, there’s a single battery choice – a 60kWh unit promising 268 miles of range, which is slightly more than the equivalent R5’s 252 miles. Aion claims that the UT’s battery can be charged from 30% to 80% in 24 minutes. A front-mounted electric motor produces 210bhp.

The Aion UT will be covered by the firm’s ‘Great 8 Promise’, which includes eight years’ worth of warranty, servicing, roadside assistance, and MOTs. The coverage is tied to the car and not the buyer. This means that the benefits continue if the car is sold on within the eight years. Like other Chinese manufacturers, Aion is unlikely to qualify for the UK Government’s electric car grant.

Aion is owned by GAC, the third-largest car manufacturer in China, and it isn’t the only Chinese manufacturer on-site in Farnborough.

As with this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, compatriots BYD will also have a significant presence, courtesy of its new Ti7 SUV, Dolphin G DM-i supermini, and Shark pick-up truck. BYD’s premium arm, Denza, will also have its Bao 5 SUV and Z9 GT shooting brake on display.