China is coming for the Renault 5 and ID. Polo with this new electric hatchback

You missed the launch of Aion in the UK earlier this year, didn’t you? You’re completely forgiven, because it was yet another Chinese brand arriving with a bland electric crossover. Boo.

Things might be starting to get a little more interesting for the GAC-owned firm though, because it has just confirmed orders are set to open for its second car next month. Said car will be called the Aion UT, and it’s a hatchback. Hurrah!

Aion itself describes the UT as a B-segment electric supermini that offers “C-segment quality, space and features”. Should be priced as a rival for things like the Renault 5 and Volkswagen ID. Polo, then.

Customer deliveries will kick off in October this year, with a single powertrain and trim level. That means you’re looking at a front-mounted motor making 201bhp and a 60kWh battery that should provide 268 miles of range. A 30 to 80 per cent charge apparently then takes 24 minutes.

There have apparently been plenty of tweaks to get it ready for UK roads, with a new suspension setup and revised anti-roll bar. Oh, and we’re told that the UT was “styled for Europe” at GAC’s design studio in Milan. There’s talk of the face being ‘owl-inspired’, but we’re unsure if that’ll translate into the UT being able to perform rapid U-turns. It should really have come with a proper handbrake. Instead, you get heated front seats, a whacking great touchscreen and a 360-degree parking camera inside.

There’s also a Premium Pack that adds a panoramic roof, a powered tailgate, a ventilated driver’s seat and wireless charging for your phone. Plus, Aion’s big thing is apparently something it calls a ‘Great 8 Promise’. That means an eight-year warranty, eight years’ servicing, eight years’ roadside assistance and MOTs to cover the car until it’s eight years old. Could that tempt you out of the rather wonderful Renault?