ArcFox-7, by Tycho de Feijter This is the ArcFox 7 concept car, as seen in the brand new ArcFox Space in Beijing. The space is a typical hipster showroom/juice bar and opened for the launch of the ArcFox brand, which plans to build an electric city car and a 600 horsepower electric supercar. More spaces are set to open soon in Beijing and other cities across China. ArcFox is a new EV brand under BJEV, the electric-vehicle division of the Beijing Auto Industry Corporation (BAIC), commonly know as Beijing Auto. BAIC is one of the largest automobile manufacturers in China, owned in a large part by the Beijing City municipal government. ArcFox Space with two BJEV cars, by Tycho de Feijter BAIC sells cars under various brands, including Beijing Auto, Senova, Foton and Changhe. It also has large car making joint ventures with Hyundai and Mercedes-Benz. BAIC owns 60% of BJEV. The other 40% is divided among other shareholders, including LeEco, the company behind the LeSee Tesla killer and Faraday Future. Currently, BJEV sells the EU260 sedan , the EX200 crossover and the successful EV200 hatchback. They are developing the EH400, China’s largest electric sedan so far. These cars are sold under the Beijing Auto brand but distributed via a separate dealer network. The ArcFox name was used on two concept cars that debuted on the Beijing Auto Show in April, but the brand wasn't officially announced until last week. ArcFox is aimed at the young and hip, living in high rises in the big cities, with a few yuan to spare and as yet unfettered by a family. ArcFox stands for arctic fox, a small fox-like animal that lives far up in the ice cold regions of the Northern Hemisphere. ArcFox Space, by Tycho de Feijter The ArcFox logo depicts an arctic fox head seen from the front. The slogan of the brand is “Fun any way.” The brand will launch its first car after Chinese New Year, which falls on January 28 2017. The first-born fox will be the ArcFox-1 mini EV. BJEV showed an open top concept on the Beijing Auto Show. This concept is also displayed in the space. The production version however will get a traditional roof, and it was previewed sneakily in a work of art. The ArcFox-1 will be just over 3 meters long, it will have a 40hp motor, a range of about 200 kilometers, and a 120 km/h top speed. It will cost 100,000 yuan or $15,800 including subsidies. There will be a two-seat version and a four-seat version. It will have a customizable interior and probably swappable body panels as well. The ArcFox-1 will be closely related to another electric mini car under development at BJEV, that car will also launch next year and sell under the Beijing Auto brand. It will be cheaper, basic and more family-oriented. Two very different cars with the same underpinnings--platform sharing at its best. ArcFox-1, by Tycho de Feijter The mini EV segment is fast becoming increasingly popular, especially in the big cities. These cars are allowed on the highway but rarely go there. They can charge in a few hours at the office or at one of the increasingly common public chargers on the road. The most popular cars in the segment are the Zhidou D2 and the Zotye Yun100, which sold 2,300 and 1,812 units in June respectively. BJEV hopes that the ArcFox-1 can better that. The second Fox cannot be much different than the first. The stunning ArcFox-7 is a full-blown electric supercar. It too debuted in concept form on the Beijing Auto Show and production has now been confirmed for next year. The 7 will cost a hefty four million yuan or $600,000, by far the most expensive Chinese car ever and a perfect halo model for the ArcFox brand. ArcFox-7, by Tycho de Feijter The ArcFox 7 will be powered by two electric motors, good for a combined output of some 600hp and 1000nm. It will do zero to a hundred in 2.8 seconds and top out at 260 km/h. Range will be at least 300 kilometers. Amazingly, the ArcFox-7 won’t be the only Chinese electric supercar for very long; the Qiantu Motors K50 and the Windbooster Titan will soon join the high-power party. There is a lot of space between the 100,000 yuan ArcFox-1 and the four million yuan ArcFox-7. This emptiness will be filled up by other ArcFox cars that will launch from next year to 2020. Most of these cars will be based on existing BJEV platforms, but some will be unique. ArcFox logo on the ArcFox-7, by Tycho de Feijter Does the ArcFox have a chance? Yes it does. The market for mini EVs is booming, BJEV has a lot of experience with electric cars, and they have enough cash on hand for proper funding. And the ArcFox-7 will make sure everybody will know about the brand right from the beginning. The Fox is coming.
The electric vehicle division of the Beijing Auto Industry Corporation (BJEV) has recently launched a new brand called ArcFox, with a trendy showroom in China containing only concept vehicles at this stage. ArcFox is aimed at the young and hip who live in apartments in big cities, using the slogan “fun any way” to appeal to this demographic. The brand will launch its first vehicle early next year in the form of the ArcFox-1, which, if it matches the concept shown at the Beijing Auto Show, will be just over three metres long, have a 40hp motor, offer a range of around 200 kilometres, and cost $15,800 with local subsidies.