More than 100 owners of the Aion S, a popular electric compact sedan known as China’s “Ride-Hailing King,” have reported battery failures after driving certain mileage thresholds. The Aion S, produced by GAC’s new energy vehicle division, has been widely used in ride-hailing services across China. These vehicles, which have accumulated between 150,000 and 250,000 kilometers, are equipped with 177 ampere-hour lithium iron phosphate batteries developed by China Aviation Lithium Battery. Owners have experienced issues such as sudden power outages while driving, sharp reductions in driving range, insulation failures, and visible signs of battery swelling or leakage.
Since its launch in July 2020, the ride-hailing version of the Aion S has become one of China’s most popular vehicles for ride services, thanks to its more spacious interior compared to similar models and the long-term warranty provided by the manufacturer. In 2023, over 70% of GAC Aion’s produced units were used in ride-hailing fleets.
In response to mounting complaints, GAC Aion has extended the vehicle’s warranty to eight years or 300,000 kilometers, up from the previous eight years or 150,000 kilometers. The company is also offering free maintenance and battery replacement services. Additionally, China Aviation Lithium Battery has announced joint maintenance programs with the dealer’s sales, spare parts, service, and survey outlets.
Neither GAC Aion nor China Aviation Lithium Battery has officially announced plans for recall of the affected vehicles or batteries. Industry insiders suggest that the company’s main recovery efforts involve improving quality assurance, offering free testing, and replacing batteries while investigations continue to identify the root cause. Recall procedures will require filing with the national market regulation authority and making the process public.
Experts estimate that battery costs account for nearly 60% of the total vehicle price. Replacing batteries in a model costing around 120,000 yuan (approximately $17,730) could range from 70,000 to 80,000 yuan (roughly $10,345 to $11,825). Replacing batteries in 100,000 electric vehicles could cost over 3 billion yuan (about $443 million), representing a significant financial burden for both the automaker and the battery supplier.
The failures may stem from issues related to the battery cells themselves, such as design flaws or manufacturing defects, especially considering the appearance of the batteries after malfunctions. Experts point out that batteries used in ride-hailing vehicles should be built to last between 500,000 to 1 million kilometers, a much higher standard than the 200,000 to 300,000 kilometers typical for personal EVs. During early development, the industry did not differentiate between commercial and personal vehicle batteries, leading to a lack of targeted research and testing beyond the 200,000 km mark. It wasn’t until after 2023 that stricter standards for commercial vehicle batteries began to take hold.
The Aion S has played a crucial role in helping GAC capture a significant share of China’s ride-hailing EV market, with the company producing 220,000 units used for ride services in 2023, out of a total of 740,000 EVs across the sector. BYD ranked second with 190,000 vehicles.
[Note: This content was originally sourced from industry reports and insider insights.]