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Prototype EVs Driving from China to Germany

Two prototype electric SUVs made by Chinese carmaker Aiways have begun a 14,200-km (8,800-mile) test drive from Xian, China, to Frankfurt, Germany.
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Two prototype electric SUVs made by Chinese carmaker Aiways have begun a 14,200-km (8,800-mile) test drive from Xian, China, to Frankfurt, Germany.

The two U5 midsize crossovers left Xian on July 17 and don’t expect to reach Germany until early September, in time for the Frankfurt auto show. The cars plan to pass through the Gobi Desert and make stops in Kazakhstan, Russia, Finland, Sweden, Norway and France.

Aiways says it will use the trip to evaluate its car’s performance, durability and reliability.

The 4-year-old startup expects to launch U5 sales in China in September. The ambitious company hopes to begin selling the crossover in France, Germany Norway and the Netherlands next spring.

The front-wheel-drive U5 has a range of as much as 560 km (350 miles) per charge, according to the company. Aiways’ website indicates the chassis that carries the two-row U5 can be reconfigured to carry a sedan, 3-row SUV or minivan body.

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