HiPhi joins wave of Chinese brands at Munich auto show

Chinese HiPhi luxury EV brand will continue its push for exposure in Europe with a display at the Munich IAA Mobility auto show. 

The company, which was founded in 2019 as part of a startup, Human Horizons, has already started sales of two models, the X large SUV and Z GT sedan, in Germany and Norway.

It will show the Z in the expo halls at the Munich show, but will also have the X, the Z and the Y, a smaller midsize sedan with rear doors that open upward, on display at its new retail space, called the HiPhi Hub, at Munich airport. 

The Y had its European debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July. Orders will open toward the end of this year.

There will be nearly twice as many Chinese brands at the Munich show this year as there were in 2021, and the World New Energy Vehicle Congress, China’s electric mobility trade show, will be held as part of the Munich event on Sept. 6.

HiPhi says it aims to expand sales to Europe’s main markets by 2027.

The Z starts at 105,000 euros ($114,000) in Germany and offers 662 hp from two electric motors to give a 0 to 100 kph (62 mph) acceleration time of 3.8 seconds. The HiPhi X starts at 109,000 euros. It has twin 295 hp electric motors to give a 0 to 100 kph acceleration time of 3.9 seconds.

HiPhi is part of Human Horizons, a company founded in 2017 by two executives with links to GM’s Chinese operations. CEO and Chairman Ding Lei started his automotive career at Volkswagen Group’s joint venture with SAIC in 1988, was SAIC-GM’s president from 2005 to 2007, while Vice-Chairman Phil Murtaugh led SAIC-GM from its inception in 1996 through 2005 and then left to run Chrysler’s Asia operations. He was also CEO of Qoros Auto, a small Shanghai automaker, from 2009 to 2016.