The T1, which could see European sales, targets the compact hatchback segment but is larger than a VW Golf.
Arcfox has commenced pre-sales for its new T1 all-electric hatchback in China with prices starting from as little as RMB 68,800 (£7,100 / $9,600).
The new model, the smallest in the Arcfox range, will be offered in five distinct trim levels with two versions offering 320km of CLTC range, and three offering as much as 425km.
Arcfox claims over 11,000 pre-orders were made within two hours of pre-sales opening, showcasing a reasonable level of demand for a brand that only sells around 10,000 units a month generally.
Only the longer range variants will be available for immediate delivery when the car is launched with the shorter range models coming around mid-October.
Externally, the T1 utilises the Arc-Flow design philosophy which is characterised by a full-width light bar that connects the headlight units and a swept back face.
Further styling elements include semi-concealed door handles, a blacked-out roof creating a shark-fin C-pillar motif, and a wheels-in-corners stance, enhanced by large 18-inch alloy wheels.
The rear features separate taillights with an arrow-like detail, connected by a black trim piece that appears to bring the rear window further into the bootlid.
Six exterior colours will be offered, with more adventurous blue, green, and pink colours joined by more conservative white, grey, and silver hues.
While in appearance and price terms the T1 looks to target the compact hatchback market, cars like the BYD Seagull and Geely Xingyuan, it’s actually a much larger car, measuring in at 4,337mm long, 1,860mm wide, 1,572mm tall, and with a wheelbase of 2,770mm, making it larger than a VW Golf.
This, Arcfox emphasises, makes for a large interior space with as much as 1,004mm of headroom and rear legroom of 934mm, around 3cm more than you’d expect in a Golf.
Boot space of 459-litres with the rear seats up is 85 litres more than the competing Geely Xingyuan, and comes with 74-litres beneath the boot floor. With the rear seats folded down, space expands to a considerable 1,352 litres.
Hopping neatly onto the trend in China for cars as living spaces, the T1 features a one-click front seat flattening function, which makes for a flat interior area so groups can relax in the car.
The T1 gets a clean and stylish interior dominated by a 15.6-inch screen in the centre, a larger than usual screen for a car of this size complete with an AI-powered voice assistant, alongside an 8.8-inch driver’s information display.
The centre console doesn’t join up to the dashboard, but does feature a split-lid storage area, twin cupholders, and twin phone holders, as well as a vertical pocket-style wireless phone charger.
There’s also a large panoramic sunroof with a total area of 2.34 square metres, and the interior gets a two-tone design, which comes in white, beige, and grey variants with a blue upper-level trim and white rooflining on all variants.
Technologically, Arcfox claims the T1 is the first in its class to offer low-speed intelligent assisted steering, a system that reduces the turning diameter by 30 cm for a minimum turning radius of 5.2 metres.
The vehicle is also equipped with a 540-degree panoramic imaging system and Level 2 advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), which encompass 12 active safety functions.
It even comes with automatic parking skills that support 58 different parking scenes with a parking success rate in excess of 95%.
Arcfox’s website is currently only showing the 70kW (94 hp) version though MIIT filings revealed a 95kW (127 hp) variant on the way. They don’t state official battery sizes but these are believed to be a 33.4kWh LFP unit for 320km of CLTC range, and a 42.3 kWh LFP battery which gets 425km of range.
The five trims start with the 320km range versions, the 320 Pro at RMB 68,800 (£7,100 / $9,600) and 320 Plus at RMB 71,800 (£7,400 / $10,000), and rise to the 425km versions, the 425 Pro at RMB 75,800 (£7,800 / $10,600), the 425 Plus at RMB 83,800 (£8,700 / $11,700), and the top-tier 425 Max at RMB 93,800 (£9,700 / $13,100).
