Arcfox confirms T5 electric SUV for NZ before its first car reaches customers

Arcfox has confirmed a second model for New Zealand before its first has reached customers, with the T5 mid-size electric SUV locked in for an early 2027 arrival.

Local general manager Shiguang Guo revealed the plan at this week’s launch of the T1 crossover, the compact EV leading the BAIC-owned brand’s entry through distributor Armstrong’s.

The T5 steps up a full size class. At 4,760mm long on a 2,845mm wheelbase, it lands in the heart of the mid-size electric SUV segment, where it will meet the Leapmotor C10 and the MG S6.

Battery-electric versions were the only ones confirmed, with three CATL packs offered internationally: 64.8kWh, 74.4kWh and 79.2kWh, rated at 560km, 660km and 705km respectively on China’s generous CLTC cycle. All produce 200kW and 360Nm, and the car rides on an 800-volt platform claiming a 30 to 80% charge in 15 minutes.

A range-extender T5 also exists overseas, pairing a 1.5-litre petrol generator with a 27.4kWh battery for 215km of electric running and 1,215km combined, though it has not been confirmed for this market. Given the pace at which range-extenders are arriving here, from Leapmotor’s Ultra Hybrids to the Freelander 8, its absence from the announcement is worth watching rather than reading as final.

Exact timing and pricing were not shared beyond the early 2027 window. Where the T5 lands on price will decide a lot: the T1 opened Arcfox’s account at the budget end, and the mid-size segment it is entering has become one of the hardest-fought corners of the market.