Chinese Startup Readies Luxury EV

Chinese electric vehicle startup Human Horizons (HH) plans to debut its first vehicle, the HiPhi 1, in early 2021.

The company unveiled a prototype of the large crossover vehicle last week. HH will build the model at a facility in Jiangsu province that previously was owned by Dongfeng Yueda Kia, a carmaking joint venture between Kia and Dongfeng.

HH claims the HiPhi 1 will have a driving range of 600 km (372 miles) and be capable of accelerating from zero to 62 mph in less than four seconds. The company says the car will be equipped with 500 sensors to provide Level 3 autonomy, 5G vehicle-to-everything communications and other safety and convenience functions.

A neural network and 1-gigabite ethernet will connect four domain controllers and six onboard computer platforms to better integrate various vehicle systems. In addition, HH says it will use artificial intelligence to add and upgrade features based on a driver’s habits and preferences.

An array of LEDs will be used to convey messages to other road users. The interior is highlighted by a digital instrument cluster, large infotainment center and a separate display for the front seat passenger.