Aiways is a Chinese startup EV brand while Tesla is the most popular EV brand on the planet. Aiways is worth 5.7 billion dollars while Tesla is worth 1.2 trillion dollars and comparing them is rather difficult as both the brand appeal and overall desirability between these two are worlds apart.
Tesla is the pioneering brand that virtually started the whole EV craze with the Tesla Model S. Nowadays Tesla is the most valuable car company on the planet because everyone is positive that the future is 100% electric.
Aiways on the other hand is a newcomer brand that almost no one knows about. Nowadays you can get four different Tesla models while Aiways is currently only offering the U5. Tesla is focused on making luxurious, fastest, and most technologically advanced EVs on the planet while Aiways is focusing on the lower echelon of the market.
As such, the levels of luxury, brand appeal, technology, desirability, and safety are all in favor of Tesla while Aiways bests Tesla only in the value department. This is not likely going to change in the coming years judging by the available data about company product strategies.
Aiways – Brand overview
Aiways has managed to design and develop the U5 in a little over 3 years’ time which is certainly impressive. The Aiways U5 manages to sell well, especially in Europe because it offers great value for money. Aiways is soon going to offer the U6 as well which should also increase the public interest towards Aiways.
Aiways tries to encompass the lower-end EV market because everyone is aware that most competitive EVs tend to cost a lot more than a comparable ICE car. As such, a competitively priced EV like the U5 is indeed a great addition to the market.
The U5 offers a 63 kWh battery capable of delivering up to 250 WLTP miles. All U5 models use a single electric motor configuration that pushes out 150 kWh (201hp). You are able to charge the U5 from 20% to 80% in a little over 30 minutes if you come across a fast DC charger while slow AC charging takes 8-10 hours.
The U5 is class-leading when it comes to space and ergonomics because it is a fairly large automobile that costs less than some compact EVs. Safety-wise, the U5 is rather questionable, but Aiways says that they are working on solving the issues.
Tesla – Brand overview
As stated in the beginning, Tesla is the most popular and most valuable car company on the market because Tesla makes benchmark EVs. The greatest benefit Tesla offers is the ability to use the Tesla Supercharger Network while also offering class-leading autonomous driving technologies.
Tesla is a luxury car brand while Aiways is an economy EV brand at the very best. Almost everyone knows that Tesla makes the most desirable EVs on the market which are class-leading in many segments, especially performance and technology.
Tesla is also known as a brand that is not afraid to try out new things, they are the least conservative car company out there because they are brave enough to reimagine the very essential aspects of motoring. A prime example of this is the new yolk steering wheel in the Tesla Model S or the lack of the instrument cluster in the Model 3.
Tesla is likely going to stay at the top of the EV game for a long time which means that Tesla and Aiways are diametrical opposites in so many ways.
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Chinese EV startup brands vs Luxury EV brands
Aiways is currently one of the most popular Chinese EV brands while Tesla is the most popular luxury EV brand. As such, it makes sense to compare the entire market placement strategy these two companies offer.
Tesla aims to satisfy the wealthy, tech-savvy, and predominantly younger audience with their vehicles because they prioritize technology, luxury, performance, and convenience. Aiways aims to satisfy the value-oriented buyer that just wants an EV, that’s why Aiways models don’t excel in anything besides the price.
Teslas are often bought by EV enthusiasts wanting to treat themselves with a piece of 21st century bleeding edge of technology while Aiways cars are bought solely with reason. Furthermore, the higher-end luxury EV market is already brimming with lots of great EV options.
On the other hand, the cheap end of the EV market is not all that well represented, and that’s why these Chinese EV brands exist in the first place.
FAQ Section
Is Tesla the best EV brand on the planet?
Tesla certainly does seem like the best and most promising EV brand on the market, but this is rather difficult to say because brands like Mercedes, Porsche, and Audi all offer higher quality EV products. The greatest asset Tesla has above all of these brands are the Superchargers, without them, Tesla cars would not be as popular as they are.
Either way, Tesla can be considered as the best EV brand on the market because they really do offer many advantages besides chargers. Most Tesla models offer a class-leading real-life range, class-leading performance, and class-leading technology.
Is Aiways going to become more popular in the future?
Aiways is most likely going to become more popular in the future if they continue offering decently made and value-oriented EVs such as the U5. The EV market desperately needs cheaper EVs for mass transition purposes, and if Aiways continues to deliver, they might even be able to lead the charge towards mass EV transition.
Cheap EVs are rare these days, especially those with a 250-mile range. As such, Aiways is on the right path towards becoming a more relevant EV brand in the future.
Is the Aiways U5 a safe car?
The Aiways U5 is a semi-safe car because it only managed to get a 3-star safety rating from Europe’s leading crash testing organization the Euro NCAP. The U5 failed to deliver when it comes to side-impact safety while some active safety features also left a lot to be desired.
However, Aiways is aware of this and they are working on solving these issues. Chances are that newer Aiways models will be significantly safer.
