Arcfox Alpha S5: the Chinese electric saloon at half the price of a Xiaomi SU7
Published: 25/09/2026
Arcfox Alpha S5: the Chinese electric saloon at half the price of a Xiaomi SU7
110,000 yuan. That's what the entry-level Arcfox Alpha S5 (also written αS5) costs in China: a 4.82-metre electric saloon that does 0-100 km/h in 7 seconds. A Xiaomi SU7 starts at 215,900 yuan, almost twice as much. French site Frandroid drove the car in Beijing, and the verdict is interesting, with a fair few caveats.
First, the question that matters if you live here: can you buy an Arcfox Alpha S5 in Portugal? Not today. There's no official importer and no Portuguese price, and the French testers themselves call a European import "unlikely". Still, this cheap Chinese electric saloon shows how low the price of a competent EV can go, and why that doesn't automatically reach European showrooms.
Who makes Arcfox? BAIC's electric arm
Arcfox belongs to BAIC (Beijing Automotive Industry Holding), Beijing's state-owned carmaker. The group now runs three brands: BAIC for combustion cars and off-roaders, Stelato for luxury models built with Huawei, and Arcfox for mass-market EVs with a premium touch. Its EV division also has long-standing ties to Magna, the Canadian parts supplier.
The name comes from the arctic fox, an animal from the north, like Beijing on China's map. Between 2024 and 2025 the brand moved down-market in search of volume, with the small T1, the T5 SUV and this saloon. So far it's paying off: 81,017 units sold in 2024 and about 163,000 in 2025.
What Frandroid tested: the pre-facelift Alpha S5
This matters: the car Frandroid drove is the original Alpha S5, launched on 15 June 2024 and repriced in late 2024 and early 2025. The test car was the rear-wheel-drive 668 Max. A facelifted Alpha S5 has been on sale since March 2026 with different specs, which we cover further down.
The αS5 is 4,820 mm long, 1,930 mm wide and 1,480 mm tall, with a 2,900 mm wheelbase. That puts it between a Tesla Model 3 (4,720 mm) and a BYD Seal (4,800 mm), and well short of the Xiaomi SU7 (4,997 mm). Depending on the battery, it weighs 1,800 to 2,000 kg.
A 0.1925 drag coefficient and 33.5-metre braking
A claimed drag coefficient of 0.1925 is its big technical selling point. It beats the Xiaomi SU7 (0.195), Xpeng P7 next (0.201), Changan Nevo A06E (0.205) and Tesla Model 3 (0.219). On the road, Frandroid found it remarkably quiet at 120 km/h, with almost no wind noise. Only tyre roar comes through on rough tarmac, partly because there's no double glazing.
Braking was the other surprise: 33.5 metres from 100 to 0 km/h, close to the Xpeng P7 Next's 33.16 m. The pedal is progressive and emergency stops stay stable. There's also a well-thought-out Personal mode that lets you set throttle response and regenerative braking anywhere from 0 to 100% (at 100% it becomes full one-pedal driving).
Where the Alpha S5 falls short: power, comfort and kit
With 185 kW (248 hp) and 360 Nm, the 668 Max lacks bite. It has enough pace to overtake, but Sport mode barely changes anything, and coming out of corners it lacks the instant shove you expect from a modern EV. Frandroid's verdict: technically competent, but "cruelly" short on character in the rear-drive version tested.
The cabin has gaps too. The 68-inch AR-HUD is impressive and the 630 W, 16-speaker Sonavox sound system (on upper trims) is better than the price suggests. However:
- No heated, ventilated or massage seats, not even as options
- No electric adjustment on the front seats of the test car
- No front boot (the space under the bonnet houses electronics and fluids)
- L2+ driver assistance on motorways only (NOA), with no LiDAR and no urban assisted driving
- Conventional suspension (MacPherson front, multi-link rear) with passive dampers, well tuned but no air suspension
Soft-touch plastics make the finish decent, but it doesn't match a Xiaomi or a Zeekr. The 1/3-2/3 split-folding rear seats are a plus.
9-minute charging and Arcfox Alpha S5 range
Now the headline number: 30 to 80% in 9 minutes, according to BAIC. This applies only to the 668 Max and 630 Ultra, which use an 800 V architecture with "5C" charging. The batteries come from CATL.
The table shows the lineup Frandroid tested (before the facelift). WLTP figures are Frandroid's estimates based on the much more optimistic Chinese CLTC cycle.
| Version (pre-facelift) | Power | Drive | Battery | CLTC range | Est. WLTP | China price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 560 Pro | 185 kW / 248 hp, 360 Nm | Rear | 60 kWh | 560 km | ~448 km | 110,000 yuan |
| 668 Max (tested) | 185 kW / 248 hp, 360 Nm | Rear | 66.8 kWh | 668 km | ~534 km | n/a |
| 708 Max | 200 kW / 268 hp | Rear | 74.4 kWh NMC | 708 km | ~566 km | n/a |
| 630 Ultra | 390 kW / 523 hp, 690 Nm | All-wheel | 74.4 kWh NMC | n/a | n/a | 180,000 yuan |
What does that mean on the road? With roughly 534 km WLTP, the 668 Max could do Lisbon-Porto (just over 300 km) without stopping. A 9-minute stop at a compatible fast charger would put back half the battery, or roughly 260 km of driving. Frandroid adds a caveat of its own: real-world consumption still needs checking over a longer period. Also, few chargers on MOBI.E, Portugal's public charging network, can deliver the power that 5C charging needs.
The 630 Ultra tops the range with a 3.7-second 0-100 km/h time. Arcfox salespeople told Frandroid it barely sells. At 180,000 yuan, buyers choose a Xiaomi SU7 Max, which does it in 2.78 s and has a far stronger brand.
Arcfox Alpha S5 vs Xiaomi SU7 and the other rivals
The "half the price" claim holds up. In Frandroid's comparison, the Alpha S5 560 Pro costs 51% of the Xiaomi SU7's starting price. The euro figures are indicative conversions of Chinese prices (Frandroid's, at roughly €0.1217 per yuan), not European prices.
| Model | China price (yuan) | Indicative conversion |
|---|---|---|
| Arcfox αS5 560 Pro | 110,000 | ~€13,381 |
| Arcfox αS5 630 Ultra | 180,000 | ~€21,898 |
| BYD Seal | 178,800 – 278,800 | ~€21,750 – €33,900 |
| Zeekr 007 | 209,900 | ~€25,523 |
| Xiaomi SU7 | 215,900 | ~€26,265 |
| Tesla Model 3 | 235,500 | ~€28,653 |
A low price hasn't been enough. Xiaomi has delivered more than 500,000 SU7s, while αS5 sales remain modest. Frandroid points to muddled positioning: too pricey next to an entry-level BYD, without the cachet of a Xiaomi or Zeekr. Then there's the Changan Nevo A06E, which offers heated, ventilated massage seats and a front boot.
The facelifted Alpha S5 from March 2026
Arcfox answered weak sales with a facelift, launched in China in March 2026. It differs a lot from the car Frandroid tested:
- 7 versions: 4 battery-electric (BEV) and 3 extended-range (EREV, with a 1.5-litre petrol engine that only acts as a generator)
- Starting price of 99,800 yuan after discount (
€12,146, indicative conversion at the same rate) for the EREV; the fully electric versions have a 116,800 yuan base price (€14,215, likewise indicative) before the 5,000 yuan launch discount - EREV: 200 kW, 365 Nm electric motor, 0-100 km/h in 6.5 s, 1,450 km combined CLTC range
- Rear-drive BEV: 185 kW (7.0 s) or 200 kW (6.8 s)
- All-wheel-drive BEV: 390 kW, 690 Nm, 3.7 s, 630 to 720 km CLTC and 30-80% in under 15 minutes
- Qualcomm 8775 chip for driver assistance and infotainment, 19-speaker audio
Some figures don't match between sources. CnEVPost gave 4,820 mm for length at pre-sale and 4,886 mm at launch, and the EREV's electric range went from 175 km to 230 km CLTC. The pre-sale also mentioned a 900 V platform. Until there's an official spec sheet, treat these numbers with caution.
What about the Alpha T7 and its 30,000 orders in an hour?
You may have seen a "30,000 orders in one hour" headline linked to Arcfox. It's about a different car: the Alpha T7, a 5.02-metre coupé-SUV launched on 16 September 2026, which took more than 30,000 firm orders in its first hour and over 60,000 pre-orders. It costs 132,800 to 168,800 yuan after subsidy, comes as an EV or EREV, and Qiankun versions get Huawei's ADS 5 driver-assistance system with LiDAR.
The T7 isn't the S5, but it says a lot about the brand: Arcfox is no longer a sideshow in China, and it now has a model selling at scale.
Frequently Asked Questions
There is no official Portuguese price. In China, the Alpha S5 lineup Frandroid tested starts at 110,000 yuan (about €13,381 as an indicative conversion), and Frandroid estimates taxes and logistics would double that, giving roughly €27,000 as a thought experiment. That figure would cover EU customs duties on China-built EVs, shipping, homologation and Portugal's 23% VAT (IVA); the ISV and IUC exemptions for EVs help but don't offset the rest.
There is no confirmed date or launch. In February 2024, Spanish media reported Arcfox would enter Europe through the port of Ferrol, with Spain first and Portugal next, offering five models priced at €35,000 to €60,000, but none of it materialised. We found no confirmed 2026 European launch for the Alpha S5 or the Alpha T7, and the brand's current overseas push is the small T1 in New Zealand, Malaysia and South Africa.
Arcfox quotes 560 to 708 km on China's CLTC cycle, which Frandroid converts to roughly 448 to 566 km WLTP, depending on the 60, 66.8 or 74.4 kWh CATL battery. At about 534 km WLTP, the tested 668 Max could cover Lisbon-Porto without stopping. The 30-80% charge in 9 minutes applies only to the 800 V 668 Max and 630 Ultra, and few chargers on Portugal's MOBI.E network can deliver the power it needs.
Arcfox is the EV brand of Chinese state-owned carmaker BAIC, and it sold 81,017 cars in 2024 and about 163,000 in 2025. The 30,000-plus firm orders in the first hour were not for the Alpha S5: they belong to the Alpha T7, a 5.02-metre coupé-SUV launched on 16 September 2026, which also collected more than 60,000 pre-orders.
On Chinese pricing, the 560 Pro costs about 51% of an entry-level Xiaomi SU7 (110,000 vs 215,900 yuan) and has a 0.1925 drag coefficient, slightly better than the SU7's 0.195. On the other hand, Frandroid found the rear-drive version short on punch, with no heated or ventilated seats, no front boot and a cabin finish below the Xiaomi, which has delivered more than 500,000 SU7s. For buyers in Portugal the comparison is theoretical, as the Alpha S5 has no confirmed official sales here.
Is Arcfox coming to Portugal?
Arcfox's European story so far is one of announcements. In December 2023 the brand's overseas distributor pledged to invest "tens of millions of dollars" in Europe, with 12 countries under study. In February 2024, Spanish media reported that the port of Ferrol in Galicia would be its gateway, with Spain first and Portugal next. The reports mentioned five models, including the S5, priced at €35,000 to €60,000.
None of that happened in Portugal. We found no confirmed 2026 European launch for either the Alpha S5 or the Alpha T7. An Ireland-based importer site ("ARCFOX Europe") lists the αS5 without prices. The brand's current push abroad is elsewhere: the small T1 in New Zealand, Malaysia (end of 2026) and South Africa.
How much would the Arcfox Alpha S5 cost in Portugal?
There's no official price. Frandroid estimates that taxes and logistics would double the Chinese price. Apply that rule to the entry model and the ~€13,381 becomes roughly €27,000. Treat that as a thought experiment, not a forecast. The sum would include EU customs duties, among them the extra tariffs on China-built EVs, plus shipping, homologation and Portugal's 23% VAT (IVA). EVs here are exempt from ISV (the one-off vehicle registration tax) and IUC (annual road tax), which helps but doesn't offset the rest.
At that price, the Alpha S5 would be up against brands that already have sales and service networks here, such as BYD with the Seal and Tesla with the Model 3, and it has none of their name recognition. That's why Frandroid calls it a fight "lost before it starts".
If you're shopping for an electric saloon in Portugal, read the Alpha S5 as a sign of what's coming. 9-minute charging, a 0.1925 drag coefficient and class-leading braking for little more than €13,000 in converted terms will keep pushing down prices at the Chinese brands already selling here. If Arcfox does make a real move into Europe, it's more likely to be with the T7 or the facelifted S5 EREV. That's the announcement worth waiting for.