Arcfox reveals a very stylish $10,000 T1 electric hatchback

24 July 2025

The market for affordable electric cars is arguably one of the busiest spaces in the auto industry today. Many manufacturers focus on high-end, long-range models, but the real volume is often found in the budget-friendly segment. BAIC's electric vehicle brand, Arcfox, has just released official images of its new T1 hatchback, a small EV with a sharp design and an even sharper price tag.

With pre-sales marked for late August, the Arcfox T1 is targeting a price point of around RMB 70,000, which translates to approximately £7,000. This puts it directly against some of the best-selling electric cars in China, including the BYD Seagull and the Xingyuan from Geely. Arcfox hopes its fresh design language, which it calls "Arc-Flow," will be enough to turn heads and open wallets.

From the outside, the Arcfox T1 certainly stands out. The official images reveal a vehicle that looks sportier than its initial auto show debut. It has clean, flowing lines and a two-tone paint scheme, with the roof and the pillars finished in black.

A modest spoiler at the rear adds to the athletic appearance. Perhaps the most notable design choice is the 18-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels. Wheels of this size are rare on electric cars in this price bracket, giving the T1 a more premium stance than many of its rivals.

The Arcfox T1 is a compact but substantial hatchback. It measures 170.7 inches long, 73.2 inches wide, and 61.9 inches tall. These dimensions make it a practical choice for city driving and tight parking spaces. The wheelbase is a generous 109.1 inches. A longer wheelbase relative to the car's overall length typically means more stable handling and, more importantly for passengers, more interior space.

The T1 uses a straightforward and cost-effective electric powertrain. The vehicle has a single electric motor that sends power to the front wheels, producing a maximum output of 70 kW, or about 94 horsepower. That might not sound like much, but it's a perfectly adequate figure for a lightweight city car designed for urban and suburban commuting. The motor is paired with a lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery pack supplied by CALB.

Arcfox plans to offer the T1 with two battery sizes. According to filings with China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), buyers can choose between a 41.7 kWh pack providing a claimed range of 255 miles and a slightly larger 42.3 kWh pack offering 264 miles. It is important to remember that these range figures are based on the lenient CLTC testing cycle, so real-world mileage may be lower.

Even if the real-life range is lower, these are solid numbers for a vehicle in the £7,000 class. The challenge for Arcfox will be immense, as it enters a market dominated by giants. The Geely Xingyuan and BYD Seagull (Dolphin Surf in Europe) sold over 40,000 and 30,000 units, respectively, in June alone. Arcfox is betting that the T1's combination of style, features, and aggressive pricing will be enough to carve out its own space.

Via